Aravindh Chithambaram leads Sharjah Masters after draw with Shankland

Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram maintained his lead with a straightforward draw against American GM Sam Shankland in the sixth round of the Sharjah Masters Chess tournament on Monday.

This result keeps Chithambaram at the forefront of the competition, boasting five points from six games. He is now just two points away from joining the prestigious group of 2700-rated chess players, a benchmark of elite status in the chess world.

With three rounds remaining in one of the most competitive open tournaments globally, top-seeded Indian GM Erigaisi Arjun showcased his prowess with a dominant victory over Russia’s Daniil Yuffa. Arjun's win was particularly impressive as he overcame mid-game pressure, employing a piece sacrifice that secured him three pawns, ultimately leading to his triumph after 42 moves.

The tournament leaderboard is tightly contested, with six players — Bardiya Denshvar and Amin Tabatabaei of Iran, the American duo Hans Moke Neimann and Sam Shankland, Alexey Sarana of Serbia, and Erigaisi Arjun — all sharing the second spot with 4.5 points each.

In other notable matches, England’s Shreyas Royal moved closer to achieving another Grandmaster norm by holding Indian GM Abhimanyu Puranik to a respectable draw.

For Aravindh, the sixth-round game was relatively uneventful. Playing as black, he comfortably navigated the London system opening, quickly equalizing the position. Shankland, playing white, showed little ambition, leading to a swift draw after an exchange of queens.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Aravindh to see if he can maintain his lead and possibly join the elite ranks of 2700-rated players.