Humpy begins campaign in style

KOZHIKODE, AUG. 17. Indian prodigy Koneru Humpy began her World junior girls' chess championship campaign in style when she outwitted Sarai Castillo Sanchez in the first round in Athens on Thursday. The opening day proved one of mixed results for the strong Indian contingent.

Chennai-based S. Meenakshi also won her first round game, against Dristoula Evangelia of the host Greece, while M. Kasturi, the recently crowned Asian junior champion lost to Lilit Mkrtchian of Armenia, the sixth seed.

The top seed and defending champion, Xu Yuanyuan of China beat Sofia Zigangirova of Kazakhstan on the top board.

It was not a particularly good day for the Indian boys. Only one of the four was able to win, as P. Magesh Chandran got the better of Hong Kong's Sujey Subramanian with black pieces.

Ahmedabad-based Tejas Bakre, a winner of two Asian junior championships and seeded 21st, was held to a draw by Yaqoov Vaingorten of Turkey, while K. Ratnakaran, the surprise bronze medallist at the Asian junior championship in Teheran last month, and M.R. Venakatesh, the talented youngster from Chennai, lost.

Ratnakaran went down to the 11th seed Levente Vajda of Romania, while Venkatesh was surprisingly beaten by the unrated Ali Sebbar. In an even bigger shock, the top seed Ni Hua from China, with a rating of 2568 Elo points, lost to England's Richard Palliser, who is some 231 points behind.

Important results (first round):

Boys: Ni Hua (Chn) lost to Richard Palliser (Eng); Franco Alonso Aleja (Esp) drew with Levon Aronian (Arm); Bu Xiangzhi (Chn) bt Pontus Carlsson (Swe); Laurent Guidarelli (Fra) drew with Vladimir Potkin (Rus); Evgeny Shaposhnikov (Rus) bt Kalin Karakehajov (Bul); Ivan Deseatnicov (Mda) drew with Kamil Miton (Pol); Peter Acs (Hun) lost to Oswaldo Zambrana (Bol); Gabor Papp (Hun) drew with Gabriel Sargissian (Arm); Michael Roiz (Isr) drew with Miroslav Zufic (Cro); Lukas Cernousek (Cze) lost to Dimitrij Bunzmann (Ger); Levente Vadja (Rom) bt K. Ratnakaran (Ind); Florian Sandhoefner (Aut) drew with Asam Horvath (Hun); Emanuel Berg (Swe) bt Olzhas Khamzin (Kaz); Rico Zenklusen (Swi) lost to David Navara (Cze); Zviad Izoria (Geo) bt Serkan Kose (Tur); Konstanios Tsiamis (Gre) drew with Evgeny Postny (Isr); Tejas Bakre (Ind) drew with Yaqoov Vaingorten (Tur); Ali Sebbar (Mar) bt M.R. Venkatesh (Ind); Sujey Subramanian (Hkg) lost to P. Mahesh Chandran (Ind).

Girls: Xu Yuanyuan (Chn) bt Sofia Zigangirova (Kaz); Katerina Cedikova (Cze) bt Ekaterina Korbut (Rus); Tatiana Kosintseva (Rus) drew with Elli Sperdokli (Gre); Natalia Hryhorenko (Ukr) drew with Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger); Koneru Humpy (Ind) bt Sarai Castilo Sanchez (Ven); Ioulia Makka (Gre) lost to Lilit Mkrtchian (Arm); Iweta Radziewicz (Pol) bt Judit Papp (Hun); Melaine Buckley (Eng) lost to Xue Zhao (Chn)); Jana Jackova (Cze) bt M. Kasturi (Ind); Yelena Gorlin (USA) lost to Maria Sergeeva (Kaz); Nadezdha Kosintseva (Rus) bt Tihana Grzincic (Cro); Katarina Kisonova (Svk) lost to Nana Dzagnidze (Geo); Dana Reizniece (Lat) bt Julia Volosjuk (Bul); Conny Kradolfer (Swi) lost to Olga Zimina (Rus); Gu Xiaobing (Chn) bt Catherine Lip (Aus); S. Meenakshi (Ind) bt Dritsoula Evangelia (Gre).

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