PANJIM, Sept. 5 -- Team Herald

After five intense rounds of the 38th National U-13 Chess Championship 2025, both the Open and Girls' sections have joint leaders on full points.

In the Open, CM Madhvendra Pratap Sharma, Badole Shaunak and Shubh Atha share the lead with 5/5. Sharma (2187) outplayed Andhra's Samuel Stephen Noble (1981) in the Four Knights, Shaunak (2086) of Maharashtra beat Kerala's Daniel Ajish (1859) in the Sicilian Dragon, while Gujarat's Atha (1881) toppled West Bengal's Parambrata Sarkar (2020) in the English Opening. West Bengal's Aahil Patra (1912) held Kerala's Arush A (2105), while Andhra's Aadithya R (1799) drew with Paarshva Parmar (1992) of Rajasthan.

Maxwell Raposo (1806) impressed with victory over Souparno ...