World's youngest Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi bounced back to joint lead after splitting point with International Master Eduard Gorovykh of Russia in the ninth round of the World Youth Stars Chess tournament underway in Kirishi, Russia.
Overnight leader GM Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia was comprehensively beaten by GM Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus.
Nepomniachtchi's loss was a gain for Negi and world junior champion Zaven Andriasian of Armenia as the two caught up with the Russian on six points.
With only two rounds to come in the category-12 event featuring some of the finest talents in the world, it could be anyone's title with IM Avetik Grigoryan also breathing down the neck of the leaders on 5.5 points.
Negi played a positional game with his black pieces against Gorovykh and the Russian did not give many chances to his opponent in this keenly contested and long drawn affair.
The opening was a Ruy Lopez wherein Gorovykh attained just a level position in the closed variation. Long manoeuvring ensued soon after the queens got traded as both players continued for an elusive hunt to find weaknesses in other's camp.
Interestingly, the last piece got traded on move 22 in the game and till the end thereafter, that came on 64th move, the position remained almost same with no further exchanges.
Nepomniachtchi finally met his nemesis in Zhigalko, who went for the Advance variation to beat the leader. It was almost a one-sided affair after Zhigalko attained a superior position in the middle game and exerted pressure on both flanks.