Harikrishna Falls to Martinez Alcantara in FIDE World Cup Upset
Image Source: Internet
Mumbai: India's Pentala Harikrishna has become the latest casualty of the FIDE World Cup, bowing out to Peruvian-Mexican Grandmaster Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara in a thrilling tie-breaker. Martinez Alcantara, who has been making waves in the chess world with his impressive performances, continued his momentum, securing a spot in the quarter-finals. The 57th-seeded Martinez Alcantara (Elo 2644) outplayed the 24th-seeded Harikrishna (Elo 2690) in the tie-breaks of Round 5, leaving Arjun Erigaisi as the only Indian standing in the last eight. Martinez Alcantara, who has been on a roll since the tournament began, has now defeated several top players, including Uzbek Abdusattorov Nodirbek (2750). In a chat with FIDE, Martinez Alcantara said, "I'm the underdog every single match, but you will need to suffer until the end." His words proved prophetic as he outmaneuvered Harikrishna in the tie-breaks, securing a decisive win. Harikrishna, who was on a composed run, was left disappointed with a resigned look on his face. Martinez Alcantara, who has been making a name for himself in the online chess world, has been impressive in the classical format as well. He has been undefeated in Goa, with three of his four wins coming in classical contests. When asked about his performance, he said, "I can be at least 50 times better. For me, it's really amazing because with this level, I'm reaching the quarter-finals... I'm really impressed.
