Indonesian FM and IM Elect Novendra Priasmoro upset top seeded Armenian GM Hrant Melkumyan to take sole leadership in Round Seven action at the Bangkok Chess Club Open Championships being held at the Regent Cha Am Beach Resort from 13-21 April 2018.
Earlier, co-leader Australian GM Anton Smirnov had agreed a short draw with USA’s GM Timur Gareyev.
With that, Novendra is on 6.5/7 and Smirnov together with Indian GM Deepan Chakkravarthy who beat Chinese FM Zhu Yi, is in shared second and third places on 6/7,
Still with a chance in a large chasing pack on 5.5/7 with two rounds to go are Melkumyan, Gareyev, Argentine GM Diego Flores, Singapore IM Kevin Goh Wei Ming, English GM Nigel Short, Indian GMs Swapnil S Dopade and Neelopol Das, IM Gukesh D, Vietnamese IM Nguyen Anh Khoi, and Filipino IM Haridas Pascua.
With his third successive win, including today’s result against Vietnamese IM Tran Minh Trang, defending champion Short has hauled himself back into contention after his loss on time against Gukesh who this round sensationally beat Argentine GM Leandro Krysa.
Full results and pairings are at: Chess-Results
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