GM Yu Yangyi of China drew with second running Krishnan Sasikiran of India to maintain solo lead with 5.5 points in the homestretch of the Asian Individual Championship in Mashad, Iran.

Tied with Sasikiran at 5 points each from 7 rounds are GMs Bu Xiangzhi of China, GM Pentala Harikrishna of India and GM Elshan Moradiabadi of Iran.

See results and standings in chess-results.com for the Open and Women's. Download games and see photo gallery in Asian Chess Federation site.


Bu beat GM B. Adhiban of India, Moradiabadi beat GM Negi Parimarjan of India while Harikrishna drew with compatriot Ganguly Surya Shekhar.

Eight GMs trail with 4.5 points each, namely Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam, Wesley So and Mark Paragua of the Philippines and Chinese GMs Wen Yang, Zhou Weiqi and Zhao Jun.

Four players are tied for the lead in the Women's championship. IMs Eesha Karavade and HKarika Dronavalli of India are tied with 5 points each together with WGMs Tan Zhongyi and Huang Qian of China.

Tan beat Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mongolia, Harika beat compatriot Marhy Ann Gomes, Huang won against WIM Olga Sabirova of Uzbekistan while Karavade drew with WIM Pham Le Thao Nguyen of Vietnam.

Mungunttul, Pham and Irine Kharisma Sukandar of Indonesia follow with 4.5 points each. Sukandar defeated WIM Hoang Thi Bao Tram of Vietnam.

Officials of the Asian Individual Championships in Mashad, Iran. Seated arem from left, IA Husain Turdialiev of Uzbekistan, Saloor of Iran, Casto Abundo of the Philippines, Chief Arbiter Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh of Iran.


Before the start of the 7th round, Casto Abundo, FIDE Delegate of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, inforned the players of sad news.

"Early this morning in Manila, the  Executive Director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, Mr. Willy Abalos, passed away. Many of you have been to the Philippines and played in Asian Championships or open tournaments in Manila and Subic. You may remember Willy as the organizer of these many big chess events in the Philippines. He was a hard worker for chess and a close friend. We shall miss him dearly.

Asian Championship Players stand in a minute in silence in memory of Willy Abalos.