ILLAM: Candidate Master Bhupendra Niraula maintained his lead after the sixth round of the 19th National Chess Championship here on Sunday. Niraula accumulated 5.5 points from six rounds. He defeated Sajin Maharjan in the fifth round and played a draw against Purushottam Chaulagain in the sixth round. Maharjan, Chaulagain and Himal Lama are next with 4.5 points each, while Manish Hamal, Keshav Shrestha, Kshtiz Bhandari and Nabin Tandukar have four apiece. In the fourth Women’s National Chess Championship, Sindira Joshi remained at the top of the table with five points, while Shanta Thapa and Monalisa Khamboo have 4.5 each.