Saritha too tames Repkova

Hamid humbled Indian National women8217;s champion Anupama Gokhale. Repkova, Shabana Parveen Bangladesh and Paridhar Shirin Iran were on the third spot with 3 points apiece.

In the men8217;s section top seed Grand Master Niaz Murshed of Bangladesh and IM Lodhi Mehmood Pakistan shared the lead with 4.5 points each at the end of the sixth round.

While Murshed was held to a draw by Indian national champion Abhijit Kunte, Lodhi jumped to the lead defeating Indian IM Lanka Ravi.

IMs Ponnuswamy Konguvel, K Murugan and Kunte all India, Enamul Hossain Bangladesh, Hakki Imad Syria and Ghorbani Mohsen Iran, share the second position with 4 points apiece. Saritha, playing black, employed Caro-Kann defence against Repkova8217;s King pawn opening.

The Lebanese IWM, who was tamed by Vijayalakshmi in the fourth round yesterday, went for a premature queen-side expansion which Saritha punished precisely to win an exchange evenmtually resulting in her opponent resigning on the 39th move.