Vietnam GM Tran Takes Sole Lead

Mumbai, Jan 6 (PTI) Vietnamese GM Tran Tuan Minh (ELO 2524) grabbed the sole lead after a crucial win over India's IM Visakh N R (2491) in a seventh round clash of the EKA | IIFL Investment Managers 4th Mumbai International Chess Tournament on Sunday.

Visakh, playing with the white pieces, was unable to consolidate his position and had a dismal day as he went down to the Vietnam player on the top board.

The full point earned for this win has propelled the Vietnamese GM to 6.5 points which is one point clear of his closest rivals.

Tran will now look to pick up more points in the remaining two rounds to emerge champion and add to his success at the Bhopal International GM Tournament last month.

Visakh is now in fourth place and will be looking to gain at least 1.5 points in the last two games to make his third and final GM norm from this tournament.

GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh moved up six places in the rankings after his win over Australias IM Rishi Sardana on Board 3 and is now ranked in second place behind Tran.

IM Muthaiah Al moved up one place after his draw against GM Sandipan Chanda on Board 2 and is in third place after seven rounds.

IM Gukesh D, also on 5.5 points along with Visakh, Ziaur and Muthaiah, completes the top 5 after his win over top seed GM Aleksandrov Aleksej of Belarus.

Two other players, GM Abhimanyu Puranik and GM Ivan Rozum of Russia, are also in contention for second place with their 5.5 points tally, heading into round 8.

Results: Round 7 (Top 10 boards): IM Visakh N R (IND, 2491) 5.5 lost GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE, 2524) 6.5; GM Chanda Sandipan (IND, 2555) 5 drew IM Muthaiah Al (IND, 2408) 5.5; GM Rahman Ziaur (BAN, 2468) 5.5 beat IM Sardana Rishi (AUS, 2398) 5; IM Gukesh D (IND, 2466) 5.5 beat GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (BLR, 2590) 4.5; GM Lugovskoy Maxim (RUS, 2445) 4.5 lost GM Rozum Ivan (RUS, 2589) 5.5; GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J (IND, 2550) 4.5 drew IM Rajesh V A V (IND, 2402) 4.5; GM Mosadeghpour Masoud (IRI, 2520) 5 beat IM Rathnakaran K (IND, 2366) 4; GM Saptarshi Roy (IND, 2494) 4.5 drew Ritviz Parab (IND, 2338) 4.5; FM Mohammad Fahad Rahman (BAN, 2381) 4 lost IM Gajek Radoslaw ( AUT, 2475) 5; IM Sangma Rahul (IND, 2289) 4 lost GM Ankit R. Rajpara (IND, 2465) 5.

Standings after round 7: 1. GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE) 6.5 pts, 2. GM Rahman Ziaur ( BAN) 5.5, 3. IM Muthaiah Al (IND) 5.5, 4. IM Visakh N R (IND) 5.5, 5. IM Gukesh D (IND) 5.5, 6. GM Puranik Abhimanyu (IND) 5.5, 7. GM Rozum Ivan (RUS) 5.5, 8. GM Chanda Sandipan (IND) 5, 9. IM Sardana Rishi (AUS) 5, 10. Saurabh Anand (IND) 5, 11. GM Laxman R R (IND) 5, 12. IM Das Sayantan (IND) 5.

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