Round 7: Tension Peaks as the Race Tightens!

With six intense rounds behind us, the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 entered a critical phase as players battled through Round 7. With only two rounds remaining, nerves tighten, ambitions sharpen, and a single move can change everything. The fight for the top standings has never been fiercer. Round 7 proved to be one of the most dramatic days yet, producing decisive encounters, inspired preparation, and standout performances from both elite masters and rising talents.

Open Category

Board 1 — GM Daniel Howard Fernandez defeated GM Lalit Babu M. R. GM Daniel delivered another commanding performance in a tense positional battle. The game remained balanced through the middlegame, but as the clock ticked down, Black faltered under time pressure. Despite navigating his own time trouble, Daniel maintained accuracy, capitalizing on Lalit’s late-game mistakes and eventual blunder.

Board 2 — IM Neelash Saha defeated IM James Morris. Opening with the rare 1.a3?!, Neelash steered the game into fresh territory. The position stayed equal deep into the middlegame, but once both players reached mutual time pressure, momentum shifted. Morris slipped with an inaccuracy, allowing Neelash to launch a decisive attack with no defensive resources left for Black. A crucial win that keeps Neelash right behind the tournament leader.

Board 3 — A’qil A’lauddin Bin Abd Aziz drew GM Vignesh N. R. A’qil delivered one of the round’s standout performances. Well-prepared from the start, he secured a significant advantage by move 26, winning the exchange (rook for knight) after a misstep by Vignesh. However, a blunder on move 49 allowed the position to equalize. What followed was a tense back-and-forth struggle in heavy time pressure. With all pawns eventually traded and only rook vs knight remaining, the pieces came off and the game concluded in a draw. A highly encouraging and impressive result for the Malaysian rising star!

Board 4 — GM Sengupta Deep defeated Lee Yun Rui. After the early inaccuracy …e5 on move 12, Black ceded control of the vital d5-square, allowing Sengupta to dictate the flow of the game. With superior space and activity, White entered a winning endgame two pawns up. His connected kingside passers marched relentlessly, and once a queen was promoted, Black resigned.

With his victory, GM Daniel Fernández surges into sole lead with 6.5/7, continuing his phenomenal run. He is followed by IM Neelash Saha (6 points), and a chasing pack on 5.5 points: IM James Morris, GM Sengupta Deep, FM Adireddy Arjun, and GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J.

Age-Group Highlights

Open Under 18 (U18): IM Sriram Adarsh Uppala remains unstoppable, extending his perfect run to 7/7. Singapore’s Lee Tsuen Jin Aiesec follows with 5 points, trailed by India’s Borkhetariya Devarsh M on 4.5 points.

Girls Under 18 (G18): WCM Anupam M. Sreekumar defeated Dissanayake Lihini, while Sagar Siya scored a strong win over WCM Retnaraja Athena-Malar. Both now share the lead with 5.5 points, setting up an exciting final sprint toward the finish.