Singh continues as sole leader in Open Chess tourney

Kozhikode, Sep 22 (UNI) Top seed D P Singh of Jharkhand remained sole leader with 8.5 points while S Nitin of Tamil Nadu and K Ratnakaran of Southern Railways were close behind at second and third positions with 7.5 and seven points respectively in the ninth round of the First International FIDE-rated Open Chess Tournament here today.

Singh, who won all the eight tables, drew with Ratnakaran while S Nitin of Tamil Nadu beat statemate R R Laxman in an impressive game at the V K Krishna Menon Indoor Stadium here.

Important results: (Ninth Round): K Ratnakaran 7 (SR) drew with D P Singh 8.5 (Jhar), S Nitin 7.5 (TN) bt R R Laxman 6.5 (TN) Ram S Krishan 6 (TN) lost to O T Anil Kumar ) 6.5 Vinod Kumar M 6.5 (Ker) drew with Nirmal E P 6 (Ker) G N Gopal 6.5 (Ker) beat Praveen Kodathala 5.5 M B Muraleedharan 6 drew with Girish A Koushik 6 (Kar) Gireesh PV 6 (Ker) drew with J B Vigneshwara 6 (TN) M P Ajit 5.5 (Kar) lost to K Sujeesh 6.5 (Ker) Jayankur Chougale P 6.5 (Mah) bt M A Joy Lazar 5.5 (Ker) A K Jagdeesh 6.5 (Ker) bt Langala Sriharsha 5.5 (AP).

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