Three-way ties in boys section

While on second table, top seeded Venkatesh had gained superior position in the opening from the Pelikan variation of Sicilian Defence of S Poobesh Anand TN. On the 25th move Venkatesh won a pawn and brought home the advantage to score a full point after 49 moves.

Now the leaders 8212; Saptarshi, Venkatesh and Deepan with 6.5 points each, are being chased by Sonwani, R.Siddarth CAPA, R S Prasanna TN, Arghya Das and Somak Palit both from GNCA with six points each.

In the girls section, playing on the top table with white pieces Anuradha had a lucky escape against R.Mahima of Tamil Nadu in the Sicilian-Pelikan Defence game. In the middle game Mahima had snatched a strong initiative and developed good position, but, poor play in the late-middle game brought her opponent back into the game to clinch the issue.

In the girls also, the leaders 8212; Anuradha and Eesha have seven points each, being closely followed by as many as eight players 8212; R.Mahima, Tanya Sachdeva Del, Amruta Mokal Mah, N.Priya Darshani TN, Baisakhi Das WB, C.Delphin TN, Krutika Nadig Mah and Soumya Swaminathan Mah with a score of 5.5 points each.

Important results:

Boys: Saptarshi Roy GNGA 6.5 drew with Y.Sonwani MP 6; M.R.Venkatesh TN 6.5 bt S. Poobesh Anand TN 5.5; R.Siddrth CAPA 6 drew with R.S. Presanna TN 6; Arjun Tiwari Mah 5 lost to Deepan Chakravarthy TN 6.5; Ranvir Bhatti Chat 5 lost to Arghya Das GNCA 6; Vaibba Sazena Mah 5.5 drew with Rahul Sangma Bih 5.5; Somak Palit GNCA 6 bt G.Rohit AP 5; P Maheshwaran TN 5.5 drew with Kartik V. Mah 5.5.

girls: anuradha B Har 7 bt R.Mahima TN 5.5; Tanya Sachdeva Del 5.5 lost to Esha Karwade Mah 7; Amruta Mokal Mah 5.5 drew with M.Priya Darshani TN 5.5; D Barika AP 4.5 lost to Baisakhi Das WB 5.5; Supriya Majee WB 4.5 lost to C.Delphin TN 5.5; Krutika N Adig Mah 5.5 bt Aparna Dhatrak Mah 4.5; Ketki Kulkarni Mah 5 drew with P.Priya TN 5; Soumya Swaminathan Mah 5.5 bt M.Rajdarshani EMM 4.5.