Fahad’s second GM norm dream extended

International Master Fahad Rahman held yet another Grandmaster, Sanap Vahap of Turkey, in the sixth-round match of the Dubai Police Global Chess Challenge in the UAE but his dream to achieve the second GM norm following this tournament got shattered on Thursday.

Fahad, with black pieces, drew with Vahap in the 75th move to raise his point tally to 3.5 from six matches and shared fourth place along with 31 other players. Indian GMs NR Visakh and Aravindh Chithambaram jointly shared the lead with five points each.

Keeping his sights on the second GM norm, Fahad started with great promise by drawing against two Super Grandmasters from China and the USA in the first two matches. However, he slipped from the track after losing to Uzbekistan Grandmaster in the fourth round.

Fahad's draw against Vahap means he will have to wait longer for getting his second GM norm as he needed seven points from nine matches to do so this tournament. Now, the 20-year-old can amass a maximum of 6.5 points, subject to three straight wins in the last three matches.

Fahad was playing against Indian GM Subramaniyam Bharath in the seventh round on Friday.