Negi held IM Zhigalko

Istanbul: Parimarjan Negi drew his fifth-round match with higher-rated IM Andrey Zhigalko of Belarus to move another step closer to his International Master title at the World Junior Chess Championship being played here.

The Delhi boy, with already having four IM norms under his belt, stands to gain here about 22 Elo rating points to be just two points shy of achieving the 2400 elo points required for the title, which has been eluding him for quite sometime now.

Deep Sengupta accounted for Jessel Stephen of Ireland while G. Rohit had it easy against local hopeful Yagiz Yasin Emrah.

The best Indian performers among boys are Negi and Deep, with 3 points each.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan retained his sole lead with 4.5 points where he is now followed by a pack of five players with 4 points each in their kitty.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ section Woman Grandmaster Tania Sachdev achieved little with her white pieces against second seed Anna Ushenina of Ukraine and had to settle for a quick draw.

Despite the draw, Tania continued to share the second spot on four points while Chinese WGM Gu Xiaobing scored her fifth victory on the trot and stretched her lead to a full point.

As things stand now, in the girls’ event Gu Xiaobing is on 5 points from as many games while Tania, Elisabeth Paehtz of Germany, Beata Kadziolka of Poland and Turkan Mamedjarova of Azerbaijan share the second spot with four points apiece.

WGM D. Harika is in the next group of 12 players, having 3.5 points to her credit.