Impressive win for Ramesh

ANDORRA, JULY 1. India's R.B. Ramesh came up with a commendable display once again to defeat International Master Jordan Ivanov of Bulgaria while compatriot V. Saravanan held Croatian Grandmaster Bogdan Lalic to a draw in the seventh round of the Andorra Open international chess tournament here on Saturday. Vedant Goswami went down fighting to IM Artur Kogan of Israel thus blowing his chances of a maiden International Master norm.

With just two more rounds remaining to be played, Grandmasters and joint leaders Psakhis and Marin surprisingly agreed for a short draw on the top board, to maintain their standings and leaving the title of the tournament undecided.

Ramesh, playing white, faced the Taimanov variation of the Sicilian Defence from Ivanov. Showing his aggressive intentions by pushing his `G' pawn forward early in the opening, Ramesh punished his opponent's premature advance of the `D' pawn by catching the black king in the centre.

An offer of an exchange sacrifice was turned down by Ivanov, who preferred to enter the rook endgame with a pawn less. Ramesh once again showed excellent nerves by not letting the advantage slip away. He played with precise technique and pocketed the full point in 48 moves.

Saravanan faced the French Defence from the theoretician Lalic. In a Winawer Variation, Lalic opted for the sharp and lesser known variation `Ba5' and opted for complications from the very beginning.

Play became very sharp in the middlegame and at one point, Lalic was forced to exchange queens and enter into a level endgame. The peace treaty was signed on the 20th move when the game simplified into a drawish rook ending after a forced sequence of moves.

Vedant played the opening phase passively against Kogan and was in a slightly inferior position from the black side of a Vienna opening. Kogan steered the game into a rook and knight endgame where the weak black pawns and the passed `D' pawn for white proved quite decisive. Vedant lost in 46 moves.

With Psakhis and Marin opting for a quick draw, Kuzmin tried his best on the second board by pressing Cosma for a long time but had to settle for a draw.

With two rounds remaining, Psakhis and Marin are in joint lead with 6 points apiece, and they are followed by Grandmasters Hamdouchi and Campora, and International Masters Ramesh, Georgiev and Cosma on 5.5 points.

Important results (seventh round): Ramesh 5.5 bt Ivanov 4.5, Saravanan 4.5 drew with Lalic 4.5, Kogan 4.5 bt Goswami 3.5, Psakhis 6 drew with Marin 6, Kuzmin 5 drew with Cosma 5.5, Georgiev 5.5 bt Pogerelov 4.5, Hamdouchi 5.5 bt Modiahki 4.5, Campora 5.5 bt Granero Roco 4.5.

- PTI

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