Ramesh, Saravanan continue good run

BENASQUE, JULY 10. International Masters R.B. Ramesh and V. Saravanan continued their good run with resounding wins in the fourth round of the Benasque Open chess tournament here on Monday to remain in the joint second position. Eight players are in the lead with full four points in this 420-player mega event.

IM Ramesh and IM Saravanan scored identical victories as both their opponents blundered in inferior positions.

Saravanan faced the `93' system against his pet Kings Indian defence and sacrificed a pawn in Benko style and got free play on the queenside. He trained all his pieces on the weak pawns on the white queenside and won back his sacrificial pawn. As the game, already in Saravanan's favour, progressed, his opponent Edward Azarro blundered a pawn and resigned immediately on the 23rd move.

Ramesh, paired with compatriot Vedant Goswami, played the Kings Indian structure in reply to the latter's English opening.

Ramesh played an ambitious `H5' move early and Goswami countered it by exchanging all the knights. Ramesh, then marched his central pawns forward to obtain a formidable centre. At this point, overlooking an intermediate move by Ramesh, Vedant blundered a bishop. He played some more moves, but gave up on the 29th move.

Second-seeded Alexey Kuzmin, Campora Sivori, Polak Thomas, Vlastimil Jansa were all held to draws while Izeta Txabarri was defeated by Koacevik in the day's upset on the top board.

lImportant results: Vedant Goswami (2.5) lost to R.B. Ramesh (3.5); Edward Azarro (2.5) lost to V. Saravanan (3.5); Foiosor Ovidiv (3.5) drew with Alexy Kuzmin (3); H. Gilberto (4) beat Foisor Cristina (3); Mihail Marin (4) beat Luis Perez (3); Campora Sivori (3.5) drew with Borbjeggaaro (3); Mateo Ramon (3.0) lost to Komljenovic (4); Thomas Polak (3.5) drew with Roa Alonso (3.5); Karen Mousziezian (4) beat Wim Hernandez (3); Danailov Sievio (4) beat Gonzalez Rodriguez (3).

- PTI

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