Young Sandipan Chanda, overnight joint leader, went down to IM Herrera but IM K Sasikiran (6) beat Roktim Bandopadhyay and former national champion IM P Konguvel (6) scored a lucky win over IM Tibor Karolyi. GM's Lev Pshakis, Davor Komleinovic, Julio Beccera and IM Herrera were in joint lead with 6.5 points followed closely by Sasikiran, Konguvel, Chanda, Shetty and Das. Top seed GM A Baburin (5.5) and GM Forintas (5.5) drew their games.

Neelotpal Das punished the unsound aggression of GM Mowsziszian (5) in a modern defence with cool play in the centre. Das first won a pawn, then an exchange and finally emerged a piece up, penetrating his opponent's exposed Kingside to collect a vital point.

Shetty faced the SicilianPaulsen variation of GM Spassov (5) in a quiet manner, slowly building up a Kingside attack. After a blunder by Spassov, Shetty made inroads into his castled position and a spectacular queen sacrifice led to mate. Chanda, on a giant-killing spree with wins in the last three rounds, went down to Herrera (Cuba) in his pet Sicilian Scheveningan variation.

Sasikiran outplayed Bandhopadhyay in a Slav defence with black pieces. Surya Shekher Ganguly (4.5) drew with IM J Ivanov (4.5).

Important results:

GM L Pshakis (6.5) drew with GM D Komleinovic (6.5), GM Beccera (6.5) bt IM Narcisso Dublan (5.5), GM Forintas (5.5) drew with GM A Baburin (5.5), IM Herrera (6.5) bt Sandipan Chanda (6), Roktim Bandhopadhyay (5) lost to IM K Sasikiran (6), Rahul Shetty (6) bt GM Spassov (5), Neelotpal Das (6) bt GM Mowsziszian (5), IM Tobor Karolyi lost to IM P Konguvel (6), SS Ganguly (4.5) drew with IM J Ivanov (4.5)