Asian Individual 2025 R5: Karthikeyan Murali and Bardiya Daneshvar emerge coleaders
12/05/2025 - GM Karthikeyan Murali defeated GM Aleksey Grebnev to maintain his lead at Asian Individual Men 2025. Grebnev went wrong in the middlegame when he lost a pawn and control of the position. GM Bardiya Daneshvar (IRI) won against GM Iniyan Pa who erred early in the game. Bardiya and Karthikeyan are the coleaders 4.5/5. They will inevitably clash in the sixth round. GM Pranesh M won comfortably against FM Imangali Akhilbay (KAZ) to move to 4/5. In the Women's event, IM Anastasia Bodnaruk was held to a draw by WCM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul (MGL). It allowed WGM Srija Seshadri to get back in the lead as she defeated WGM Xeniya Balabayeva (KAZ). Srija, Bodnaruk and Mungunzul are at 4.5/5 each. Round 6 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 4:30 p.m. IST. Photos: Himank Ghosh