Harikrishna gets third GM norm

By S. Sabanayakan

KOLKATA, AUG. 15. International Master Pentyala Harikrishna is poised to become the youngest Grandmaster of India. The 15-year- old achieved the third and final GM norm drawing his ninth round game against top-seeded Chinese GM Xu Jun to log with six points in the third Asian Individual chess championship at the Gorky Sadan here on Wednesday. Harikrishna would need 1.5 points from the next two rounds to confirm his GM title.

The day also saw a number of norms were being made. Among the Indians, IM Surya Sekhar Ganguly outplayed Leonid Yurtaev of Kyrgyzstan in 25 moves to achieve his first nine-game GM norm. National `B' champion Sriram Jha of India also confirmed his third and final IM norm with a quick draw against Vladimir Egin of Uzbekistan.

The day also belonged to Iran. IM Eshan Ghaem Maghami became the first from that country to emerge a GM. He drew against Tahir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan. Morteza Mahjoob and Amir Mallahi gained their IM norms. IM Zhang Pengxiang of China got his final norm to became a GM. IM Tahir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan earned his second GM norm as well. FIDE Master Wang Yue of China and Rolando Nolte of The Philippines got their IM nine-round norms.

Harikrishna, playing the top seed Chinese GM on the top board, employed Slav Defence Botvinnik variation and landed into the home brewed line of Xu Jun. The top seed managed to win a pawn, but the Indian IM managed to refute Jun's innovation over the board and placed a bishop strongly on the e4 square as compensation. Jun tried very hard to win the game, but could not break the rock-solid defence of Harikrishna. The game was drawn in 32 moves.

In an English Opening, Vladimirov had a very good chance of winning but bungled the position to lose the game. The game between Wu Wenjin and Alexei Barsov was drawn in 34 moves in a Slav Defence. Wu was slightly better but could not realise the advantage and the game ended in a draw.

Ganguly, an apprentice trainee with Indian Oil, was upbeat against GM Yurtaev in a Sicilian Rossolimo variation. From the start, Ganguly went for the kill and almost trapped the opponents queen on the 14th move. Yurtaev, however, sacrificed a knight to save his queen, yet he was defeated in 25 moves.

Jha, the 25-year-old higher grade assistant with LIC at New Delhi, achieved his previous two norms in the Commonwealth Meet at Kolkata and Bikaner in 1996 and 1999 respectively.

Harikrishna was assured of a nine-game GM norm. Though he had three norms spanning 28 games, the Indian IM would have to get 1.5 points from the next two rounds to confirm the GM title. The FIDE rules stipulate that a player has to get GM norms spanning 30 games in Swiss league format.

GM Praveen Thipsay of India lost to IM Yu Shaoteng of China after being in a winning position and GM Dibyendu Barua, better-placed against Liang Chong in a Queen's Gambit Declined, drew the game to reach 5.5 points.

Jun continued to lead the field with 7.5 points as GM Saidali Iuldachev of Uzbekistan remained in the second spot with 6.5. Ten players, IM Yu Shaoteng and IM Zhang Pengxiang of China, GM Shukhrat Safin, GM Alexie Barsov and IM Tahir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan, IM Surya Sekhar Ganguly and IM P. Harikrishna of India, GM Anh Dung Nguyen of Vietnam, IM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran, IM Odeev Handszar of Turkmenistan, were in third place with 6 points each.

lThe results (ninth round): Xu Jun (Chn) 7.5 drew with P. Harikrishna (Ind) 6; Anh Dung Nguyen (Vei) 6 drew with Saidali Iuldachev (Uzb) 6.5; Tahir Vakhidov (Uzb) 6 drew with Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Iri) 6; We Wenjin (Chn) 5.5 drew with Alexei Barsov (Uzb) 6; Marat Dzhumaev (Uzb) 5.5 drew with Peng Xiaomin (Chn) 5.5; Evgeny Vladimirov (Kaz) 5 lost to Odeev Handszar (Tkm) 6; Mohamad Al-Modiahki (Qat) 5.5 drew with Wang Zili (Chn) 5.5; Liang Chong (Chn) 5.5 drew with Dibyendu Barua (Ind) 5.5; Yurtaev Leonid (Kgz) 5 lost to Surya Sekhar Ganguly (Ind) 6; Wang Yue (Chn) 5 lost to Shukhrat Safin (Uzb) 6; P.M. Thipsay (Ind) 5 lost to Yu Shaoteng (Chn) 6; Liang Jingrong (Chn) 5.5 drew with Li Wenliang (Chn) 5.5; Zhang Pengxiang (Chn) 6 bt Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Phi) 4.5; Sergey Zagrebelny (Uzb) 5.5 bt K. Sasikiran (Ind) 4.5; Murtas Kazhzaleyev (Kaz) 5.5 bt P. Konguvel (Ind) 4.5; Petr Kostenko (Kaz) 5.5 bt Abhijit Kunte (Ind) 4.5; Darmen Sadvakasov (Kaz) 4.5 drew with Rolando Nolte (Phi) 5; Lanka Ravi (Ind) 4 lost to Pavel Kotsur (Kaz) 5; Utut Adianto (Ina) 4 lost to Amir Mallahi (Iri) 5; Salaua Izmukhambetov (Kaz) 4 lost to Eugene Torre (Phi) 5; Vladimir Magai (Kgz) 4.5 drew with Morteza Mahjoob (Iri) 4.5; Ziaur Rahman (Ban) 4 lost to Abdulla Al-Rakib (Ban) 5; Fernie Donguines (Phi) 3.5 lost to B. Villamayor (Phi) 4.5; Orazly Annageldyev (Tkm) 4.5 bt Anvar Nazarov (Tjk) 3.5; Liu Dede (Ina) 4.5 bt Jamshed Isaev (Tjk) 3.5; Sriram Jha (Ind) 4 drew with Vladimir Egin (Uzb) 4; Mohamad Al Sayed (Qat) 3.5 lost to Mark Paragua (Phi) 4.5; Aleksandar Wohl (Aus) 3.5 lost to Reefat Bin Sattar (Ban) 4.5; D.V. Prasad (Ind) 4.5 bt Taibur Rahman (Ban) 3.5; Imad Hakki (Syr) 3 lost to Elshan Moradiabadi (Iri) 4; Sandipan Chanda (Ind) 3.5 drew with Ronald Dableo (Phi) 3.5; N.K. Mishra (Ind) 3.5 drew with Enamul Hossain (Ban) 3.5; Thien Hai Dao (Vei) 3.5 bt Manfuzur Rahman (Ban) 3; Chito Garma (Phi) 3 drew with Barlo Nadera (Phi) 3; Mohsen Ghorbani (Iri) 3 drew with Mahmood Lodhi (Pak) 3; Milan Turpanov (Kgz) 3.5 bt Abu Sufian Sakil (Ban) 2; TDR Pieris (Sri) 1.5 lost to Arash Roghani (Iri) 3.5.

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