Ionov inflicts further blow on a battle-scarred Aarthie

By V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD, JULY 25. GM Sergey Ionov of Russia ensured that the one good chance of notching up a win - against World under-18 champion Aarthie Ramaswamy, who is having a dismal run in this edition - did not go abegging despite being stretched, to record his first win in a 10th round game of the Wipro International Grandmasters chess tournament being held at Hotel Taj Residency here on Tuesday.

In another game, top-seed Evgeny Vladimirov effectively dashed whatever hopes GM-norm holder D.V. Prasad was nursing of going anywhere near the long-awaited third norm to get the GM title.

In the Trompowsky opening, Aarathie did remarkably well to stretch the contest to 59 moves despite starting off with passive moves. Though this strategy did trap not only Ionov but also herself into time trouble, he wriggled out of it with a clever move by capturing the vital `e5' square. Ionov clearly exploited the `f5' mistake made by Aarthie. He came up with quite a few interesting moves with his knight and a pretty offer on Ng6 on 59th move. This forced Aarthie to give up the battle, still in search for the elusive win in the tournament.

It was again a case of so near and yet so far for Devaki Venkata Prasad. In the opening which got transposed into Catalan variation, it was a normal game in the beginning before Prasad made two dubious moves. This saw Vladimirov taking the edge by exerting pressure on `c' file. Though the favourite showed undue hurry to grab Prasad's pawn in Queen pawn ending, the latter failed to capitalise on the chance and worse, he blundered with his 37th move - Qd5. This saw him lose a pawn on the 38th move. After that it was a mere formality for Vladimirov to wrap up the win.

``It is not an easy win. Prasad is a very solid player of all the Indians,'' was Vladimirov's compliments to the seasoned campaigner. Analysing the game later, Prasad felt that his rival's 13th move - c5 - was a classic. ``That was a terrific move,'' acknowledged Prasad. The class of Vladimirov was pretty obvious in clinching the game despite missing a clear possibility by going for Nxc5 when Nb8 was a better option. But that's what separates the champion from the rest of the crowd.

Sasikiran outwits Ganguly

GM K. Sasikiran (playing black) outwitted IM Surya Sekhar Ganguly in 38 moves in Sicilian Schevingen opening. Ganguly lured his rival on his 14th move by offering his centre pawn. Sasikiran deliberated for a long time before declining it and went for development of his pieces. He was alert to seize on the faulty 18th move by Ganguly (Rd3). ``I think he should have played e5 instead to gain better control,'' Sasikiran analysed. Ganguly erred again twice by playing Bd5 instead of Be3 and Nd5.

In the resulting end-game, the Bengal boy made things easier for Sasikiran by blundering a piece which helped the latter to win rather comfortably in the end. ``I sacrificed a pawn for some complications. But, I miscalculated the variations at the same time,'' acknowledged Ganguly about the end-game.

Second-seed GM Alexander Fominyh and GM Abhijit Kunte were locked in a draw in 54 moves. In the opening which got transposed into Benoni variation, Fominyh maintained a slight edge in the opening. But Kunte effectively thwarted it with a good manouevre of his knight and tried for some tactical breaks. Despite being a pawn down, Fominyh held on to the advantage with his bishop and advanced king. In the process, Kunte gave back his extra pawn and held the higher-rated Fominyh to a draw.

Clearly, Kunte's planning in the middle-game was not on target, according to G.V. Srinivas, national rapid chess player of repute. ``No doubt, Kunte's Qb8 on 17th move did surprise and confuse Fominyh but he gained equality only in the end-game after exchange of queens on the 44th move,'' says Srinivas. But, the little advantage Kunte got in the end was just not enough and both had to settle for a draw in queen and bishop and queen and knight ending.

In an English opening, GM Sorokin (white) and IM Sandipan Chanda were involved in a tense draw featuring 55 moves. Though in the opening, Chanda did get a plus, Sorokin showed the required enterprise and imagination to regain the edge. In the middle-game complications, there was a repetition of moves. Though Chanda did try to prolong the tussle by taking a risk playing Nd4 on 28th move (by his own confession), a result never looked in sight in the rook and knight (black) and rook bishop (white) ending.

The results (10th round): S. Vijayalakshmi (3.5) gets a bye; Alexander Fominyh (5) drew with Abhijit Kunte (4); Evgeny Vladimirov (7) bt D.V. Prasad (4.5); Sergey Ionov (3.5) bt Aarthie Ramaswamy (1); Surya Sekhar Ganguly (3.5) lost to K. Sasikiran (5.5); Maxim Sorokin (4.5) drew with Sandipan Chanda (4); Pendyala Harikrishna - rest day.

Wednesday's pairings: D.V. Prasad gets a bye; Abhijit Kunte vs Aarthie Ramaswamy; S. Vijayalakshmi vs K. Sasikiran; Alexander Fominyh vs Sandipan Chanda; Evgeny Vladimirov vs Pendyala Harikrishna; Sergey Ionov has a rest day; S.S. Ganguly vs Maxim Sorokin.

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