Chennai based Grandmaster Sethuraman S P and Ukrainian Grandmaster Vladislav Borovikov taken the joint lead with four half points after the end of fifth round matches of the ongoing 2nd Hyderabad International Grandmasters Chess Tournament here at Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy Indoor Stadium, Yousufguda on today.
The tournament sponsored by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, Mahindra Ecole Centrale, Andhra Bank, Petronet LNG Ltd and Airports Authority of India witnessed keenly fought matched in the fifth round encounters.
Playing white side of Alekhine’s Defence game, Sethuraman exploited the weakness in the king side of Grandmaster Lalith Babu to garner full point after 41 moves while Borovikov defeated Azerbaijan Grandmaster Azer Mirzoev in a Slav defence game that lasted 37 moves to join at top of point table.
Grandmaster SP Sethuraman
Meanwhile the top board battle between Georgian Grandmasters Merab Gagunashvili and Levan Pantsulaia ended in a peace treaty after mandatory 25 moves while the second board match between Vidit Santosh Gujarathi and Grandmaster Alon Greenfeld of Israel produced some exciting moments in the game but Greenfeld failed to convert the advantageous position to a decisive result and agreed to split the point after 64 moves.
Sixth round of the tournament will be played tomorrow afternoon.
Earlier the ‘B’ category of the event for players below 2100 rating event which attract 221 players from across India and Nepal was inaugurated by Shri. Suresh Mishra, Vice President Vivimed Labs Ltd in presence of Group Captain J Rajendra Vishisht Seva Medal, Chief Administrative Officer Air Force Station New Delhi, Shri. K Kanna Reddy, General Secretary Andhra Pradesh Chess Association, Shri. J Ramalaxmaiah, Vice President Andhra Pradesh Chess Association and International Master Lanka Ravi, Organising Secretary.
