LAHORE - Pakistan notched-up third win in the 41st World Chess Olympiad in Tormso (Norway) when they hammered Ivory Coast 3.5-0.5 points in the fifth round on Wednesday night.
Unrated debutant National Master Syed Ahmed Ali maintained his unbeaten record with four points after his five-round matches with three wins and two draws. In the fifth round match, Ahmed displayed brilliant tactical moves and smart play to defeat Mambe Oliver of Ivory Coast.  International master and Pakistan top-rated chess star Mahmood Lodhi registered his third win when forced Manan Hermann to surrender after over 45 moves. Lodhi, however, lost his fourth round match to Norway.
M Younus of Pakistan defeated De Gondo of the Ivory Coast. The host Norway in the fourth round match handed out Pakistan 3.5-0.5 thrashing with Ahmed Ali holding to draw to save his team being whitewashed.  Earlier in the third round, Syed Ahmed Ali 86 defeated FIDE Master Jacek Stachanczyk of IBCA Islands to raise points tally to 2.5 from three games on Tuesday.
Pakistan's record 14-time national champion Mahmood Lodhi went down to IM Helgi Dam Ziska with international ranking of 2507 to Lodhi's 2335 ranking in his first round. But in the second round, Lodhi defeated Hui Li of Macau and in the third round. He held out to a draw by IM Piotr Dukaczewski. After suffering a 3.5-0.5 points defeat in the first round against Faroe Isles, they recovered to beat Macau 2.5-1.5 in the second round and by same margin to IBCA Islands.
The Chess Olympiad will continue till August 14 and every participating country will play a total of 14 matches before the final standings will be calculated.