LALITPUR: Candidate Master Kshitiz Bhandari recorded double victories in the Shivani Air fifth Kamana Sahakari Chess Tournament on Tuesday.

Bhandari defeated Bikash Kuluju in the fourth round before seeing off Suman Lama in the next round.

Bhandari shared the lead with FIDE Master Manish Hamal and Himal Lama with 4.5 points after five rounds. FM Hamal, who played a draw against Himal Lama in the fourth round, returned to beat Sajin Maharjan, while Lama bounced back to defeat Sumit Panta in the fifth round. Similarly, Candidate Masters Madan Krishna Kayastha and Keshab Shrestha along with Surbir Lama, Badri  Lal Nepali, Rabindra Shakya, Rajendra Prasad Shrestha and Punyaman Karmacharya were in the chasing pack with four points.