National Women Chess Championship: Bhakti takes sole lead

Continuing her fine form, Bhakti outwitted top seed Soumya Swaminathan in the crucial seventh round battle. Playing with light colour pieces in a Grunfeld defence game, Bhakti got a pawn advantage on the twentythird move and exerted pressure on the open queenside of her higher-seeded rival.

TNPL: Chepauk Super Gillies’ Alexandar bags five wickets for 9

While opener Aravind holed out to Murugan Ashwin at cover point, Sathyanarayanan was trapped leg-before. Maaruthi Raghav (5) tried to beat Alexandar’s spin with a flick, but was trapped in front of the middle stump. Ganapathy (2), who was struggling in the middle, was his fourth victim. The right-handed batsman hit a flighted ball straight at the bowler to bring his uncomfortable stay to an end.