Patna, May 11: Following the conclusion of the fifth round in the Bihar State Women’s Chess Championship, Maryam Fatima of Muzaffarpur has emerged as the frontrunner, maintaining a perfect score of five points in as many rounds. Pari Sinha from Gaya closely trails in second place with 4.5 points, while a quintet of players shares the third spot with four points each.

In today’s fifth round encounter, Maryam Fatima, an accomplished international player, clinched victory over Neha Singh in 38 moves, playing with the black pieces. This decisive win in a French game propels Maryam closer to claiming the championship title. Meanwhile, Pari Sinha, competing on board three, compelled Rashmi Priya of Vaishali to concede defeat in their match, securing her position solely in second place with 4.5 points.

A handful of contenders remain in contention for the third-place finish, each boasting four points. Minky Sinha (4) triumphed over Adiba Ullah (3.5) on board two, Shweta Kumari (4) from Buxar bested Shreya Kumari (3) of the same district, Manisha Yadav (4) representing Darbhanga defeated Kumari Prerna (3) hailing from Saharsa. Additionally, on board seven, Arpita Singh (4) from Bhojpur outmatched Aadya Shree (3) of Muzaffarpur, while on board nine, Mohini Pandit (4) from Chapra secured victory against Ankita Raj from Patna.

The championship will witness two more rounds tomorrow, with the prize distribution ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m.