Delhi International Open: Lalith Babu, Karthik Venkataraman lead

Russia’s Pavel Ponkratov snaps a five-game winning streak of M. R. Lalith Babu; Srija Seshadri stuns R. R. Laxman.

M. R. Lalith Babu has 5.5 points after six rounds.

Second seeded Russian Pavel Ponkratov snapped a five-game winning streak of joint leader M. R. Lalith Babu in the sixth round of the Delhi International Open chess tournament here on Friday.

Karthik Venkataraman matched Lalith’s tally of 5.5 points after beating N. R. Vishakh.

REPORT - FOURTH ROUND

On a double-round day, top seeded National champion Arjun Erigaisi drew twice after facing P. Iniyan and Harsha Bharathakoti. On the other hand, National runner-up D. Gukesh expectedly won against Ojasva Singh and Shahil Dey to share the second spot with 16 others.

Two women players came up with remarkable results against Grandmasters. Padmini Rout pulled off a creditable draw against 11th seeded Iranian Masoud Mosadeghpur and Srija Seshadri stunned R. R. Laxman. On a lower board, Sakshi Chitlange, too, did very well to hold higher-rated Uzbek International Master Abdimalik Abdisalimov to a draw.

• Sixth round : M. R. Lalith Babu (5.5) drew with Pavel Ponkratov (Rus, 5); Arjun Erigaisi (5) drew with Harsha Bharathakoti (5); Arjun Kalyan (5) drew with Neuris Delgado Ramirez (Col, 5); Karthik Venkataraman (5.5) bt N. R. Visakh (4.5); Azer Mirzoev (Aze, 5) drew with P. Iniyan (5).
• Fifth round : Iniyan drew with Erigaisi: Shahil Dey lost to Lalith; Vishakh drew with Mirzoev; Orimi Hamadi Gholami (Iri) drew with S. P. Sethuraman; Mitrabha Guha drew with L. R. Srihari; Harsha bt Anuj Shrivatri; Karthik Venketaraman bt Yashita Rout; Shyaamnikhil drew with Sayantan Das; C. R. G. Krishna bt Dilshan Liyanage (Sri); D. Gukesh bt Ojasva Singh.