Vinay in sole lead

Matta VinayKumar of Andhra Bank continued his sole lead with eight points from nine rounds as he beat Sahaja Sri on the top board in the ongoing Brilliant Trophy 1st Decade All India Fide Rated Open chess tournament in Hyderabad on Thursday.

V Varun of Hyderabad, Srinath Rao of Maharastra, J Ramakrishna of Andhra Bank and J Malleswara Rao of Vijayawada are in second spot with 7.5 points. A Balkishan of Karnataka and D Jishitha of Hyderabad are third with seven points.

Important results Round 9: M Vinay Kumar (Andhra Bank) 8 bt Ch. Sahajasri (TS) 6.5; Tarun Kanyamarla (Hyd) 6.5 lost to V Varun (Hyd) 7.5; Srinath Rao SV (Kar) 7.5 bt Nikhil M (AP) 6.5; Ramakrishna J (Andhra Bank) 7.5 bt Bharat Kumar Reddy (TS) 6.5; Kandi Ravi (SCR) 6.5 lost to J Malleswara Rao (Vijayawada) 7.5; Balkishan (Kar) 7 bt Deepak Kumar R (TN) 6; Prateek Srivastava (Hyd) 6.5 drew with Ranadheer BJSK (Vijayawada); Akshit Lumar J (Vijayawada) 6.5 drew with Ankitha Goud Palle (Hyd) 6.5; Jishitha D (Hyd) 7 bt Nitheesh Pothireddy (Hyd) 6; Arvind PVS (AP) 6.5 drew with Kanishk S K (TN) 6.5.