Grandmaster Wesley So clung to a half-point lead after being held into a draw yesterday in the 11th round of the Tata Steel Masters 2017 in Wijk aan zee, Netherlands.
Coming off a big win in the 10th round against Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek on Thursday, So only managed to halve the point with Russian GM Dmitri Andreikin after 25 moves of a Ruy Lopez duel and retain his lead in the 13-round tournament with 7.5 points.
It was So’s seventh draw against four victories, cutting his full point lead to half against closest pursuer Chinese GM Yi Wei.
Wei grabbed solo second with 7 points after a big win against Russian GM Sergey Karjakin. It was the only triumph posted in the round after the rest of the field settled for draws.
Reigning world champion GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway, GM Levon Aronian of Armenia, and GM Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine are at joint third to fifth worh 6.5 points.
So faces a crucial 12th round when he plays white against Wei.