Patna: After six intense rounds of the Diamant Cup FIDE Rating Chess Tournament at Hotel Diamant Inn, Gola Road, Patna, five players are jointly leading the standings with five and a half points each.
In the sixth round, second-seeded Sujeet Kumar Sinha, playing with white pieces on the top board, had to settle for a draw against Piyush Kumar of Patna.
Meanwhile, decisive matches unfolded on boards two through five, showcasing close competition. On board two, a nail-biting encounter between former state champions Saurav Roop and Sudhir Kumar Sinha ended in victory for Sudhir, who played with black pieces.
On board three, Kishan Kumar of Begusarai, a winner of multiple open rating tournaments, defeated Shivam Verma of Patna with white pieces to claim a spot at the top. Board four saw Vijay Kumar of Patna secure a win against Dhiman Mitra of Bengal, while Sudhakar Prem Dutt of Jharkhand triumphed over Ram Charan of Motihari, Bihar, further cementing his position among the leaders.
At the conclusion of the sixth round, Sudhir Kumar Sinha, Vijay Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Sudhakar Prem Dutt, and Vivek Sharma were tied at the top with five and a half points each.
Additionally, 12 players, including notable contenders like Sujeet Kumar Sinha and PK Singh, are closely trailing with five points.
As the seventh round commenced, intense matches were underway: Sudhir Kumar Sinha faced Vijay Kumar on the top board, Vivek Sharma battled Kishan Kumar on board two, and Sudhakar Prem Dutt took on Sujeet Kumar Sinha on board three.
The tournament continues to draw attention with its high-stakes matches and competitive spirit.
