Chennai, Jan 24 (PTI) Russian players Pavel Ponkratov and Ivan Rozum with 7.5 points each were in the lead after the ninth round of the 12th Chennai Open International Grand Master Chess tournament 2020 here on Friday.

The top-seeded Ponkratov posted a win over Ukranian GM Stanislav Bogdanovich (7), who was among the leaders after the eighth round. Rozum got the better of India's Jimmy Jubin.

Following the two Russian GMs with 7.0 points were Bogdanovich, Kirill Stupak (Belarus), Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (Peru), Aleksej Aleksandrov (Belarus), Sergei Yudin (Russia), Mikheil Mchedlishvili (Georgia), Aleksey Goganov (Russia), Muhammad Khusenkhojaev (Tajikistan), and Maxim Lugovskoy (Russia). A trio of Indians-M R Venkatesh, V Vishnu Prasanna and AL Muthaiah also joined them.

International Master norms were achieved by G B Harshavardhan, Jubin Jimmy and S Rohit KrishnA. Incidentally, Harshavardhan made his final IM norm here, thereby completing the IM title requirements.

The final round of the 10-round Swiss tournament will be played on Saturday.

Important results: Round 9 (Indians unless specified) Pavel Ponkratov (Rus) 7.5 beat Stanislav Bogdanovich (Ukr) 7, Kirill Stupak (Blr) 7 drew with Jose Eduaro Martinez Alcantara (Peru) 7, Aleksej Aleksandrov (Blr) 7 drew with Sergei Yudin (Rus) 7; Aleksey Goganov (Rus) 7 drew with M R Venkatesh (7),Jubin Jimmy (6.5) lost to Rozum Ivan (Rus) 7.5; A Ra Harikrishnan (6) lost to Mikheil Mchedlishvili (Geo) 7, Viani Antonio D'cunha (6.5) drew with Alexei Fedorov (Blr) 6.5; N R Visakh (6.5) drew with P Karthikeyan (6.5), V Pranav (6) lost to V Vishnu Prasanna (7), N R Vignesh (6) lost to Khusenkhojaev Muhammad (Tjk) 7, AL Muthiah (7) beat Taher Yoseph Theolifus (Indonesia) 6, Harshavardhan (6.5) drew with Neverov Valeriy (Ukr) 6.5.

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