Bakre keeps lead despite draw

MUMBAI, Dec 2: Top Seed Tejas Bakre, with an Elo rating of 2355, drew another game but remains in lead with 6.5 points of the end of nine r...

MUMBAI, Dec 2: Top Seed Tejas Bakre, with an Elo rating of 2355, drew another game but remains in lead with 6.5 points of the end of nine rounds in the Sahara Asian Sub-Junior chess championships at the Avion Hotel.

Bakre could be sole leader if the second board game between Anton Paulo Del Mundo of Phillipines 5.5 and Lim Yee Weng of Malaysia 5 ends in a draw. But there are at least six players, including four Indians, who are with 5.5 points.

In the girls8217; section, Aarthie Ramaswamy, who won the title yesterday itself, made it nine out of nine when she defeated Manasi Dadarkar. Le Kieu Thien Kim of Vietnam and JB Kavita finished behind her with 7.5 and seven points respectively.

Bakre8217;s opponent, Ibrokhim Khamrakulov of Uzbekistan, played the Sicilian defence and delayed the casteling as is his wont. But Bakre did not take advantage and adopted a wrong strategy. They agreed to split points after 32 moves.

On the third board, Satyapragyan adopted the Petroff defence against S Kidambis. They agreed on a draw after 32 moves. Both the players are on 5.5 points.

P Mahesh Chandran, who suffered defeats in the two previous rounds, bounced back into contention with a 33-move win on time over Askarov Bachtyar of Kazakhstan. Mahesh 5.5 was nevertheless in better position.

The fourth Indian on 5.5 points, Prathamesh Mokal, defeated Ghaem Maghaml Ehsan of Iran.

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Boys8217; results round 9: Tejas Bakre India, 6.5 drew with Khamrakulov Ibrokhim Uzbekistan, 5.5; S Kidambi India, 5.5 drew with S Satyapragyan India, 5.5; Yulianto Erwin Indonesia, 5.5 beat Valay Parikh India, 4.5; Askarov Bachtyar Kazakhstan, 4.5 lost to P Mahesh Chandran India, 5.5; Prathamesh Mokal India, 5.5 beat Ghaemi Maghami Ehsan Iran, 4; Wong Zi Jing Malaysia, 5 beat Shoven Shah India, 3; Gareth Charles Australia, 3.5 beat Vo Minh Hoang Vietnam, 4; Nikita Jesterenko Kazakhstan, 1.5 lost to Surya Sekhar Ganguly India, 4.5; Subir Goradia India, 3 lost to Batzorig Tuvshintugs Mongolia, 4.

Girls round 9, final round: Lennova Maija Kazakhstan, 1 lost to JE Kavitha India, 7; Le Kieu Thien Kim Vietnam, 7.5 beat Yogita Yevle India, 1; Manasi Dadarkar India, 3.5 lost to Aarthie Ramaswamy India, 9; Kavana M India, 3 drew with Shraddha Samani India, 3; Yusubalieva Sevara Uzbekistan, 5.5 beat Samantha Lee Heng Jun Malaysia, 5.Final positions for girls first five figure in prize list: 1 Aarthie Ramaswamy 9 pts Rs 12,000, 2 Le Kieu Thien Kim 7.5 Rs 8,000, 3 JE Kavitha 7 Rs 6,000, 4 Yusubalieva Sevara 5.5 Rs 5,000, 5 Samantha Lee Heng Jun 5 Rs 4,000