Date:29/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/29/stories/2008062956291600.htm

Sport - Chess

Arun Karthik in sole lead

KOCHI: Tamil Nadu’s R. Arun Karthik, with 6.5 points, was the lone leader after the seventh round of the Cusat Open all-India FIDE-rated chess tournament at the Cochin University here on Saturday evening.

Arun, who defeated R. Premnath, also of TN, in the morning, drew with G.A. Stany in the day’s second round this evening.

There was a big crowd behind Arun, with five players — Stany, Ram S. Krishnan, C. Praveen Kumar, R. Balasubramaniam and P. Phoobalan — in the second spot with six points.

Important results (seventh round): R. Arun Karthik (TN, 6.5) drew with G. A. Stany (Kar, 6), Ram S. Krishnan (BSNL, 6) bt T.J. Suresh Kumar (ICF, 5), C. Praveen Kumar (TN, 6) bt O.T. Anilkumar (Ker, 5), R. Balasubramaniam (ICF, 6) bt S. Ganesh Babu (TN, 5), Nimmy A. George (Ker, 5) lost to P. Phoobalan (TN, 6).

Sixth round: R. Premnath lost to Arun Karthik, Ganesh Babu drew with Stany, T. Purushothaman drew with Nimmy George, P. Sreekumar lost to Ram Krishnan, J. Malleswara Rao lost to Praveen Kumar, V. Raghavendra lost to R. Balasubramaniam. — Principal Correspondent

Chess championship

The state under-11 chess championship will be held at Thiruvananthapuram from July 12 to 14. Those born on or after January 1, 1997, are eligible. For details, call 9349261949.

Chess coach dead

K.V. Balakrishna Menon (84), veteran chess administrator and coach, passed away in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. He is survived by his wife and daughter.