Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram Maintains Joint Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess Tournament

Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram Maintains Joint Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess Tournament

Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram continued his impressive performance in the Sharjah Masters chess tournament, holding Iranian Amin Tabatabaei to a draw in the fourth round. With this result, Chithambaram has accumulated 3.5 points out of a possible four, putting him in joint lead with local star A R Saleh Salem and Hans Moke Niemann of the United States in the USD 52000 prize money tournament.

The top seed and world number seven, Erigaise Arjun of India, is also in contention for the title, trailing slightly behind the leaders with three points. Arjun secured his second consecutive win by defeating Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia in a thrilling match.

Other Indian players making their mark in the tournament include Abhimanyu Puranik and Sankalp Gupta, who both drew their matches against strong opponents from the United States and Russia respectively.

Chithambaram’s game against Tabatabaei was a tense affair, with the Indian Grandmaster facing difficulties in the middle game. However, a crucial blunder by Tabatabaei on the 48th move allowed Chithambaram to make a comeback and salvage a draw.

Arjun showcased his skills in a match against Petrosyan, employing the French defense to secure a decisive victory. Among other notable performances, Bharath Subramaniyam scored a spectacular win over S L Narayanan, displaying his prowess in the game.

With five rounds still to come, the competition is heating up, and fans can expect more thrilling matches in the days ahead. Stay tuned for more updates on the Sharjah Masters chess tournament.