Last edition's runner-up IWM Vijayalakshmi, who won her first round match against ninth seeded Babalaeva Indira of Kazakhstan last night, employed Scotch-4 knight variation against her compatriot Pallavi Shah and beat her after taking an early advantage.

Pallavi had a disadvantage in the opening itself and Viji, with the double bishop advantage, snatched victory with ease to snatch her second point of the championship.

Grandmaster-norm holder Sasikiran (2) won his second round game against Vietnam's Ngoc Thach Traiv today after he and other four Indians had won their respective first round games last night.

National A champion Sasikiran was sharing the lead with Iran's E Ghaem Maghami and Laylo Darwin of the Philippines.

Defending champion Tejas Bakre (1.5), who is seededfourth here, drew his second round game against Malaysia's Lim Chuin Hoong (1) to remain in contention for the crown he won in Rasht (Iran) last year.

In the girls' section, M R Sangeeta got a valuable point from a rated player in the first round but lost her next one to Vietnam's second seed Le T Ph Lievi. Sangeetha found herself in a precarious position in the middle game of Nimzo Indian could not recover.