Rakesh, Soumya in title contention

Post News Network

Bhubaneswar, April 11: Rakesh Kumar Nayak and FM Soumya Ranjan Mishra emerged joint leaders with seven points each after the completion of the eighth and the penultimate round of the 56^th Orissa State Senior Fide Rating chess championships in Puri, Saturday. Three players are sharing the joint second spot with 6.5 points apiece. They are Ashirwad Swain, Vaibhav Mishra and FM Rakesh Kumar Jena.

Soumya Ranjan outwitted Nilsu Patnaik in a lop-sided match. Rakesh hold Ashirwad Swain to a draw in a keenly contested tie. Both the players are now in the title contention with only one round of the match left.

Other results

Bhaskar Sri Viswaroopanand drew with Manoj Kumar Panigrahi;

Biswajit Nayak lost from Pranab Kumar Patra; Johnson Sahoo lost from Srinibas Mishra; Smaraki Mohanty lost from Diptanshu Ranjan Swain; Dillip Behera beat Sradhanjali Jena; Guruprasad Bhatta beat Sudhir Kumar Behera;

Dasarathi Sahoo lost from Ankush Sahoo.