Goa, July 26 -- Team Herald

sports@herald-goa.com

DONA PAULA: The highlight of the day was a gripping battle on the top board where Poland's top seed IM Molenda Marcin, playing with white pieces, outplayed overnight leader Dzenisenia Mikhail of Russia in a Queen's Gambit Accepted opening continued to thrill chess lovers with high-octane encounters on Day 5 in the 24th World IPCA Chess Championship 2025 ongoing at the International Centre, here, on Saturday.

The match extended to 45 moves, culminating in a strategic victory that now places IM Marcin at the top of the leader board with 5.5 points from six rounds.

On the second board, the game ended quickly as FM Sargissyan Sargis of Armenia defeated Anfinogenov Artem of Russia in just 2...