Indian women's trio, S Vijayalakshmi, Mrunalini Kunte and Pallavi Shah and K Sasikiran, V Saravanan and P Konguvel in men's scored easy victories.IM DV Prasad, looking for his GM norm, drew his game with GM Constantin Landa with white pieces. The game was played in Sicilian defence where Prasad had the edge in the middlegame. But in the endgame Constantin got perpetual checks and the game was drawn. If Prasad wins the next two games he would make the norm.

IM Abhijit Kunte escaped with a draw from a hopeless position against Estardon N.

IM RB Ramesh lost his second consecutive game, to H Olaffson of Iceland. Ramesh played Slav defence against Olaffson's Queen pawn opening. Ramesh lost an exchange in the middlegame and resigned on the 44th move.CS Gokhale also crashed to his second defeat when he was outwitted by American IMWatson.

While Dreev and Kharlov played out a quick draw to maintain their lead, A Minasian of Armenia and M Sorokin (Argentina) posted victories against Kazakh M Kazagaleyev and D Svetushkin respectively to join the leaders.

Results

A Kharlov (Rus) 6.5 drew with A Dreev (Rus) 6.5, A Minasian (Arm) 6.5 bt M Kazagaleyev (Kaz) 5.5, D Svetushkin (Mda) 5.5 lost to M Sorokin (Arg) 6.5, V Burmakin (Rus) 6 drew with Sokolov (Rus) 6, S Tiviakov (Rus) 5.5 drew with Grischuk (Ukr) 5.5, U Bologan (Mda) bt Borges M (Spain) 5, Noguiras (Cuba) lost to G Giogadze (Geo) 6.