Sasikiran finishes in top 10 on day one of Finet Open

Mainz, Aug 17: Indian Grandmasters Krishnan Sasikiran and Pentala Harikrishna scored 4.5 and 4 points from five games respectively on the first day of the FiNet Open at Rhinegoldhalle here.

India's second best in the game, Sasi started off with a blaze winning the first three games with ease. He then drew his fourth game against Yusspov, but pocketed the fifth one to score 4.5 point and remain in the top 10.

Following Sasi's footsteps, Harikrishna too won his first three games but drew the last two to end up with 4 points.

Meanwhile, the other Indian in the fray, world's youngest Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi won his first two games, but a defeat and a draw in his last two games respectively saw him finish with three points.

''This is new format. In the beginning I took a lot of time for my orientation. I won two games but lost the third as I committed a mistake thinking I am playing a normal Rapid game. I will not repeat it in tomorrows rounds,'' a disappointed Negi told UNI