Barua finishes third

Barua remained unbeaten and expects to gain about 20 ELO points. Walter Arencibia of Cuba took the second spot in the season-opening international chess tournament.

Indian national champion Abhijit Kunte was at his best, defeating Russian GM V Epishin, the trainer of world No 1 Garry Kasparov.

International Master Kunte’s ambition of earning the second GM norm still hangs in balance as he finished on seven points in this category eight tournament.

To gain a GM norm, Kunte needed to clear 7.5 points though arithmetically he required 7.23 points. The Indian IM’s fate depends on whether the All-India Chess Federation recommends his name to the qualification commission of the worldchess body Fide.

RESULTS (10th round): GM Walter Arencibia (7.5) drew with GM G Timoshenko (7.5); GM Giorgadge Giorgi (7) drew with GM D Barua (7.5); IM Pelletier Y (7) drew with GM S Tiviakov (7); IM A Kunte (7) bt GM V Epishin (6); GM J Nogueiras (6.5) bt IM Lanka Ravi (5.5); IM V Mirumian (6.5) bt IM P Konguvel (5.5); IM DLV Jesus (6) drew with IM DV Prasad (6); WGM D Elina (6) bt IM K Murugan (5); Swati Ghate (5) bt Lobach Pavel (4); Ravindra Dongre (5) bt IM E Piankov (4); FM A Shevelev (4.5) drew with RV Gokhale (4.5); FM SG Joshi (5) bt Kobese Watu (4); Paragua Mark (4.5) drew IWM S Vijaylaxmi (4.5); IWM Mrunalini Kunte (4) lost to Martinez Ju (5); IM Shekhar Sahu (4) drew IWM A Gokhale (4); WFM Saheli Barua (4) drew IWM Ratcu Tatiana (4).