Harikrishna emerges sole leader

The Indian defeated GM Joe Gallagher (2511) of Switzerland in 39 moves to take his points tally to three.

Second-seed GM Krishnan Sasikiran (2569) defeated Nicholas Pert (2451) of England in 41 moves to share the second place.

Sasikiran, Alexei Barsov (2525) of Uzbekistan and Petr Kiriakov (2547) of Russia share the second spot with 2.5 points each.

Top-seed GM Zhang Zhong of China failed to score the full point yet again and was involved in a 53-move draw with Mark Hebden of England.

Earlier in the third round, Harikrishna has an easy draw against GM Alexei Barsov of Uzbekistan, while Sasikiran drew his third successive game in the tournament with GM Petr Kiriakov of Russia.

In the fifth round on Wednesday, Harikrishna will play with black against Petr Kiriakov of Russia, while Sasikiran, also with black, will face Mark Hebden of England.

In the challengers event, being organised simultaneously, Top-seed GM Vita Tsheshkovsky of Russia shot into sole lead with 4.5 points, defeating D.V. Prasad of India in a fifth round match.

Aimen Rizouk of Algeria, Glenn Flear of England, Daniel Gormally of England, Sergei Azarov of Belarus and Zvonko Stanojoski of Germany with 4 points shares the second place.

GM Dibyendu Barua drew with Alexander Cherniaev of Russia while WGM Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi defeated Feliks Kwiatkopwski of England to share the third spot with 3.5 points.

The moves (fourth round):
P Harikrishna vs J Gallagher
Result: 1-0
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Bc4 e6 5. Nge2 Nf6 6. O-O a6 7. d3 b5 8. Bb3 Nxb3 9. axb3 b4 10. Nb1 d5 11. Ng3 h5 12. Bg5 h4 13. Ne2 dxe4 14. dxe4 Qc7 15. Nd2 h3 16. g3 Bb7 17. f3 c4 18. Nxc4 Bc5+ 19. Be3 Bxe3+ 20. Nxe3 Rd8 21. Qe1 Qc5 22. Qf2 O-O 23. Nc4 Qg5 24. Qe3 Qxe3+ 25. Nxe3 Rd2 26. Kf2 Rc8 27. Rfd1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 g5 29. g4 Rc7 30. Ng1 Nd7 31. Nxh3 f6 32. Kg3 Ne5 33. Nf2 a5 34. Nd3 Ng6 35. Ra1 Ba6 36. Nxb4 axb4 37. Rxa6 Nf4 38. Rb6 Rh7 39. Rb8+

K Sasikiran vs N Pert
Result: 1-0
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. b3 Ne4 9. Bb2 Qe8 10. e3 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Nd7 12. Qe1 a4 13. e4 f4 14. e5 Qg6 15. exd6 cxd6 16. Qe2 Rf7 17. Rfe1 Nf8 18. Nd2 Ra7 19. c5 dxc5 20. Nc4 Bf6 21. Nd6 cxd4 22. Be4 Qg5 23. Nxf7 Kxf7 24. Bd2 d3 25. Qxd3 Bxa1 26. Rxa1 axb3 27. Qxb3 Qf6 28. Rc1 Bd7 29. Bxf4 Bc6 30. Be3 Ra5 31. Bxc6 bxc6 32. a4 Kg8 33. Bb6 Rh5 34. a5 Qf5 35. Rc5 Qh3 36. Rxh5 Qxh5 37. a6 Qe2 38. a7 Qe1+ 39. Kg2 Qe4+ 40. f3 Qe2+ 41. Bf2

Earlier reports:
Harikrishna leads at Hastings
Sasikiran seeded No. 2 at Hastings