Yagız Kaan Erdogmus ponders a move during his clash against Aronyak Ghosh in the fourth round of the Dubai Open Chess Tournament.

Five players share the lead in Category A as the 24th Dubai Open Chess Tournament moves past the half-way mark at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club.

Yagız Kaan Erdogmus of Turkey and India’s Aronyak Ghosh maintained their hold of the lead after the co-leaders drew their fourth-round game Tuesday night.

The encounter between the two rising stars, both of whom are regarded as prodigies in the international chess community, was nothing short of electrifying, demonstrating their exceptional skills and strategic acumen.

They upped their score to 3.5 points and were joined in the leaderboard by GM Raunak Sadhwani and GM S.P. Sethuraman of India, and GM Mahammad Muradli of Azerbaijan, who all won their games to move up the standings.

The 13-year-old Erdogmus, who is currently the youngest player to complete all grandmaster norms, and Ghosh, whose 2528 Elo rating makes him one of the world’s highest-rated IMs, traded queens after just seven moves and then agreed to a draw by move 30 after repeating moves.

The two engaged in a series of intricate maneuvers, each trying to outwit the other without taking excessive risks.

As the game progressed, it became evident that both players were in top form. Their moves were meticulously calculated, with each seeking the slightest advantage in position. The spectators watched in hushed anticipation, appreciating the subtle yet profound strategies unfolding on the board. The tension peaked when Erdogmus launched a daring knight sacrifice, aiming to destabilize Ghosh’s position. However, Ghosh’s defensive prowess shone through as he navigated the complications with remarkable composure, eventually neutralizing the threat and steering the game towards a draw.

Their draw not only preserved their positions at the top but also set the stage for an exciting remainder of the tournament.

Muradli, a two-time national champion of Azerbaijan, defeated local hero IM Ibrahim Sultan in 46 moves of a Slav defence, but the Azerbaijan player was already in total control by move 12 when Sultan committed an errant rook move that allowed white to win material and launch a searing attack against the black king. Former Asian champion Sethuraman sacrificed his queen for two rooks on the 34th move, but his major pieces and passed pawn on the b-file proved more than enough compensation as he scored the full point against Greece’s GM Evgenios Ioannidis. Sadhwani defeated IM Oliver Dimakiling of the Philippines with the black pieces in a Pirc Defense.

In Category B, WIM Srishti Pandey won the battle on the first board against compatriot Taksh Sharma, while Yousef A. Alhassadi of Lebanon defeated AIM Vihaan Dumir of India to grab the joint leadership after four rounds.

The highly anticipated Dubai Open Chess Tournament has attracted over 160 players from 40 different countries.

In the fifth round of the nine-round tournament,

Sadhwani will take on Muradli on first board in Category A, while Alhassadi and Pandey contest the sole leadership in Category B.

Dubai Open Chess Tournament is one of the largest and most prestigious international tournaments, which has been a significant milestone in the careers of many prominent chess players, including world champion Magnus Carlsen.

The tournament will continue until June 2 at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club, with games starting from 5pm, except in the final round, which will start at 10am. Each player is allotted a thinking time of 90 minutes, with 30 seconds added after each move. A total of $52,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.