Kunte (1.5), who has an Elo rating of 2505, sacrificed two pawns in the French defence advance variation and finished with a mating attack to earn full points.

Experienced GM Alexander Beliavsky with GM's Hracek and Igor Khenkin were in joint lead with two points each.

IM P Konguvel (1) continued his good showing with a draw against highly rated GM Lubomir Ftacnik of the Czech Republic. The former National `A' champion with white pieces played a positional variation against the Najdorf defence opted by Ftacnik. Konguvel earned a slightly better position before the Czech neutralised to ensure a draw.

IM DV Prasad was unlucky to lose to GM Slobodjan Roman of Germany. Playing black in a Sicilian defence closed variation, Prasad seemed to have a better positionand won an exchange but lost on time in a sudden death finish.

The other Indian, Rahul Shetty, started his game in style by outsmarting im Socko Bartosz of Poland from the black side of a scotch game and won a pawn.

But Shetty played badly in a Won ending and lost on time in the sudden death in a drawn situation.

IMPORTANT RESULTS

GM Sune Berg Hansen (Den) 1.5 drew with GM Krasenkow (Pol) 1.5; GM Alexander Beliavsky (Slo) 2 beat GM Yuri Shulman (Bel) 1; GM Haba Petr (Cze) 1.5 drew with GM S Movsesian (Arm) 1.5; GM Jaan Ehlvest (Est) 1.5 drew with A Berlovich (Ukr) 1.5; GM Neverov (Ukr) 1 lost to GM Hracek (Cze) 2; GM Igor Khenkin (Isr) 2 bt Urban Klaudiuz (Pol) 1; P Konguvel (Ind) 1 drew with L Flacknik (Slo); A Kunte (Ind) 1.5 bt P Dobrowolski (Pol); R Slobodjan (Ger) bt DV Prasad (Ind); Soccko Bautosz (Pol) bt Rahul Shetty (Ind); Gritsak Orest (1.5) drew with GM Rozentalis (1.5)