Date:19/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/19/stories/2008071960922200.htm

Sport - Chess

Saranya, Raghavi share lead

Arvind Aaron

Chennai: Former National under-7 girls champion J. Saranya posted a sixth round win to share the lead with N. Raghavi in the FIDE Rated SRM Tamil Nadu Junior Girls Chess Championship, which is being played at the SRM University in Kattankulathur near here on Friday.

In the girls’ section, Saranya kept pace with second seed N. Raghavi in the lead with a win to reach 5.5 points. R. Visalatchi is in third position on five points while the rest of the players including top seed S. Harini are on four points.

J. Saranya threatened to win a pawn but Savetha instead gave a rook for minor piece and lost in 41 moves. Second seed Raghavi of Chennai played a side variation with the white pieces against the Sicilian defence of third seed P.K. Jayashree to win a pawn.

In the minor piece ending, Raghavi used her experience to win a five pawns to four pawns minor piece ending to beat the Salem girl in 60 moves.

A 32-move draw by repetition from the black side keeps third seed T.U. Navin Kanna in sole lead on 5.5 points from six rounds.

Important results (round six): Boys: R. Arun Karthik (SRM) 5 drew with T.U. Navin Kanna (Tvlr) 5.5, N. Muthu Alagappan (Tvlr) 4 lost to Shyam Nikhil (SRM) 5, R. Premnath (SRM) 4.5 bt Ramalingam Karthik (Slm)) 3.5, K.V. Venprakash (SRM) 4.5 bt C.S. Rajesh (Cbe) 3.5, M.M. Anandh Raj (Che) 4.5 bt J. Arun (Che) 3.5, S. Ganesh Babu (Mdu) 4.5 bt Jitendria Vel (Che) 3.5, R.K. Shiva Murugan (Tvlr) 3.5 lost to N. Aravind Subramanian (SRM) 4.5. Girls: N. Raghavi (Che) 5.5 bt P.K. Jayashree (Elite) 4, C.H. Savetha (Che) 4 lost to J. Saranya (Tvlr), G. Apurva (Kan) 4 lost to R. Visalatchi (Vir) 5, A. Akshaya (Tvlr) 3.5 drew with S. Harini (SRM) 4, A. Sithalatchumi (Mdu) 4 drew with J. Janani (Bloom) 3.5, M. Khushboo (Tvlr) 4 bt N. Hema Priya (Che) 3, J.G. Nivedhitha (Bloom) 3 lost to S. Anushya (NLC) 4, M. Aruthi (Che) 2.5 lost to V. Janu (Tvlr) 4.