Date:06/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/06/stories/2008110659941900.htm

Sport - Chess

Karthikeyan leads the pack

TADEPALLIGUDEM: International Master P. Karthikeyan of Tamil Nadu emerged sole leader with four points after four rounds in the 38th National junior and 23rd National junior girls’ chess championship here on Tuesday.

Following the leader are Shyam Nikhil, R. Premnath, Vishnu Prasanna, Navin Kanna, Akshath Khamparia and B. Adhiban with 3.5 points.

In the girls’ section, Maharashtra’s Sowmya Swaminathan is leading the pack with four points. R. Preethi, Ch. Divyasri, Padmini Rout and P. Uthra are second with 3.5 points.

Tamil Nadu’s Navin Kanna defeated top-seeded IM S.P. Sethuraman in 40 moves. Navin, playing white, employed the King’s gambit.

R. Eswar got the better of experienced Rahul Sangma in 33 moves. Eswar, playing white, took advantage of Rahul’s dubious move in the middle game and succeeded in weakening the King-side of his opponent.

Important results: Boys (fourth round): P. Karthikeyan (TN) 4 bt Sahaj Grover (Del) 3; Shyam Nikhil (TN) 3.5 drew with R. Premnath (TN) 3.5; Vishnu Prasanna (TN) 3.5 drew with Akshat Khamparia (MP) 3.5; Navin Kanna (TN) 3.5 bt S.P. Sethuraman (TN) 2.5; B. Adhiban (TN) 3.5 bt Sagar Shah (Mah) 2.5; K. Priyadharshan (TN) 3 drew with N. Srinath (TN) 3; Swapnil Dhopade (Mah) 3 drew with Anwesh (Ori) 3; V. Rajesh (TN) 3 drew with Shyam Sundar (TN) 3; D. Aniruddha (Mah) 2.5 lost to M.R. Lalith Babu (AP) 3.5; Arun Karthik (TN) 3.5 bt D. Ibrahim (TN) 2.5; Ashwin Jayaram (TN) 3 bt Hariharasudan (TN) 2; S. Nitin (TN) 3 bt Konde Gaurav (Mah) 2; R. Eswar (AP) 3 bt Rahul Sangma (Del) 2; Anand Naik (AP) 2 lost to D. Das (Ori) 3; Praveen (AP) 2 lost to T. Abhay (TN) 3.

Girls (fourth round): Ch. Savetha (TN) 3 lost to Soumya Swaminathan (Mah) 4; R. Preethi (TN) 3.5 drew with Ch. Divyasri (AP) 3.5; S. Harini (TN) 3 lost to Padmini Rout (Ori) 3.5; P. Uthra (TN) 3.5 bt Mithali (Mah) 2.5; Satya Priya (TN) 2.5 drew with N. Raghavi (TN) 2.5; Devangi (Mah) 2.5 drew with Sree Lakshmi (AP) 2.5; J. Saranya (TN) 3 bt R. Karthikeyini (TN) 2; Nagachandrika (AP) 2.5 drew with Tejaswini Reddy (AP) 2.5; Akshaya (TN) 2.5 drew with P.K. Jayashree (TN) 2.5; Hema Priya (TN) 2 lost to Pratyusha (AP) 3; Sai Nirupama (AP) 2.5 drew with K. Nidhisha (Kel) 2.5; Surbhi Kumari (Bih) 2.5 drew with Aparajita (Ori) 2.5; S. Priyanka (AP) 1.5 lost to Kiran Manisha (Ori) 2.5. — Sports Reporter