IM GB Prakash prevailed over the higher-ranked Bangladeshi Enamul Hossain to join third seed Russian Igor Kursunov and Uzbeki Marat Dzhumaev with a 5 on 5 score. Prakash’s bigger scalp had come in the morning round, though, as he overthrew the challenge of GM Yuri Solodovnichenko with a hard-fought 45-move win.

At the top board, first seed Ehsan Ghaem Maghami and Uzbeki GM Safin Shukhrat signed peace in 18 moves in the fifth round as both fell half a point behind the leaders.

Second seed and India’s highest-ranked player in the field GM SS Ganguly came back after his first dropped points yesterday with two wins today. He is now placed at 4.5 points and faces IM RR Laxman in the sixth round tomorrow. But it was the turn of GM Abhijit Kunte to drop points today. He drew with V Saravanan and Zhanibek Amanov respectively.

Earlier in the morning, Delhi boy Sahaj Grover created a flutter by getting the better of WGM Irina Zakurdjaeva of Russia. In the next round though, against the higher-ranked IM KRathnakaran, he failed to keep up the momentum and was beaten after a 47-move game.

Standings (after Rd 5)