Date:01/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070160872200.htm

Sport - Chess

Arun Karthik takes honours

KOCHI: Chennai’s R. Arun Karthik won his maiden all-India FIDE-rating chess title at the Cusat Open on Monday.

The 17-year-old, who had a stunning run at the Aeroflot Open in Moscow and at the Balaguer tournament in Spain last year, drew his last-round game against Tamil Nadu’s C. Praveen Kumar to finish with 8.5 points from the 10-round event and Rs. 15,000.

“After getting six points from the first six rounds, I knew I had a chance of winning here,” said Arun, who gained a GM norm last year.

Karnataka’s G.A. Stany finished runner-up. IM R. Balasubramaniam (ICF) and Kerala’s M.B. Muralidharan took the next two positions.