Aleksandrov, Madhesh take sole lead as tournament enters final stretch

In the junior section, candidate Master Madhesh Kumar from Pondicherry emerged as the sole leader by defeating Ramanu Mishra to move to 6.5 out of 7. His consistent performance makes him the top contender for the title, especially as tournament favourite and top seed FM Aansh Nerurkar was held to a draw by Shaunak Badole on board.

In the Grandmaster section, the top-board clash between Armenian compatriots GM Manuel Petrosyan and IM Arsen Davtyan ended in a quick 16-move draw, with both players opting for a cautious, safety-first approach. A similar outcome was seen on board 2, where GM Mamikon Gharibyan and Indian GM Lalit Babu settled for a 36-move draw in the Ruy Lopez.

However, on board three, the day truly sprang to life. GM Aleksej Aleksandrov displayed his vast experience and sharp tactical acumen to defeat GM Sanikidze Tornike of Georgia in a complex and wild battle stemming from the Queen's Pawn Opening. With this crucial win, Aleksandrov now leads the pack with 6.5 points out of a possible 7, positioning himself as the clear favourite with just two rounds.

A formidable group of seven players is closely trailing the leader with six points each--GM Mamikon Gharibyan, GM Manuel Petrosyan, GM Nguyen Van Huy, GM Lalit Babu, GM Sergey Fedorov, Indian GM Neelotpal Das, and IM Arsen Davtyan--setting the stage for an intense finish in this Rs 25 lakh prize fund tournament.