Sharma holds GM, Bologan shares lead

The second board dual between India’s GM Dibyendu Barua and Polish GM Alexander Wojtkeiwicz was a Sicilian Dragon albeit by transposition from a Sicilian Najdorf.

Barua changed the position with an unusual pawn exchange and was left to defend a slightly inferior position. The game, however, ended in a draw following exchanges of minor pieces.

International Woman Master NSaritha Reddy lost to GM Ulibin in Dutch Stonewal game with white pieces. Saritha let Ulibin equalise comfortably and succumbed to the enormous kingside pressure on the 40th move.

Eleven players — Federov, Barua, Wojtkeiwicz, Slobodjan (Germany), Dorian Rogozenko (Romania), Maxim Sorokin (Argentina), Evgeny Bgleizerov (Russia), Jorathay Speelman (England), Yurishenlman (Bulgaria), Ziaur Rahman (Bangladesh) and Anup Deshmukh (India) — jointly shared the second position.

IM norm holder GS Gokhale (2) played a wild game to hold GM Jaan Ehlvest, who has not found his rhythm yet, played the Benoni Reverse and castled queenside that ensured a tactical game.

In mutual time scramble, Gokhale decided to play it safe and allowed perpetual checks to his formidable opponent and agreed to split the point.