Vidit Gujrathi remains on top in Prague chess tourney

Indian Grand Master Vidit Gujrathi opened up a one-point lead after posting an impressive win over world's top junior Alireza Firouzja in the fifth round of the Prague Chess Festival's Masters Category here.

The 25-year old notched up his third win by outclassing his Iranian opponent in a 24-move Slav exchange late on Sunday.

Firouzja, playing with black pieces, underestimated the power of the exchanged variants and went down without much of a fight.

"I am happy with the way the games are going," Gujrathi said after moving to four points from five games.

P Harikrishna, the other Indian in the 10-player field, held higher-rated Russian Nikita Vitiugov in 59 moves, to take his tally to two points.

Vitiugov and top seed Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland are in second spot with three points.

Duda (Elo rating 2755) could not force a win over Swedish GM Nils Grandelius, the lowest-rated player in the Masters event at 2659.

In the sixth round to be played on Tuesday after a day's rest, Harikrishna will meet David Anton Guijarro and Gujrathi will take on Vitiugov.

Results of Round 5: