Sargsyan, Espipenko share lead as Erigaisi, Karthikeyan give chase

Armenian GM Shant Sargsyan and Russian GM Andrey Esipenko on Tuesday shared the lead after round seven of the $110,00 Qatar Masters. Sargsyan on Tuesday drew with Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi – the top seed – while Esipenko edged UAE’s GM A.R. Saleh Salem.Sargsyan, 22, has a tally of 6 points. Esipenko, who has been in good form in Doha this week, also has 6 points. Erigaisi and Indian GM Murali Karthikeyan both have 5.5 points. Karthikeyan on Tuesday beat Iranian GM M Amin Tabatabaei. A group of 11 players are staggered at 5 points each.Also on Tuesday, Qatar’s IM Hussein Aziz posted his second win of the tournament when he beat India’s Mahendru Jaiveer, ranked 133 in the world, to raise his score to 3.5 points.Hamad al-Tamimi, Executive Director of the Qatar Chess Association (QCA) and the Tournament Director, on Tuesday said ‘the outcome of the fourth Qatar Masters title remains unpredictable’. Despite two rounds remaining, multiple players are closely vying for the lead, he said.Al-Tamimi highlighted the intriguing battle between Armenian player Sargsyan and Erigaisi, suggesting that either could potentially claim the title in Doha tomorrow. "The tournament has been characterised by intense competition and high-level performances. As the tournament nears its conclusion, anticipation is building for the final two rounds,” al-Tamimi said on Tuesday.Karthikeyan eyes top spotIndian player Karthikeyan, ranked 20th in the tournament, on Tuesday expressed his determination to secure a strong finish in the Qatar Masters. He acknowledged the intense competition and the challenges posed by players in the final two rounds.After achieving 5.5 points following the seventh round, Karthikeyan attributed his victory to ‘a bit of luck’. He emphasised that the top seven players still have a chance to win the title and vowed to strive for victory in the upcoming match.The player concluded by commending ‘the excellent organisational setup at Aspire Zone Hall’ and expressed his delight at participating in the fourth edition of the tournament in Qatar.Key resultsArmenian GM Shant Sargsyan drew with Indian GM Arjun ErigaisiRussian GM Andrey Esipenko beat UAE’s GM A.R. Saleh SalemIndian GM Murali Karthikeyan beat Iranian GM M. Amin M TabatabaeiWednesday’s top games Sargsyan vs EsipenkoErigaisi vs Karthikeyan