NEW DELHI: Grandmasters Parimarjan Negi,

23/11/09

Sporty India Updated

NEW DELHI: Grandmasters Parimarjan Negi, Sandipan Chanda and Surya Sekhar Ganguly started their campaigns in the World Cup chess championship with resounding victories at Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, on Saturday.
Four other Indians K. Sasikiran, Abhijeet Gupta, Abhijit Kunte and Sriram Jha were involved in drawn encounters on the opening day of this 128-player knockout event.

The players meet again with different colours. If the scores are still equal, the winner will be decided on shorter-duration tiebreak games.

Negi, the youngest among the Indians on view, upset higher rated Russian Vadim Milov in 54 moves of Ruy Lopez. The teenager, rated 2620 to Milovs 2652, breached the Berlin Defence, chose to trade his rook for a knight on a strategically precise square and gave up another minor piece to promote his kingside pawns for a decisive result.

Like Negi, Sandipan, too, brought down a pre-match favourite after facing Russia’s Mikhail Kobalia, rated 20 points above. In Slav Defence, Sandipan forced his rival’s king into a corner before Kobalia resigned when faced with either the loss of queen or rook in 32 moves.

Ganguly, the other Indian to win, lived up to his rating in stopping young Uzbek Anton Filipov in 39 moves of Nimzo Indian.
Among the Indians who drew, Sriram Jha provided the biggest surprise when he proved equal to strong contender Russias Alexander Grischuk.
Rated 239 points below, Jha forced a rook-and-pawn ending in the Semi-Slav game lasting 86 moves for a creditable result.
Abhijeet Gupta needed just 23 moves to hold Russias Nikita Vituigov, rated 116 points above at 2694. Early exchange of queen and two minor pieces made the players settle for peace.

Kunte and Spain’s veteran campaigner Alexie Shirov drew in just 15 moves of Queens Gambit Accepted after a series of early exchanges.
Sasikiran and Dutchman Erwin LAmi battled for an equal draw in Grunfeld in 64 moves.
The results (involving Indians): Round One; Game One: Sriram Jha drew with Alexander Grischuk (Rus); Abhijit Kunte drew with Alexie Shirov (Esp); Abhijeet Gupta drew with Nikita Vitugov (Rus); Erwin LAmi (Ned) drew with K. Sasikiran; Surya Shekhar Ganguly bt Anton Filipov (Uzb); Parimarjan Negi bt Vadim Milov (Rus); Sandipan Chanda bt Mikhail Kobalia (Rus).