Grandmaster Wesley So drew with fellow American Sam Shankland that sent him down to a three-way tie for second after seven rounds in the Grand Chess Tour Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis, Missouri Tuesday.
So halved the point after 34 moves of an English Opening to slightly improve to 4.5 points, half a point behind solo leader Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France.
It was So’s fourth straight draw and fifth overall against two victories.
So tied with United States’ Fabiano Caruana and Leiner Dominguez Perez.
Caruana caught up with So and Dominguez Perez after a 38-move triumph of a Bogo-Indian duel against Azerbaijan’s Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, while Dominguez Perez split the point with Hungary’s Richard Rapport after 45 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Accepted.
Vachier-Lagrave claimed the top post with two rounds left after dumping American Jeffery Xiong in 29 moves of a Ruy Lopez.
Meanwhile, Rapport currently trailed behind So, Dominguez Perez and Caruana with 3.5 points, while Mamedyarov, Xiong and Shankland tote similar 3 points.
Russia’s Peter Svidler has 2.5 points while United States’ Dariusz swiercz is at the bottom with 1.5 points.
So will face Vachier-Lagrave in the eighth and penultimate round and Dominguez Perez in the last round of this tournament offering a total pot of $325,000 including $90,000 to the champion.