Date:27/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/27/stories/2008082756832000.htm

Sport - Chess

Grand reception for the young stars

Arvind Aaron

TRIUMPHANT RETURN: The Indian youth chess team is accorded a grand reception at Chennai airport. (From left) Prasanna Rao, M. Shyam Sundar, S.P. Sethuraman, B. Adhiban, K. Priyadarshan, R.B. Ramesh (coach), K. Visweswaran (trainer) and J.C.D. Prabhakaran.

Chennai: A noisy reception was given to the young stars from India who had won the World Youth chess Olympiad for the second time in a row at Mersin in Asiatic Turkey. They arrived in Chennai from Turkey on Tuesday afternoon.

GM R.B. Ramesh, who accompanied the team as coach, took some splendid decisions to help the team solve the problems. His persisting with Adhiban on the top board even after four successive defeats showed the amount of faith he had in his players and that gamble paid golden dividends. India won eight matches and lost two to win the event.

The high point of the India show was the big 3.5-0.5 win against top seed Russia in the second round which warmed the 26-player team event held on four boards. India’s Sethuraman and Shyam Sundar also won additional gold medals for the best second and third board performances. Sethuraman and Priyadarshan also remained undefeated.

Sea of students

Three of the five players, Adhiban, Sethuraman and Shyam Sundar being students of Velammal School (Chennai), there was a sea of students joining the reception party at the airport. The school band also played to enhance the celebration.

The Tamil Nadu State Chess Association (TNSCA), parents of players also distributed sweets on this happy occasion.

Among those who greeted the players with flowers and garlands were Vel Mohan, Correspondent, Velammal School, J.C.D. Prabhakaran, Vice-President, TNSCA, D.V. Sundar, Honorary Secretary, All India Chess Federation, K. Murali Mohan, General Secretary, TNSCA, WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy and other chess lovers besides the parents and relatives of the five players.

India scores (round-by-round): Turkey-B 3-1, Russia 3.5-0.5, Azerbaijan 3-1, Armenia 1-3, Turkey-C 3-1, Philippines 2.5-1.5, Georgia 3.5-0.5, Turkey-A 1.5-2.5, Switzerland 4-0, England 3.5-0.5.

Individual score in board order: IM B. Adhiban (Chennai) 3/8, IM S.P. Sethuraman (Chennai) 8.5/10, IM M. Shyam Sundar (Chennai) 6.5/8, FM Prasanna Rao (Mumbai) 7/10, FM K. Priyadarshan (Madurai) 3.5/4.

Final placings (top-10, tie-break order): 1. India 28.5, 2. Russia 28.5, 3. Philippines 27, 4. Azerbaijan 24.5, 5. Armenia 24, 6. Georgia 24, 7. Turkey-A 23, 8. Turkey-B 22, 9. Slovakia 21, 10. Turkey-C 21.