Date:26/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/26/stories/2005082609232000.htm

Sport - Chess

Humpy loses

NEW DELHI: Abhijit Kunte defeated Indonesia's Denny Juswanto to keep alive his chances of a top-10 finish after the 10th and penultimate round of the Malaysian Open chess tournament at Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

With K. Humpy crashing to her second defeat in three rounds and sisters S. Vijayalakshmi and S. Meenakshi playing out an expected draw, Kunte became the best-placed Indian in the 11th spot with 6.5 points a lead of 1.5 over nearest challenger Australian Ian Rogers.

The results (10th round, involving Indians): K. Humpy (6) lost to Ngyuen Anh Dung (Vie, 7); Abhijit Kunte (6.5) bt Denny Juswanto (Ind, 5.5); Son Asia (Kaz, 5.5) drew with Sriram Jha (5.5); S. Vijayalakshmi (5.5) drew with S. Meenakshi (5.5); Atanu Lahiri (5.5) bt Zhang Jilin (Chn, 4.5); Tun Seri Lanang Othman (Mas, 4) drew with K. Chandra Hawsa (4).

Ninth round: Humpy bt Stephane Sorbe (Fra); Nelson Mariano (Phi) drew with Kunte; Myo Naing (Mya) drew with Vijayalakshmi; Jha drew with Nicholas Chan (Mas); Meenakshi drew with Taleb Moussa (UAE); Hasian Panggabean (Ina) drew with Lahiri; Chandra Hawsa lost to Tun Seri Lanang Othman (Mas). Eighth round: Nathanel Situru (Ina) bt Humpy; Kunte bt Noel Sales Jesse (Phi); Vijayalakshmi lost to Eugenio Torry (Phi); Jha bt Kannapon Srivachirawat (Tha); Sugeng Prayitno (Ina) lost to Meenakshi; Lahiri lost to Sadikin Irwanto (Ina); Anasrullah (Ina) bt Chandra Hawsa.