Sport - Chess

Nitin triumphs

Chennai: FIDE Master Senthilvel Nitin, 16, of Salem, won the 8th Adyar Times FIDE Rated open tournament with a win and two draws from his last three rounds.

It was his third triumph in a rating tournament and he did it in style winning it with a round to spare. He scored nine points from 10 rounds and remained undefeated to receive the trophy and Rs. 25,000 cash prize. Nitin had previously won the SPIC Open at Tuticorin and Palani Open both in 2006.

Nitin said he worked little hard and together with his chess player father. He studies eleventh standard at Sri Saradha Matriculation Balamandir, Salem, and wants to become a chess grandmaster in his career.

Nitin became the second player to win this event with a round to spare after the controversial D.P. Singh won it in 2006. The tall Nitin had helped India win the World Youth Olympiad at Singapore in 2007.

Four players tied for the second place on eight points. Grand Master norm holder Arun Karthik (SRM) was second and second seed Praveen Kumar took third place. Chennai’s Ramnath Bhuvanesh impressed defeating Dusthageer Ibrahim of Madurai with black for the fourth place.

The newly introduced best veteran prize went to India’s first International Arbiter V. Kameswaran. Important final results (round ten): S. Nitin drew with Praveen Kumar, Ram S. Krishnan drew with Harihara Sudan, Arun Karthik bt T.R. Shanmuganathan, Dusthageer Ibrahim lost to Ramnath Bhuvanesh, K.V. Shantharam bt Aravind Subramanian.

Final placings (tie-break order): 1 S. Nitin 9/10, 2-5. R. Arun Karthik, C. Praveen Kumar, Ramnath Bhuvanesh, K.V. Shantharam 8 each, 6-11. Ram S. Krishnan, P. Praveen Prasad, M.L. Abhilash Reddy, M. Harihara Sudan, Pratik Shriwas, T. Gowtham 7.5 each. — Arvind Aaron

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu