Arghyadip Das (left) ponders a move against top seed K. Sasikiran during their Calcutta Open match at Gorky Sadan on Wednesday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: The Grandmasters’ woes continued on Day III as three of them bit the dust against lesser-ranked players in the Calcutta Open Grandmasters’ Chess Tournament at the Alekhine Chess Club on Wednesday.

International Master S. Arun Prasad outwitted GM Safin Shukrat of Uzbekistan with white in a Benoni Defence. Prasad had the better of exchanges in the middle game which ultimately proved decisive. Safin resigned on the 39th move.

City-based GM Dibyendu Barua, too, went down to IM P. Konguvel in a sharp struggle which arose from the French Defence.

Barua later told The Telegraph: “I had played the same opening against him earlier and won. I tried a different variation this time. We both had our chances. I missed Bd3 on the 21st move which would have given me a slightly better position instead of my move (Bxg5).”

IM S. Satyapragyan got the better of the Bangladesh GM Niaz Murshed in a Centre Counter Defence. Satyapragyan had an extra pawn and used his rook and knight effectively in the endgame.

The highlight of the day, however, was Arghyadip Das’s draw against top seed K. Sasikiran in a marathon game.

Arghyadip had an extra pawn in an ending where both sides had a rook and a knight.

“Arghyadip played well. Both of us had our chances. I missed a crucial move (b6). He too, missed one (d6) which would have put his in a better spot.”

Arghyadip, 22, is a trainee of the Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy. He already has a nine-game GM norm obtained in France.

Arghyadip had held GM Sandipan Chanda in the second round.

“He has matured as a player and is performing consistently. The draw against Sasikiran will boost his confidence,” said coach and mentor Barua.

After the end of the round, five players are sharing the lead with three points. Among the leaders is untitled M.S. Thejkumar who defeated IM Ashwin Jayram.

TOP BOARD RESULTS

Smbat Lputian (2.5) drew with Tejas Bakre (2.5); Viktor Laznicka (3) bt M.R. Venkatesh (2); K. Ratnakaran (2) lost to Nguyen Anh Dung (3); Vladimir Dobrov (2.5) drew with R.R. Laxman (2.5); S. Arun Prasad (3) bt Safin Shukrat (2); P. Konguvel (3) bt Dibyendu Barua (2); Neelotpal Das (2.5) drew with Rolando Nolte (2.5); M. S. Thejkumar(3) bt Ashwin Jayaram (2); Arghyadip Das (2) drew with K. Sasikiran (2); Akshayraj Kore (1.5) lost to Koneru Humpy(2.5); Watu Kobese (1.5) lost to Sandipan Chanda (2.5); Adly Ahmed (2.5) bt Chito Garma(1.5); Ziaur Rahman (2.5) bt Frhat Ali (1.5); R.B. Ramesh (2.5) G.B. Prakash (1.5); Sriram Jha (1.5) lost to N.Sudhakar Babu (2.5); Sundararajan Kidambi (2) drew with Kenny Solomon (2); S. Satyapragyan (2.5) bt Niaz Murshed (1.5); Oliver Barbosa (2.5) bt Minhazuddin Ahmed (1.5); D.P. Singh (2) drew with Suvrajit Saha (2); Enamul Hossain (1.5) drew with Swapnil Dhopade (2).