62nd National Championship R5: Aronyak and Sasikiran win five in-a-row
IM Aronyak Ghosh (RSPB) and GM Sasikiran Krishnan (PSPB) have emerged coleaders at 62nd National Championship 2025. The four-time National champion showcased a positional masterclass against IM Goutham Krishna H (KER). IM Aronyak Ghosh (RSPB) scored a smooth victory over IM Kashish Manoj Jain (MAH). Both Sasikiran and Aronyak are inevitably going to clash at the halfway mark, in the sixth round. GM Sethuraman S P (PSPB) and IM Ameya Audi (Goa) played a barn burner. It was a rich complex game where one can easily delve a lot of hours into it. Both had their fair share of chances. Yet, the game ended in a draw after more than five-hour-long battle. Round 6 starts tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed
Sethuraman and Ameya Audi play a barn burner
The tournament is closing in at the halfway mark. Fifth round means, top players were facing each other. The top board clash between two former National Champions, GM Lalit Rohit (PSPB) and GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly (PSPB) ended in a relatively calm draw. However, if you want to take a look at the most exciting decisive game of the round, among the top boards, it has to be IM Aaditya Dhingra's (HAR) win over Aadik Theophane Lenin (KER).
Kashish - Aronyak
25.Re2 d4 26.cxd4 Qd5+ 27.Kg1 cxd4 would have kept White in the game. IM Kashish Manoj Jain (MAH, 2398) opted for 25.b4? Qxa3 26.Ra2 Qb3 27.bxc5 Qc4 28.Qe2 Qxe2 29.Rexe2 Ra7 30.Rb2 Rxb2 31.Rxb2 a3 and IM Aronyak Ghosh (RSPB, 2514) went on to win the game comfortably.
Sethuraman - Ameya
GM Sethuraman S P (PSPB, 2572) launched a strong attack on the kingside starting with 24.f5 f6 25.g6 h6 26.Qh5 Bd8 27.Bxh6! gxh6 28.Qxh6 Ra7 29.Kh1 Qd6 30.Rf3? instead White needed to bring his rook via f4 30.Rf4 with the idea of Nf3 and Rh4 would have been devastating for Black. Rf3 allowed Black to consolidate 30...Ne5 31.Rg3 Rg7 after few moves tables turned and Black got a decisive advantage.
White's protected passed pawn at g6 is what kept things complicated. 52...Kd6 53.Qxg8 Qe1+ 54.Kg2 Qf2+ 55.Kh3 Qxf5+ and Black needed to time the bishop capture correctly to win the game. Overall, it was an extremely rich game. Hours need to be put to analyze all intricacies. IM Ameya Audi (Goa, 2430) defended really well against a stalwart.
Prraneeth - Viresh
Where should Black move his king? Viresh Sharnarthi (MAH, 2281) opted for 33...Kg8? 34.Ng3 Qf7 35.Kg2 Bxg3 Black's advantage evaporated and GM Prraneeth Vuppala (TEL, 2475) escaped with a draw via perpetual check in the queen endgame.
Aadik - Aaditya Dhingra
IM Aaditya Dhingra (HAR, 2391) launched a brutal attack on the kingside as can be seen from the above diagram. 27.Rxg3 Nh5 and it was over.
Both Sethuraman S P and Ameya Audi were kind enough to join the birthday celebration after their grueling battle which lasted over five hours. I definitely take this opportunity to thank the entire organizing team, arbiters, officials and of course the players for making my birthday a memorable one. Also, at the beginning of the round, I made the ceremonial first move with a guest which was again a huge honor.
