The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Hungary, China share lead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 05, 2004

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Sport - Chess

Hungary, China share lead

By P. K. Ajith Kumar

KOZHIKODE, JULY 4 . They have looked the two best sides in the competition. No wonder holder Hungary and second seed China is sharing the lead going to Monday's rest day in the 10th Youth Chess Olympiad.

The two teams came face to face in the fifth round at Taj Residency on Sunday evening, and not entirely surprisingly, they drew 2-2. That took their total points to 15, with four rounds left. Iran is in the sole second position with 13.5, following its surprising 2.5-1.5 victory against Uzbekistan.

The host's strongest side on paper, India `A', was in for another disappointment as it was held 2-2 by India `D'. The third-seeded India `A', which had blanked Australia 4-0 in the morning, has 12 points.

India `B', comprising K. Vijay Keerthi, Pratik Shriwas, Parimarjan Negi, Praveen Prasad and Mary Ann Gomes, though has moved to the third position with 13 points.

It really was a good day for the `B' team, as it beat Sri Lanka `A' 4-0 and then a more formidable Kazakhstan 2.5-1.5. Pratik was the main architect of that creditable victory against Kazakhstan, punishing a higher-rated D. Medirbaev for his mistakes on the second board in 27 moves of Reti Opening.

The results (fifth round): China (15) drew with Hungary (15) 2-2; Iran (13.5) bt Uzbekistan (12) 2.5-1.5; India `B' (13) bt Kazakhstan (12) 2.5-1.5 (Marat Alaguzhov bt K. Vijay Keerthi, Pratik Shriwas bt D. Medirbaev, Parimarjan Negi drew with D. Medirbaev, Praveen Prasad bt N. Baltabaev); India `A' (12) drew with India `D' (11) (S. Arun Prasad bt Kiran Mohanty, K. Nikhilehs Kumar drew with P. Karthikeyan, T. Abhay lost to K. Narayanan, Rahul Sangma drew with M. Rajadarshini); India `E' (11) drew with India `C' (10.5) 2-2 (J. Rajasurya lost to Soumya Swaminathan, S. Nishanth drew with Sriram Sarja, Meenu Rajendran drew with K. Priyadarshan, Kajri Choksi bt P. Sivasankari); Turkey (11.5) bt Malaysia (7.5) 3.5-0.5; Australia (9) bt Sri Lanka `C' (7.5) 3-1; Sri Lanka `B' (8) drew with Sri Lanka `A' (8) 2-2; South Africa (9) bt Sri Lanka `D' (4.5) ; India `F' (7) bt Sri Lanka `E' (3) 2.5-1.5 (S. Harini bt D.M.P. Maheshika, V.K. Sindhu bt Y. Methmali, B.D. Impana drew with M.M.S.T. Anorathne).

Fourth round: China bt Uzbekistan 3-1; Hungary bt India `C' 4-0 (Tamas Banusz bt Soumya, Denes Boros bt Sriram, David Berczes bt Priyadarshan; Kristian Szabo bt N. Raghavi); Kazhakstan bt Turkey 3-1; Iran bt Malaysia 4-0; India `B' bt Sri Lanka `A' 4-0 (Vijay bt I.T. Palawatta, Pratik Shriwas bt T. De Silva, Negi bt Y.D.B. Madugalle, Mary Ann Gomes bt D.M.C. Wijayawardane); India `A' bt Australia 4-0 (Arun bt Vincent Suttor, G.N. Gopal bt Stojic Dusan, Abhay bt James Cronan, Rahul bt Ruperto Luga); India `D' bt Sri Lanka `B' 3.5-0.5 (Prasanna bt D.I.S. Siriwardane, Kiran drew with A. Fernando, Karthikeyan bt M. Jayawardane, Narayanan bt L. Radil); India `E' bt Sri Lanka `D' 4-0 (Rajasurya bt A.G.T.C. Abesingha, Meenur bt C. Fernando, Dhyani bt R. Jinadhasa, Kajri bt M.B. Madugalle); Sri Lanka `C' bt India `F' 3-1 (P.R. Senanayake lost to Harini; W.G.A. Lakmali bt Sindhu, P.K.T. Nisansala bt B.D. Impana, B.G.D. Umesha bt Shalmali), South Africa bt Sri Lanka `E' 3-1.

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