Date:28/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/28/stories/2007112856302100.htm

Sport - Chess

Sasikiran settles for draw

NEW DELHI: K. Sasikiran drew with Russia’s Vadim Zvjaginsev in the first game of the second round in the World Cup chess championship in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, on Tuesday.

Playing black in this Sicilian game, Sasikiran agreed to Zvjaiginsev’s draw-offer after just 17 moves. The players meet again on Wednesday with Sasikiran playing white.

On Monday, Sasikiran was the lone Indian to stay alive in competition. P. Hari Krishna, Surya Shekhar Ganguly, Abhijit Kunte and G. N. Gopal lost their first round matches after offering varying degrees of resistance.

Hari was the biggest disappointment as he lost to lesser-rated Chinese Zhao Jun 2.5-1.5. The players drew the two classical games and the first rapid clash before Zhao Jun won the second rapid game.

Revelation

Gopal, the country’s latest grandmaster, was a revelation as he gallantly drew four games with former World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov before losing the blitz games.

The results (involving Indians):

Second round: Game One: Vadim Zvjaginsev (Rus) drew with K. Sasikiran.

First round: Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzb) bt G.N. Gopal 4-2; Zvjaginsev bt Abhijit Kunte 2.5-1.5; Zhao Jun (Chn) bt P. Hari Krishna 2.5-1.5; Sasikiran bt Sergei Zhigalko (Blr) 3.5-2.5; Sergie Tikiakov (Ned) bt Surya Shekhar Ganguly 1.5-0.5.