Date:11/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/11/stories/2007051116542100.htm

Sport - Chess

Sasikiran holds Adams

NEW DELHI: K. Sasikiran made an impressive beginning to his campaign in the star-studded Mtel Masters chess tournament by holding England's Michael Adams in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Thursday.

On a day when defending champion Veselin Topalov and runner-up Gata Kamsky suffered surprise defeats, Sasikiran forced a 45-move deadlock in Carokann against the top ranked British GM.

In the only previous encounter between the two players, Adams had won in the 2002 Chess Olympiad in Bled.

In a major upset, Romania's Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu brought down world number two and top seed Topalov with black pieces in 47 moves of Centre Counter. This was Nisipeanu's maiden victory over the Bulgarian favourite in five games.

Former World junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov stopped the enigmatic Kamsky in 38 moves.

This victory in Slav Defence helped the Azerbaijan player to avenge the loss suffered in the 2006 Corus championship at Wijk ann Zee.

The results (first round): Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze) bt Gata Kamsky (USA); Michael Adams (Eng) drew with K. Sasikiran (Ind); Veselin Topalov (Bul) lost to Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu (Rom).

Second round pairings: Nisipeanu-Kamsky; Sasikiran-Mamedyarov; Topalov-Adams.