Date:02/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/02/stories/2008120260451800.htm

Sport - Chess

India, Armenia split points

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The country’s latest Grandmaster S. Arun Prasad and World under-16 champion B. Adhiban scored important victories as India and Armenia drew 2-2 in the second round of the three-round series at the Russian Cultural Centre here on Monday.

India, which won the first round 2.5-1.5, needs to stay undefeated on Tuesday to win the series.

On a day when the Indians played with white pieces on the first and third boards, World junior champion Abhijeet Gupta and Deep Sengupta lost rather dramatically after looking well placed at least for a draw.

In fact, for the better part of the day, the host looked like taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series until Abhijeet blundered in an equal position and Deep’s sense of danger let him down.

But the toast of the day for the Indians was Adhiban who won emphatically by sacrificing a rook for the second successive round.

In Ruy Lopez, Adhiban gained the advantage in the middle game against Avetik Grigoryan, who never appeared comfortable with the set up he faced.

Adhiban sacrificed a rook and launched a blistering attack on the castled black king to win in 31 moves.

Arun Prasad benefited from a rook-sacrifice Hrant Melkumyan who had a good position out of the opening lines of Semi Slav.

Prasad weathered the storm with some fine defensive manoeuvre and reached a winning position. Melkumyan chose to play on and stretched the game to 49 moves before accepting the inevitable.

The results: Second round: India drew with Armenia 2-2 (Abhijeet Gupta lost to Zaven Andriasian; S. Arun Prasad bt Hrant Melkumyan; B. Adhiban bt Avetik Grigoryan; Deep Sengupta lost to Samvel Ter Sahakyan).