Date:05/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070551561700.htm

Sport - Chess

Najer in sole lead

Manuel Aaron

Philadelphia: Evgeny Najer, an East European Grandmaster now settled in the United States, was the only player to reach three points from three rounds in the five-day schedule in the Open section of the 36th World Open chess tournament here.

Ten players, including Indian Grandmasters Surya Sekhar Ganguly, G.N. Gopal, Abhijit Kunte, and International Masters S. Arun Prasad and K. Ratnakaran are following close behind with 2.5 points.

On Thursday evening National champion Ganguly drew very quickly with veteran Slovak Grandmaster Lubomir Ftacnik.

Gopal proves his mettle

Gopal showed toughness of character by outwitting former World Under-16 champion Alexander Learnerman after six hours of play in a minor piece ending. He then took on International Master John Bartholomew of the United States. Gopal was winning this pawn-up rook ending too, but as he put it after another six hours of play, the American tricked him into a draw.

Fifteen-year-old Delhi Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi dropped his first full point in the championship when he lost a five-hour marathon to Najer.

The results of Indian players: Open (five-day schedule at the end of round three):

L. Ftacnik drew with S.S. Ganguly 2.5; P. Negi 2 lost to E. Najer; J. Bartholomew drew with G.N. Gopal 2.5; K. Ratnakaran 2.5 drew with Julio Becerra; Alex Ivanov drew with S. Arun Prasad 2.5; A. Kunte 2.5 bt Michael Mulyar; Swathi Ghate 1 lost to Ilya Smirin; R.R. Laxman 1.5 lost to Raja Panjwani; Alisa Melekina drew with Nisha Mohota 1.5.

Seven-day schedule: Alonso Zapata (Col) drew with M.R. Venkatesh 2.5/4; Eddie Urquhart drew with Kiran Mohanty 2.5/4.

Under-2400 Elo-rating: Takashi Iwamoto lost to Saimeera Ravi 3/4; Zakhar Fayvinov lost to Aarthie Ramaswamy 2.5/4.

Under-2400 Elo-rating (five-day schedule): Eesha Karavade 2/3 lost to Alexander Betaneli.