New Delhi: InternatonalMaster N Sudhakar Babu etched out a creditable draw against Super GrandmasterAlexei Dreev to topple the Russian from joint lead position after the thirdround of the Parsvnath International Chess tournament here today.

The Chennai-based player, with ELO rating of 2313,forced the Russian to signthe peace pact in 45 moves on the day of mixed fortunes at the Indira GandhiIndoor Stadium.

On other top boards, Fide Master Mehdi Hasan held GM Yuri Drozdovskij ofUkraine and GM Ziaur Rahman had to split points with P Shyam Nikhil while Delhis Gurpreet Pal Singh held International Master Enamul Hossain of Bangladesh.

Among the Indians, former world under-10 champon Sahaj Grover continued hisgood run while national champion Surya Shekhar Ganguly got back to his winningways.
 
As many as 20 players  including AbhijitKunte, Dibyendu Barua and S Kidambi shared the lead with three points apieceand a huge pack of 40 just half-a-point adrift was following them in the10-round tournament being played in Swiss League format.

Sudhakar Babu employed an irregular Queen-Pawn opening and Dreev accepted thegambit. Babu got his pawn back after five moves in the game which developedinto a Slav set-up.

 
After a complicated middle game, Babu entered the rival areawhich led to a few exchanges due to Dreev s weakness in the kingside and heoffered the draw in 45 moves which the Indian accepted.

"My only plan was to play solid against Dreev without bothering about theresult. It is very satisfying," said Babu.