Top-seeded Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran played out another draw on Wednesday, even as Grandmaster Viktor Laznicka of the Czech Republic joined the leaders on top in the third Kolkata Open Grandmaster chess tournament at the Alekhine Chess Club here.
Laznicka won easily against IMP M R Venkatesh of India to book his place among the leaders.
Laznicka employed the Catalan opening against his opponent and won a pawn on the queenside.
Venkatesh resigned on the 35th move after he lost another pawn.
Koneru Humpy managed to win her game against International Master Akshyayraj Kore, but top seed Sasikiran was surprisingly held by local lad Arghyadip Das in a marathon game.
Also in the lead are International Masters Arun Prasad and P Konguvel of India. Both of them played exciting games to defeat GMs Safin Sukhrat of Uzbekistan and Dibyendu Barua of India respectively.
Attacking game
IM Arun Prasad played a fine attacking game against the Benoni defence of GM Sukhrat.
Prasad won an exchange and forced resignation of his opponent on the 39th move when he was about to win a piece.
Konguvel was at his attacking best against the French defence employed by the local GM. Both players attacked on opposite wings but Konguvel’s attack was faster and he forced his opponent’s resignation on the 30th move.
Later, GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam also joined the leaders with a victory over IMP K Rathnakaran, the runner-up of the recently concluded National Championship.
Indian GM Tejas Bakre also held second-seeded Smbat Lputian of Armenia in a quick game.
Sandipan Chanda won his game against IMP Watu Kobese of South Africa by sacrificing a piece to keep his opponent’s king in the centre. The game lasted for only 24 moves.
Results: Sambat Lputian (2.5) drew with Tejas Bakre (2.5); Viktor Laznicka (3) bt M R Venkatesh (2); K Rathnakaran (2) lt to Nguyen Anh Dung (3); Vladimir Dobrov (2.5) drew with R R Laxman (2.5); Arun Prasad (3) bt Safin Shukhrat (2); P Konguvel (3) bt Dibyendu Barua (2); Neelotpal Das (2.5) drew with Rolando Nolte (2.5); M S Thej Kumar (3) bt Ashwin Jayaram (2); Arghyadip Das (2) drew with Krishnan Sasikiran (2); Akshyayraj Kore (1.5) lt to Koneru Humpy (2.5).