The match between Diptayan Ghosh (left) and Akshayraj Kore in progress at Terapanth Bhawan in Guwahati on Wednesday. Telegraph picture

Ranking chess

Guwahati, April 6: Grandmaster Sriram Jha of LIC has taken sole lead with seven points from eight rounds today in the 4th Jugal Kishore Newatia Open International Rating Chess Tournament, organised by Lions Kamrupa Club at Terapanth Bhavan here.

GM R.R. Laxman of ICF, International Master Atanu Lahiri of LIC, IM G.B. Prakash of Tamil Nadu, IM B.T. Muralikrishnan of Railways, IM Himanshu Sharma of Haryana, Arjun Tiwari of Maharashtra, Himal Gusain of Chandigarh and Nasir Wajih of Delhi shared the second slot with 6.5 points per head from the same number of rounds.

In the eighth and penultimate round, top players decided to play it safe and all top three boards were drawn. On the top board, Laxman and Jha settled for a draw while on the second board, Wajih held Lahiri to another draw. On the third board, Gusain held his better-rated opponent Arjun Tiwari to a draw.

On the fourth board, Himanshu Sharma defeated Naveen Hegde of Karnataka while Muralikrishnan got the better of Rajib Dhar of Assam and G.B. Prakash accounted for Naveen Tandukar of Nepal.

IM Suvrajit Saha was held to a draw by Fide Master Diptayan Ghosh and Woman Grandmaster Mary Ann Gomes had to split points with Arindam Mukherjee of West Bengal after a draw.

Nandan Buragohain, Santanu Borpatra Gohain and Rajib Dhar of Assam were on five points each.

In the eighth round, Gohain defeated Prasenjit Saha while Buragohain outwitted Chittaranjan Patowari.

An exhibition blitz tournament was also held today among the titleholders. Laxman won the tournament with 7.5 points from nine rounds. Muralikrishnan also scored 7.5 points but was adjudged second on the basis of tiebreak scores.

The ninth and last round will be played from 9am tomorrow.