Barua joins Thipsay at the top

MUMBAI, MARCH 11: GM Pravin Thipsay's match winning run was halted but only by time. GM Dibyendu Barua, the top seed in the Datamatics As...

MUMBAI, MARCH 11: GM Pravin Thipsay’s match winning run was halted but only by time. GM Dibyendu Barua, the top seed in the Datamatics Asian Zonal Chess Championships, was the benefactor as he joined Thipsay in the lead with four points from five games.

These two Grandmasters are one point clear of the other ten players with Abhijit Kunte, Abdullah al-Rakib, V Saravanan and Mahmood Lodhi chasing the leaders with three points.

The highlight of today’s clash was that between the two GMs. And it lived up to its billing. Unfortunately, for Thipsay, lack of time in his first control dealt a cruel blow. He fell short by three moves.

Barua replied Thipsay’s Sicilian defence with the Paulsen variation. Thipsay launched a King-side attack but came up with a beautiful bishop sacrifice at the other flank on move No 21…Bxh2+.

That broke open white King’s castle. Five moves later, Thipsay had a very good chance to close out the game if he had pushed the Knight on e5 square instead of the move that he played 26…Nd2+.

Thipsay had thereafter sacrificed his rook and a knight for Barua’s queen. By the 37th move, Thipsay had lost material but had a good attack on the white’s King. After playing his 37th move, Thipsay’s flag fell. According to experts, he could have at least drawn the game if not a win.

According to the chief arbiter, MD Bhagwat, Thipsay always faced problems with the Russian clocks because “the flag goes up quickly and falls quickly too”.

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In fact, Thipsay has faced time pressure in all the games that have reached the first time control in this championships.

In the excitement of the clash of GMs, the brilliant victory of Anup Deshmukh over Abhijit Kunte was pushed to the background. After Kunte played the Nimzo Indian defence, he did not put up a good defence as Deshmukh’s pieces pushed forward. Though Deshmukh also won on time, Kunte was facing a mountain. His pieces were pinned to the sixth and seventh ranks.

K Sasikiran also won, defeating Mahmood Lodhi from a Budapest Gambit game. Lodhi launched a premature King-side attack and sacrificed his queen for two pieces. In the end game, Sasikiran had queen, four pawns to Lodhi’s rook, bishop and four pawns. Sasi’s queen was very active.

Saravanan defeated M Waqar from a Sicilian defence game. Abdullah al-Rakib won against Badri Nepali while the clash between two Bangladesh players, Enamul Hussain and Zia-ur-Rehman ended in a draw.

RESULTS

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Men’s (fifth round): Badri Nepali (2185, Nepal) 0 points lost to IM Abdullah al-Rakib 3 in 40 moves; V Saravanan (2396, India) 3 points bt M Waqar (2240, Pakistan) 1 point in 36 moves; Anup Deshmukh (2430, India) 1.5 points bt IM Abhijit Kunte (2455, India) 3 points in 32 moves; IM K Sasikiran (2535, India) 2.5 points bt IM Mahmood Lodhi (2420, Pakistan) 3 points in 66 moves; Enamul Hussain (2310, Bangladesh) 2 points drew with IM Zia-ur-Rehman (2498, Bangladesh) 3 in 54 moves; GM Dibyendu Barua (2538, India) 4 points bt GM Pravin Thipsay (2467, India) 4 points in 37 moves.

BEST GAME OF THE DAY

GM Dibyendu Barua (2538) GM Pravin Thipsay (2467)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Be2 b6 10. Be3 0-0 11. 0-0 Bb7 12. Qb3 Nd7 13. Rfd1 Nc5 14. Qc2 Bf6 15. f3 Be5 16. Bf1 f5 17. exf5 Rxf5 18. Qd2 Qf6 19. Nc2 Rf8 20. Ne1 Qg6 21. Rac1 Bxh2+ 22. Kxh2 Ne5 23. Qxd6 Bxf3 24. Nxf3 Rh5+ 25. Kg1 Nxf3+ 26. Kf2 Nd2+ 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Rxd2 Rf5+ 29. Kg1 Qg3 30. Bf2 Qf4 31. Rcd1 h5 32. g3 Qg5 33. b4 h4 34. bxc5 hxg3 35. Bd4 e5 36. Ne4 Qh4 37. Nd6 Rf2 1-0.