Date:22/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/22/stories/2006122204292000.htm

Sport - Chess

Kateryna stays ahead

NEW DELHI: Ukraine's Woman Grandmaster Kateryna Lahno just about managed to hang on to the lead after keeping Parimarjan Negi at bay in the fifth game of the Amity Grandmasters Challenge match at the Russian Centre here on Thursday.

The 66-move draw, the longest so far in the 18-game contest, kept Kateryna 3-2 ahead. The sixth and final game under classical time control will be played on Friday with Parimarjan playing white.

In search of a match-levelling victory, Parimarjan played the Ruy Lopez and not the Sicilian used in the two previous odd-numbered games.

Parimarjan gained a pawn but Kateryna was not without hope. She played accurately in the endgame to force a draw. — Special Correspondent