NAGPUR: Going into the second rest day of the Candidates Chess tournament, two-time challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia has maintained sole lead, and at the halfway mark is well on course for a hat-trick.
While the Russian GM, playing under the FIDE flag, has maintained his slender lead, top seed Fabiano Caruana, Indian debutants D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa have made their intentions clear to play the spoilsport for Nepo.
