Kathmandu, March 23

Nepal’s Sumit Panta stunned Bangladeshi Grand Master Enamul Hussain to continue his dream run in the Asian Zonal 3.2 Chess Championship here today.

The 1935-rated Nepali player Panta — who had defeated Bangladeshi International Master Abu Sufian Shakil in the first round — registered another stunning victory over the 2474-rated Grand Master today to accumulate 3.5 points from five matches. He is tied with former Nepal champion Keshav Shrestha and Bangladeshi trio of Ziaur Rahman, Syed Mahfuzur Rahman and Mehdi Hasan.

Bangladeshi GMs Niaz Murshad and Abdulla Al Rakib Mollah lead the standing with four points. Murshad defeated fellow GM Ziaur Rahman in the fifth round, while Mollah played a draw with FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman. The 2077-rated Candidate Master Keshav Shrestha played a draw with Bangladeshi IM Abu Sufian Shakil. Bangladeshi FM Hasan defeated 1848-rated Bhagawati Prasad Sharma.

After fifth round, Nepal’s Himal Lama, CM Kshitiz Bhandari and CM Madan Krishna Kayastha are tied on three points with Bangladesh’s Md Taibur Rahman and Abu Sufian Shakil and Sri Lankan RS Kalugampitiya.

In women’s section, Women International Master Rani Hamid registered the fifth consecutive victory defeating fellow Bangladeshi Nazrana Khan to stay at the top of the table with five points. Bangladeshi Women International Master Akter Shamima was second with four points after her victory over WFM Sharmin Shirin Sultana, also from Bangladesh. Sri Lankan Zainab Saumy defeated Nepal’s Shanta Thapa and was third with three points.

Sabina Shrestha was the lone Nepali player to win the game today. She beat Punam Prasai, while Nepal champion Sindira Joshi and Matina Kusi went down to Bangladeshi opponents. Thapa, Shrestha and Matina have two points each, while Joshi has one and Prasai is yet to open her accounts.