Grandmasters Nisipeanu Liviu-Dieter of Romania, Eljanov Pavel of Ukraine, Minasian Artashes of Armenia and Mamedyarov Shahriar of Azerbaijan shared the lead with 4.5 points at the end of the fifth round of Dubai Open Chess Championship held at Dubai Chess and Culture Club.

Grandmasters Ulibin Mikhail of Russia, Krishnan Sasikiran, P. Harikrishna, Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India, Fedorov Alexei of Byelorussia, Mchedlishvili Mikheil, Jobava Baadur of Georgia, Goloshchapov Alexander, Kruppa Yuri of Ukraine, Gashinov Vugar of Azerbaijan and IM Carlsen Magnus of Norway are trailing the leaders half a point behind.

A pack of 11 players are in the third spot with 3.5 points.

Grandmaster Sasikiran and Nisipeanu clashed in a highly-charged encounter on the top board in a Sicilian defence.

Sasikiran got the initiative early in the middle game as Nisipeanu's pieces were huddled into a passive defence.

Sasikiran said, "Bd4 was inaccurate after Rf2 he could have got a winning advantage".

It was a tough match and Sasikiran played the opening moves quickly. Nisipeanu took more time on clock and players agreed to a draw with three minutes for Sasikiran and 15 minutes for Nisipeanu.

The Romanian was able to manoeuvre his pieces and attained excellent coordination. The players agreed for a draw on the 29th move when neither was willing to take further risk due to time pressure.

Mamedyarov Shahriar defeated GM Al Modiahki Mohammed of Qatar in a sharp complicated game in Kings Indian defence.

Modiahki attained a central passed pawn and a superior bishop against the knight.

In a tactical complication, Modiahki was outwitted by Elajanov. The Ukrainian won the game in spectacular fashion on the 52nd move.

Eljanov Pavel defeated Mariano Nelson of Philippines in Kings Indian defence. Eljanov created a passed pawn, sacrificed his queen to promote the pawn and clinched the issue.

FM Othman Moussa of UAE held GM Dizdar Goran of Croatia in a tense battle lasting 61 moves.

Results
Sasikiran, Krishnan (4 ) drew with Nisipeanu, Liviu-Die (4.5); Mamedyarov, Shakriya (4.5) bt Al Modiahki, Mohammed (3.5); Harikrishna, P. (4) drew with Carlsen, Magnus (4); Eljanov, Pavel (4.5) bt Mariano, Nelson (3.5); Nadera, Barlo A. (3.5) lost to Minasian, Artashes (4.5); Kruppa, Yuri (4) drew with Ganguly, Suyra Shekhar (4); Gelashvili, Tamaz (3) lost to Fedorov, Alexei (4); Jobava, Baadur (4) bt Dzhumaev, Marat (3); Ulibin, Mikhail (4) bt Villamayor, Buenaven (3); Safin, Shukhrat (3) lost to Goloshchapov, Alexan (4); Gashimov, Vugar (4) bt Megaranto, Susanto (3); Mamedov, Rauf (3.5) drew with Gagunashvili, Merab (3.5); Mchedlishvili, Mikhe (4) bt Sale, Srdjan (3); Mamedov, Nidjat (3) lost to Iordachesvu, Viorel (3.5); Vladimirov, Evgeny (3.5) bt Ramesh, R.B. (2.5); Mahjoob, Morteza (2.5) lost to Miroshnichenko, Evge (3.5); Kayumov, Sergey (3) drew with Gleizerov, Evgeny (3).