For more Round 5 photos, please click here
Replay Round 5 games
Round 5 results
| Bo. | White | Gr | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Gr | Rtg | Club/City | PGN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM | Lalit Babu M R | 9 | 2502 | AP | 4 | ½ - ½ | 4 | GM | Ganguly Surya Shekhar | 2 | 2573 | PSPB | PGN |
| 2 | IM | Goutham Krishna H | 21 | 2418 | KL | 4 | 0 - 1 | 4 | GM | Sasikiran Krishnan | 4 | 2524 | PSPB | PGN |
| 3 | IM | Jain Kashish Manoj | 25 | 2398 | MH | 4 | 0 - 1 | 4 | IM | Aronyak Ghosh | 6 | 2514 | RSPB | PGN |
| 4 | GM | Sethuraman S.P. | 3 | 2572 | PSPB | 3½ | ½ - ½ | 4 | IM | Audi Ameya | 20 | 2430 | GA | PGN |
| 5 | IM | Viani Antonio Dcunha | 32 | 2355 | KA | 3½ | ½ - ½ | 3½ | GM | Iniyan Pa | 1 | 2599 | TN | PGN |
| 6 | GM | Gupta Abhijeet | 7 | 2511 | PSPB | 3½ | 1 - 0 | 3½ | AGM | Vignesh B | 41 | 2288 | TN | PGN |
| 7 | IM | Subhayan Kundu | 34 | 2352 | RSPB | 3½ | ½ - ½ | 3½ | IM | Rohith Krishna S | 8 | 2503 | TN | PGN |
| 8 | FM | Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy | 11 | 2482 | UP | 3½ | 1 - 0 | 3½ | IM | Srihari L | 27 | 2373 | PY | PGN |
| 9 | IM | Nitin S. | 38 | 2316 | RSPB | 3½ | ½ - ½ | 3½ | GM | Srihari L R | 12 | 2481 | TN | PGN |
| 10 | GM | Prraneeth Vuppala | 13 | 2475 | TG | 3½ | ½ - ½ | 3½ | Sharnarthi Viresh | 43 | 2281 | MH | PGN |
Standings after Round 5
| Rk. | SNo | Name | sex | Gr | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | TB6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | IM | Aronyak Ghosh | 6 | IND | 2514 | RSPB | 5 | 14,5 | 16,5 | 16,5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2 | 4 | GM | Sasikiran Krishnan | 4 | IND | 2524 | PSPB | 5 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |
| 3 | 20 | IM | Audi Ameya | 20 | IND | 2430 | GA | 4,5 | 15,5 | 17,5 | 15,5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
| 4 | 2 | GM | Ganguly Surya Shekhar | 2 | IND | 2573 | PSPB | 4,5 | 15 | 17,5 | 15,3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
| 5 | 14 | IM | Ayush Sharma | 14 | IND | 2457 | RSPB | 4,5 | 14,5 | 17 | 15,3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | |
| 6 | 26 | IM | Aaditya Dhingra | 396 | IND | 2391 | HR | 4,5 | 14,5 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 3 | |
| 7 | 9 | GM | Lalit Babu M R | 9 | IND | 2502 | AP | 4,5 | 14,5 | 16,5 | 14,3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
| 8 | 11 | FM | Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy | 11 | IND | 2482 | UP | 4,5 | 13,5 | 16 | 14,3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| 9 | 7 | GM | Gupta Abhijeet | 7 | IND | 2511 | PSPB | 4,5 | 13,5 | 15,5 | 13,8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| 10 | 23 | IM | Ravi Teja S. | 23 | IND | 2410 | AP | 4,5 | 13 | 15 | 13,3 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Round 6 pairings
| Bo. | White | Gr | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Gr | Rtg | Club/City | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM | Sasikiran Krishnan | 4 | 2524 | PSPB | 5 | 5 | IM | Aronyak Ghosh | 6 | 2514 | RSPB | |
| 2 | GM | Ganguly Surya Shekhar | 2 | 2573 | PSPB | 4½ | 4½ | IM | Ravi Teja S. | 23 | 2410 | AP | |
| 3 | IM | Audi Ameya | 20 | 2430 | GA | 4½ | 4½ | GM | Gupta Abhijeet | 7 | 2511 | PSPB | |
| 4 | GM | Deepan Chakkravarthy J. | 24 | 2407 | RSPB | 4½ | 4½ | GM | Lalit Babu M R | 9 | 2502 | AP | |
| 5 | IM | Aaditya Dhingra | 396 | 2391 | HR | 4½ | 4½ | FM | Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy | 11 | 2482 | UP | |
| 6 | IM | Ayush Sharma | 14 | 2457 | RSPB | 4½ | 4½ | IM | Sidhant Mohapatra | 26 | 2384 | RSPB | |
| 7 | Sharnarthi Viresh | 43 | 2281 | MH | 4 | 4 | GM | Iniyan Pa | 1 | 2599 | TN | ||
| 8 | FM | Sriansh Das | 49 | 2245 | OR | 4 | 4 | GM | Sethuraman S.P. | 3 | 2572 | PSPB | |
| 9 | IM | Rohith Krishna S | 8 | 2503 | TN | 4 | 4 | FM | Mahitosh Dey | 51 | 2233 | OR | |
| 10 | GM | Sengupta Deep | 10 | 2490 | PSPB | 4 | 4 | FM | Navalgund Niranjan | 61 | 2185 | KA |
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