Wim priyanka

Petroleum Sports Promotion Board: Top-seed Velpula Sarayu of Telangana defeated G. Mallar Arya with black pieces and joined overnight joint-leaders IM Padmini Rout, WIM Priyanka at the top with 4.5 points as six players shared the lead at the end of the 5th round of the 50th National Women's Chess Championship here on Monday.

Also sharing the top spot with them are former National Champion and Women's Grandmaster (WGM) Mary Ann Gomes, WGM Pv. Nandhidhaa, WIM Isha Sharma, who also moved to 4.5 points.

Padmini Rout and Priyanka had to settle for a draw in 35 moves on the top board. In the Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation encounter, the endgame offered fewer chances for a win and the two players agreed to share the point.