KATHMANDU: Former Nepal champion Keshav Shrestha held Bangladeshi FIDE Master (FM) Mahammad Javed for a draw in the fifth round of the ninth United Insurance and United Leasing Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Dhaka today.

The 2134-rated Shrestha played a draw against 2204-rated Javed to share a half point each. With today’s victory to go with two draws Shrestha has so far collected two points after completion of the fifth round.

Also today, the reigning Nepal champion Badri Lal Nepali was gifted a point after Shirin Sharmin Sultana of Bangladesh failed to report in the fifth round match. Badri Lal is also among the two point gainers for Nepal. He had earn a point — a half each — with two draws in his previous round matches.

Nepali only FM Manish Hamal, who have already earned two points, lost his fifth round match against the 2532-rated Grand Master (GM) Abdulla Al-Rakib of Bangladesh. The 2086-rated Hamal, succumbed to the tough opponent in the match extended for more than one-and-half hour.

Veterans Naveen Tandukar and Bilam Lal Shrestha also failed to earn points in the fifth round matches, both playing against the local Bangladeshi opponents. Tandukar lost to Polash Aminul Islam and Shrestha to Mohammad Jamal Uddin.