Hyderabad: Chennai-based Grandmaster Sethuraman S P and Ukrainian Grandmaster Vladislav Borovikov were in shared lead with four and half points each after the end of fifth round in the ongoing 2nd Hyderabad International Grandmasters Chess Tournament here today.
The tournament at the Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy Indoor Stadium, witnessed keenly-fought games in the fifth round.
Playing white side of Alekhine's Defence game, Sethu exploited the weakness in the King side of Grandmaster Lalith Babu to garner full points after 41 moves, while Vladislav defeated Azerbaijan Grandmaster Azer Mirzoev in a Slav defence game that lasted 37 moves to join Sethu at top of point table.
Meanwhile the top board battle between Georgian Grandmasters Merab Gagunashvili and Levan Pantsulaia ended in a peace treaty after mandatory 25 moves while the second board match between Vidit Santosh Gujarathi and Grandmaster Alon Greenfeld of Israel produced some exciting moments in the game, but Greenfeld failed to convert the advantageous position to a decisive result and agreed to split the point after 64 moves.
