Negi two points shy of IM title

Parimarjan Negi drew his fifth round match with higher-rated International Master Andrey Zhigalko of Belarus to take another stride towards to his International Master title at the World Junior Chess Championships in Istanbul on Monday.

The 12-year-old Delhi boy, already having four IM norms under his belt, stands to gain about 22 Elo rating points from the tournament and is just two points shy of achieving the magical 2400 Elo points required for the title that has been eluding him for quite sometime now.

The lad was apparently displeased with his effort against Zhigalko, whom he let off the hook.

Meanwhile, in the girls' section Woman Grandmaster Tania Sachdev achieved little with her white pieces against second seed Anna Ushenina of Ukraine and had to settle for a quick draw vide repetition.

Despite the draw, Tania continues to share the second spot on four points while Chinese WGM Gu Xiaobing scored her fifth victory on the trot and stretched her lead to a full point.

As things stand, in the girls' event, Gu Xiaobing is on five points from as many games while Tania, Elisabeth Paehtz of Germany, Beata Kadziolka of Poland and Turkan Mamedjarova of Azerbaijan are joint second with four points apiece.

WGM D Harika is in the next group of 12 players having 3.5 points to her credit.

In the boys' section, the juggernaut of 2003 champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan was halted by Radoslaw Wojtaszek of Poland, who drew a keenly-contested game.

Important and Indian Results Round 5:

Boys (Indians unless specified): Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 4.5) drew with Radoslaw Wojtaszek {Pol, 4); Jan Smeets (Ned, 4) drew with Alekseev Evgeny (Rus, 3.5); Wang Hao (Chn, 3.5) drew with Vugar Gashimov (Aze, 3.5); Evgeny Tomashevsky (Rus, 3) lost to Evgeny Romanov (Rus, 4); Daniel Stellwagen (Ned, 3.5) drew with Bartlomiej H eberla (Pol, 3.5); Nidjat Mamedov (Aze,3.5) drew with Borki Predojevic (Bih, 3.5); Alexander Kharitonov (Rus, 4) beat Kirill Kuderinov (Kaz, 3); Lenic Luka (Slo, 3) lost to Erwin L'ami (Ned, 4); Wei Chenpeng (Chn, 3.5) drew with Igor Kurnosov (Rus, 3.5); Ferenc Berkes (Hun, 3.5) beat Glud Jacob Va ng (Den, 3); Hannes Rau (Ger, 2.5) lost to Wang Yue (Chn, 3.5); Ildar Khairullin (Rus, 3.5) beat Oliver Kurmann (Sui, 2.5); Parimarjan Negi (3) drew with Andrey Zhigalko (Blr, 3); S Poobesh Anand (2.5) lost to Bartel Mateusz (Pol, 3.5); G N Gopal (2) lost to Sergei Zhigalko (Blr, 3); Jessel Stephen (Irl, 2) lost to Deep Sengupta (3); Akshat Khamparia (2) lost to Kalin Karakehajov (Bul, 3); G Rohit (2.5) beat Yagiz Yasin Emrah (Tur, 2).

Girls: Gu Xiaobing (Chn, 5) beat Alina Motoc (Rom, 3.5); Tania Sachdev (4) drew with Anna Ushenina (Ukr, 3.5); Melia Salome (Geo, 3.5) drew with Dzagnidze Nana (Geo, 3.5); Anna Sharevich (Blr, 3) lost to Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger, 4); Natalija Pogonina (Rus, 3.5) drew with Bela Khotenashvili (Geo, 3.5); Jolan ta Zawadzka (Pol, 3) lost to Turkan Mamedjarova (Aze, 4); Kruttika Nadig (3) lost to Beata Kadziolka (Pol, 4); Ciobanu Camelia (Rom, 2.5) lost to D Harika (3.5); Natalia Zdebskaja (Ukr, 2.5) lost to Dana Aketaeva (Kaz, 3.5); Shadi Paridar (Iri, 2.5) lost to Irina Vasilevich (Rus, 3.5); Evgenia Mes hcheriakova (Rus, 3) drew with Eesha Karavade (3); N Raghavi (2) lost to Marlies Bensdorp (Ned, 3).