Round 5 of the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 saw thrilling encounters across the top boards!
On Board 1, GM Deep Sengupta drew with IM Neelash Saha in a balanced closed position featuring bishop and knight.
On Board 2, GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. and GM Lalit Babu M. R. also split the point after a threefold repetition in an equal middlegame.
On Board 3, GM Daniel Howard Fernandez capitalised on a tactical oversight by GM Sayantan Das, who blundered on move 22 under time pressure — handing the initiative to his opponent, who converted it precisely into a win.
On Board 4, GM Mitrabha Guha faltered with two inaccuracies in the middlegame, allowing IM James Morris to seize the advantage and deliver checkmate.
On Board 5, Mnyasta Charlton held a promising position with the black pieces, but the game soon equalized. Just when it seemed balanced, White blundered, allowing GM Vignesh N. R. to unleash a precise tactical strike that secured him a decisive win.
The final game of the round — between CM Shen Ree Herng and Lee Yun Rui — lasted an incredible 4 hours and 30 minutes! In a dramatic endgame featuring kings and queens for both sides, Yun Rui’s extra pawn proved crucial as he promoted to a second queen and secured the win.
Rewatch the action and relive the top games here:
Open Category: Lichess Live Broadcast
Age Group Categories: ID Chess Live Games
Round 6: The Battle for the Lead Intensifies!
Round 6 resumes at 3:00 PM, with every point now crucial in the race for the championship title, the battles at the top boards are heating up:
- Board 1: IM James Morris vs GM Deep Sengupta
- Board 2: IM Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan vs GM Daniel Howard Fernandez
- Board 3: GM Lalit Babu M. R. vs CM Genivan A/L Genkeswaran (Malaysia’s rising star, fresh from his victory at the Asian Schools Chess Championship in Mongolia, earning him the FM title)
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Report and photos by IA Ellie Emira Syamimi, Media Officer for the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025