India wins four golds

TEHRAN, APRIL 1. Reigning Asian under-14 boys champion P. Harikrishna defended his title in style with a round to spare to lead India's sweep of four gold medals while Tania Sachdev also kept herself in line for glory after the eighth round at the Youth chess championships here on Saturday.

Former under-10 World champion, Harikrishna, garnered seven points establishing a clear lead in his age group while the 10- year-old child prodigies Abhinav Mekala and V.K. Sindhu, both on 7.5 points, also established unassailable leads despite drawing their eighth round games.

Abhijeet Gupta (7.5) outclassed Iran's B. Abdi (4.5) in the ninth round this morning to engrave his name on the boys' under-12 gold medal - the fourth yellow metal for India.

In a Queen's gambit declined, Abhijeet, who solely led his age group going into the final round and needed just a draw from the game, beat Abdi in 28 moves. In the eighth round Abhijeet downed another Iranian J. Maroofi (4.5) with black pieces in Sicilian defence.

Tania defeated S. Dianat (4.5) of Iran with white pieces to remain joint leader with D. Tuitebaeva of Kazakhstan in the girls' under-14 section. It would be a cliffhanger battle for both the girls in the final round to clinch the gold.

The Indians' chances, in the six age-groups they are participating, brightened in the girls' under-12 also but it would require lot of luck for Soumya Swaminathan to emerge victor.

Soumya (5.5 points) beat L.Y. Jing (4) of China and has a mathematical chance of winning the title - provided other girls ahead of her, by half a point, lose their last round games and she wins against S. Teimoorim (2) of Iran.

She would also need little help from compatriot Krutika Nadig (5), who drew her eighth round game against J. Tilenbaeva (4.5) of Kazakhstan. Nadig must beat A. Pourkashian (6) of Iran while Zulaikha (3) has to upset current joint leader in the group, A. Nguyen (6) of Vietnam.

India's best prospect for the future, Harikrishna drew with A. Akbarinia (5.5) of Iran in English opening with black pieces and Sayantan Dutta (5.5) beat Iran's M. Ghadirian (4.5) with white pieces in Caro Cann defence to brighten his hopes for a medal in the boys' under-14 section.

Young Abhinav (7.5), who was on a winning spree in boys' under-10 section drew his eighth round game with Shijie-Ch (5) of China with white pieces in Sicilian defence. In the second spot is U. Azamatkozubai (6) of Kazakhstan and he is almost assured of silver medal.

In the girls' under-10 section, Sindhu (7.5) shared the point with O. Danilyuk (5) of Kazakhstan with white pieces in Queens gambit accepted opening. B. Jing (6.5) of China is just behind the Indian with a win over A. Bedeleh (2) in Sicilian Defence, but regardless of what happens in the final round, Sindhu has been assured of the title due to her better progressive score than the Chinese.

lImportant results (eighth round, Indians unless mentioned):

Boys under-14: P. Harikrishna (7) drew with A. Akbarimia (Irn, 5.5); Sayantan Dutta (5.5) bt M. Ghadirian (Irn, 4.5); S. Sajedi- s (Irn, 5) bt H. Tahamsebi (Irn, 5.5).

Boys under-12: Abhijeet Gupta (6.5) bt J. Maroofi (Irn, 4.5); Guan-Gyao-G (Chn, 6) bt G. Pezeshkian (Irn, 5); G. Rohit (5.5) bt M. Yahia (UAE, 3.5).

Boys under-10: Abhinav Mekala (7.5) drew with Shijie-Ch (Chn, 5); U. Azamatkozubai (6) bt Sadeh-Sh (Irn, 4); H. Tofigi (Irn, 5.5) drew with F. Rakhimov (Taj, 4.5).

Girls under-14: Tania Sachdev (6) bt S. Dianat (Irn, 4.5); Eesha Karavade (5.5) bt T. Nguyen (Vie, 4); D. Tuitebaeva (Kaz, 6) bt M. Alimova (Tur, 3.5).

Girls under-12: A. Pourkashian (Irn, 6) bt Q.A. Nguyen (Vie, 6); Soumya Swaminathan (5.5) bt L.Y. Jing (Chn, 4); Kritika Nadig (5) drew with J. Tilenbaeva (Kaz, 4.5);

Girls under-10: V.K. Sindhu (7.5) drew with O. Danilyuk (Kaz, 5); B. Jing (Chn, 6.5) bt A. Badeleh (Irn, 2).

- PTI

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