Iranian GM, Moradiabadi takes half-point lead

Ravana International Chess Championship:

Iranian Grand Master, Elshan Moradiabadi drew with Georgian GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili to maintain a 0.5 lead after the fifth Round of the Ravana Challenge Chess Championship currently under way at the Ceylon Continental Hotel.

The tournament, organized by the Blue and Gold Chess Club, with the support of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, with TIGO as the principle sponsor, is being conducted over 10 rounds and has attracted players from 15 countries.

Moradiabadi is closely followed by 9 players (all Grand Masters) on 4.0 points.

There were no major upsets in Round 5 with all the favoured players winning their games. Bangladesh GM, Niaz Murshed, was however held to a draw by Iranian IM, Homayoon Toufighi while Prasanna Kurukulasuriya did well to draw his game with Belgium IM, Anna Zozulia.

Meanwhile, young Buddhika Amarasinghe beat the highly rated German, Kock Markus, while Osheen de Silva had to settle for a draw with Indian WGM Saumya Swaminathan, after failing to capitalize on a blunder which could have cost his opponent her rook.

Results: Mikheil Mchedlishvili (GM) drew with Elshan Moradiabadi (GM), Anuar Ismagambetow (GM) drew with Anton Filippov (GM), Alexander Shabalov (GM) drew with Merab Gagunashvili (GM), Vadim Malakhato (GM) beat Romesh Weerawardane, Tigran Kotanjian (GM) beat Das Sayantan (FM), Srivachirawat Kannapon lost to Krasimir Rusev (GM), Sunil Weeramantry (FM) lost to Vladimir Georgiev, Homayoon Toufighi (IM) drew with Niaz Murshed (GM).