Pratitee Bordoloi takes sole lead in Asian Junior Girls; Mayank Chakraborty maintains Open lead

Top seed Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Pratitee Bordoloi emerged as the sole leader in the Asian Junior Girls Classical Chess Championship in Mumbai on Monday (August 24, 2026) after a seventh-round victory over Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Aadya Gowda, taking her score to six out of a maximum seven points and moving half a point clear. In the Open Championship, top seed Grandmaster-elect Mayank Chakraborty stayed alone at the top after seven rounds, drawing with International Master Vignesh Advaith Vemula to reach six out of seven.

Pratitee’s win over WCM Aadya Gowda increased her tally to six out of a maximum seven points and left her half a point ahead of her nearest rivals. WCM Shohradova Leyla of Turkmenistan, who had been sharing the lead before the round, was held to a draw by Shivamshika. G and slipped to 5.5 points. Fide Master (FM) M Prishita Gupta boosted her title bid with a victory over WFM Nivedita V.C., also moving to 5.5 points and joining Leyla in the chasing group. WFM Mariya Kholyavko of Kazakhstan and WCM Dakshita Kumawat drew their encounter and advanced to five points.

Mayank’s draw with International Master Vignesh Advaith Vemula was sufficient to keep him on six out of seven and maintain a half-point lead at the top of the Open leaderboard after the seventh round.

I.M. Artem Pingin of Russia was held to a draw by Daksh Goyal, while FM Sharnarthi Viresh recorded a victory over FM Amanmuhammet Hommadov of Turkmenistan to move to 5.5 points. Vignesh, Pingin and Viresh sit among the players closing in on Mayank as the Open title race progresses.

With Mayank on six out of seven and Vignesh, Pingin and Viresh at 5.5, the Open championship enters its decisive stage.