Delhi International Open chess: Yashita holds Mitrabha in 100 moves

Yashita Rout provided the lone surprise of the fourth round by holding Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha as seven leaders emerged in the Delhi International Open chess tournament here on Thursday.

The 13-year-old from Odisha held off Guha for 100 moves to split the point and reach 3.5 points. After normal business resumed following three rounds of accelerated pairings to aid norm-seekers, top seeded National champion Arjun Erigaisi, former National title-holder M. R. Lalith Babu, N. R. Vishakh, P. Iniyan, Azer Miroev (Azerbaijan), Shahil Dey and Syed Kian Poormosavi (Iran) shared the lead with a ‘perfect’ score.

Important results (fourth round): Arjun Erigaisi (4) bt Kushagra Jain (3); M. R. Lalith Babu (4) bt M. K. Padmaesh (3); Aritrya Pal (3) lost to N. R. Vishakh (4); B. Gyaneshwar (3) lost to P. Iniyan (4); Yashta Rout (3.5) drew with Mitrabha Guha (3.5); Azer Mirzoev (Aze, 4) bt Ajay Parathareddy (3); Mayur Majumdar (3) lost to Shahil Dey (4); Oishik Kundu (3) lost to Syed Kian Poormosavi (Iri, 4); S. P. Sethuraman (3.5) bt Pravin Shawn (3)