Zia atop alone

Grand Master Ziaur Rahman picked up his fourth straight win to take the solo lead in the
Mercantile Bank 35th National Chess Championship at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hall room yesterday.
Playing with Black pieces, the country’s number one player adopted the Modern Defence of Tartakower system and eventually earned resignation from Fide Master Taibur after 37 moves.
Mohammad Hasan Emam of Air Destiny follows Zia, a Biman stalwart, closely with three and a half points at the end of the fourth round. He enforced a creditable draw against another Grand Master Reefat Bin Sattar, whose latest slip pushed him down the points table. Reefat is now sharing the crowded third position with Fide Master Abu Sufian Shakil and Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan — all having three points each.
In the other matches, Rajib beat Debaraj Chatterjee, Shakil defeated Fide Master Mohammad Javed of Destiny and Mostafa won against Jamal Ahmed. Meanwhile, country’s first Grand Master Niaz Murshed failed to turn up for his fourth round game against Mahtabuddin Ahmed Robin.

Courtesy of The Daily Star