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OLD GUARD MAKING WAY FOR NEW ONE
V KRISHNASWAMY
NEW DELHI, JUNE 8:
THE OLD Guard is slowly but steadily making way for the new one as was evidenced in two defeats that seven-time National champion Pravin Thipsay suffered today. In the morning's seventh round a the National A Chess championships in the CDCS Eventspecific Hall, he went down to Ponnuswamy Konguvel and in the evening his misery was complete when Krishnan Sasikiran beat him with white.
Meanwhile top seed GM Sasikiran moved into top gear with one win in each of the two sessions, caught up with his Petoleum Sports Control Board teammate Konguvel. They now share he lead at 6.5 points each from eight rounds and Konguvel is on his way to his maiden GM norm. The 1996 champion, Konguvel needs just one point in his next two rounds for 10-game GM norm.
While it was a fine day for Sasikiran, who beat Saptarishi and Thipsay, Konguvel after a win over Thipsay in the seventh round settled for a quick in inside five minutes against the defending champion, Abhijit Kunte, who trails the two leaders by a full point.
After the only rest day, which is scheduled for tommorow, Konguvel meets V Saravanan in the ninth round. On current form Konguvel's win over Saravanan is very much on the cards.
In a Queen's Gambit declined against Thipsay, in the eighth round, Sasikiran eked out a slight advantage in form of a Queenside bind. Thipsay who has been finding it difficult to get used to the new time controls fell under time pressure and at one point, had to make 12 moves in one minute.
Sasikiran simplified the game and THipsay had a bad light coloured Bishop. Sasikiran won as Thipsay was unable to complete his 40 moves in the 90 minutes.
Barua was content with a draw against Neeraj Kumar Mishra in the Catalan opening game.
D V Prasad was lucky to get a favourable veridct against Sriram Jha in a Semi Slav defense game with white pieces. JHa overlooked the loss of an exchange and upset at his blunder, he resigned.
Pentyala Harikrishna squeezed IM norm holder Nassir Wajih for a good win.
Results: Seventh round:
Nassir Wajih beat K Murugan; Lanka Ravi lost to Shekhar Sahu; Surya Sekhar Ganguly drew with Neeloptal Das; Saptarshi Roy lost to Krishnan Sasikiran; Praveen Thipsay lost to P Konguvel; Abhijit Kunte beat Atanu Lahiri; V Saravanan lost to Neeraj Mishra; Dibyendu Barua beat DV Prasad; Sriram Jha drew with GB Prakash Harikrishna bye
Eighth round:
DV Prasad beat Sriram Jha; Neeraj Mishra drew with Dibyendu Barua; Atanu Lahiri beat V Saravanan; P Konguvel drew with Abhijit Kunte; Krishnan Sasikiran beat Pravin Thipsay; Neeloptal Das drew with Saptarishi Roy; Shekhar Sahu lost to Surya Sekhar Ganguly; K Murugan drew with lanka Ravi; Harikrishna beat Nassir Wajih
GB Prakash bye
Points: 6.5: Krishnan Sasikiran and P Konguvel 5.5: Abhijit Kunte 5: Surya Sekhar Ganguly, Dibyendu Barua 4.5: DV Prasad, NK Mishra, Atanu Lahiri; Harikrishna 4: Sahu 3.5: Lanka Ravi 3: Thipsay, GB Prakash 2.5: Murugan, Saptarishi 2: Neeloptal, Jha 1.5: Nassir Wajih 1: V Sarvanan
VIJAYALAKSHMI ON A HOT STREAK
V KRISHNASWAMY
NEW DELHI, JUNE 8:
ON CURRENT form it will be difficult to stop Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi from winning her fourth successive National A title and fifth overall. At the end of the fifth round of the ongoing National A Championships at the CDCS Eventspecific Hall, Vijayalakshmi added Y Pratibha to her list of hapless victims and carried her total to 4.5 points from five, the lone draw having come from a short game against her siser, S Meenakshi in the second round.
The 23-year-old Women's Grandmaster, the only one in the sub-continent is a full point of her nearest rival, which is her sister, Meenakshi. Six other players are bunched at three points each.
In a queen pawn opening against Pratibha, Viji dominated the game, though for some time in the middle game, Pratibha seemed to have achieved some kind of equality. But with an aggresive attack on the queen side, Viji went full throttle and outplayed Pratibha, who lapsed into errors thereafter. Vijayalakshmi completed the win in 48 moves.
In a rather surprising game, Aarthie Ramaswamy outwitted Pallavi Shah in the end game, even though the latter for quite some time had a pawn extra. But she miscalculated and allowed Aarthie to push her pawns for queening and won.
The game was a English attack. Pallavi had her chances, but she has been rather out of form here and once again lot her way. Pallavi's king was stuck in the centre and with Aarthie's connected pawn marching towards queening, the Tamil Nadu girl looked good for a full point. Ultimately, she came through for the win in 45 moves.
S Meenakshi won with black against Saimeera Ravi in a game that saw the Petroff defence. The game lasted just 26 moves as Meenkakshi outplayed Saimeera.
Swati Ghate and Anupama Gokhale playe a long 52-move game before drawing from a Pric defence, where Anupama had the dark coloured pieces.
Saheli Dhar Barua handed Bhagyashree Thipsay another defeat from a Caro-Kann, while Dolan Champa Bose and Drona Harika split a point after 52 moves.
Women's fifth round results: S Vijayalakshmi (4.5) beat Y Pratibha (2); Saimeera Ravi (1.5) lost to S Meenakshi (3.5); Dolan Champa Bose (2) drew with Drona Harika (2); Bhagyashree Thipsay (2) lost to Saheli Dhar Barua (2); Swati Ghate (3) drew with Anupama Gokhale (3); Aarthie Ramaswamy (3) beat Pallavi Shah (1); MR Sangeetha (1.5) lost to Nisha Mohota (2).
Standings:
4.5: Vijayalakshmi 3.5: S Meenakshi 3: Swati Ghate, Anupama Gokhale, Aarthie Ramaswamy 2: Y Pratibha, Dolan Champa Bose, Drona Harika, Bhagyashree Thipsay, Saheli Dhar Barua, Nisha Mohota 1.5: Saimeera Ravi, MR Sangeetha 1: Pallavi Shah Sangeetha's games against Saimeera and Harika will be held on first rest day.
All material © Mark Crowther
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