Hari drew with Evgeny Alekseev of Russia

Kochi: Indian Grandmaster P Harikrishna drew with third seed Evgeny Alekseev of Russia in the sixth round to remain in sole lead on 5.5 points in the world junior chess championship. Harikrishna signed peace in 20 moves.

GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia defeated GM Yuri Drozdovsky of Ukraine in French defence in 35 moves while IM Radoslaw of Poland held Indian GM Koneru Humpy to a draw in 59 moves.

Zao Jun of China defeated IM M.R. Venkatesh of India in Sicilian defence in 38 moves and top seed Ferenc Berkes of Hungary beat IM Elshan Moradiabadi of Iran in 32 moves.

In the world girls championship, Ukranian WGM Anna Ushenina and WGM Elisabeth Paehtz of Germany with 5 points each are jointly leading the table after six rounds.

In the sixth round, Ushenina held second seed Paehtz to a draw in a Queens pawn opening in 11 moves, while Kazakhstan?s Dana Aketayeva was held to a draw by India?s Eesha Karavade in 73 moves.

In another game, top seed Ekaterina Korbut of Russia defeated Vinuthna of India in Pirc defence in 25 moves, while Zhang Jilin of China and Joanna Majdan of Poland to split point in 61 moves.

Earlier in round five, Harikrishna defeated GM Tigran Petrosian in Queens Gambit exchange in 57 moves.

On second board, Evgeny Alekseev defeated IM Mark Paragua of Philippines in 24 moves. GM Ferenc Berkes was held to draw by IM Wojtaszek Radoslaw of Poland in a Sicilian Yugoslav attack in 29 moves, while IM M.R. Venkatesh of India defeated Artem Lljin of Russia in Slav defence in 57 moves.

IM Deepak Chakravarthy of India, who had shocked GM Timu Gareev of Uzbekistan in an earlier round, failed to maintain his winning streak and went down to Zhao Jun of China.

GM Koneru Humpy defeated Leandro Perdomo of Argentina in Kings Indian defence in 43 moves and Erwin L?ami of The Netherlands held David Smerdon of Australia to a draw.

In the girls, 19 year-old Elisabeth Paehtz, a former under-18 world champion defeated Joanna Majdan of Poland in Sicilian Pelican variation in 38 moves, while WGM Anna Ushenina beat Zhang Jilin of China in 43 moves.

WIM Dana Aketayeva of Kazakhstan defeated WIM Anastasiya Gutsko of Ukraine in Ruy Lopez closed variation in 58 moves, while top seed WGM Ekaterina Korbut of Russia defeated Kruttika Nadig of India in Sicilian dragon in 43 moves.

In another board, WIM Eesha Karavade of India beat The Netherlands Van Weersel Arlette in Catalan opening in 49 moves and WFM Vinuthna of India defeated compatriot Koneru Chandra Hawsa. (PTI)