FIDE World Junior Championship in New Delhi is heading down the home stretch to the second round this week. The strongest teenagers from across the globe enjoyed a rest day on Sunday before starting the second round of the tournament yesterday with 5 more games to go.
After six rounds Evgeny Shtembuliak (Ukraine, 2577) and Aram Hakobyan (Armenia, 2561) are tied for the lead in the open section with 5 points each. They are paired to meet in round 7, with Shtembuliak having White. Both leaders have been undefeated so far. Eight players including the 14-year old Indian prodigy, the winner of the World Youth Championship U18 Praggnanandhaa thrill the leaders with a half-point.
Mobina Alinasab (Iran, 2239) is the sole leader in the girls’ section with 5.5 points. She conceded only half-a-point in the encounter with the World Youth Chess Championship U18 winner Polina Shuvalova (Russia, 2412) who is breathing down the leader’s neck with 5 points.
Top-10 after 6 rounds:
Open
- Evgeny Shtembuliak (UKR) – 5.0
- Aram Hakobyan (ARM) – 5.0
- Praggnanandhaa R (IND) – 4.5
- Miguel Santos Ruiz (ESP) – 4.5
- Murali Karthikeyan (IND) – 4.5
- Ravi Haria (ENG) – 4.5
- Semen Khanin (RUS) – 4.5
- Mihnea Costachi (ROU) – 4.5
- Volodar Murzin (RUS) – 4.5
- Shant Sargsyan (ARM) – 4.0
Girls
- Mobina Alinasab (IRI) – 5.5
- Polina Shuvalova (RUS) – 5.0
- Rakshitta Ravi (IND) – 4.5
- Vaishali R (IND) – 4.5
- Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) – 4.5
- Arpita Mukherjee (IND) – 4.5
- Altantuya Boldbaatar (MNG) – 4.5
- Divya Deshmukh (IND) – 4.5
- Berdnyk Mariia (UKR) – 4.5
- Antova Gabriela (BGR) – 4.5
