Flying start by Gaurav

MUMBAI, AUG 23: Gaurav Gadodia of Mumbai began the Indian campagn for the World Junior chess Championship for the Blind and visually impa...

MUMBAI, AUG 23: Gaurav Gadodia of Mumbai began the Indian campagn for the World Junior chess Championship for the Blind and visually impaired with a bang, winning his first-round match against Andrei Lomaev of Russia. In fact, the Indian was credited with being the first player to score a victory in the championship which got under way on August 22.

According to information reaching here, Gaurav, playing with white pieces went for the jugular from the word go and trapped his opponent’s rook on the sixth move. He followed it up with very attacking moves to leave the Russian’s pieces in total disarray. With Gaurav’s pieces in total command of the board, the Russian surrendered in just 20 moves.

SR Mohandas, who is in Belgium as Gaurav’s coach and giving him all the emotional support, was all praise for Gaurav’s game. “Attack is the best form of defence, is what I’ve been telling Gaurav right through and Gaurav seems to be following my advice to the tee. Though the rounds ahead will be tough, Gaurav shoulddo well in this championship,” Mohandas said. Mohandas has been appointed on the Appeals Committee of the championship.

The championship, which will decide the World Junior champion, is being organised by the Belgian Chess Federation for the Blind under the aegis of the International Braille Chess Association at the Pottelberg Institute at Kortrijk, Belgium.

The championship is held once every four years and attracts the most talented blind players who are under-21 years of age. Gaurav is the first ever Indian to take part in these championship.

This year’s tournament has attracted a total 44 players from 16 countries, which include Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Poland, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Ukraine and Yugoslavia. A total of seven rounds will be played, with one round being played every day and the last round will be played on August 29. The competition is being played on Swiss league basis as per FIDE rules. Another important feature of the tournament isthe exhibition of Simultaneous Chess on August 27, which will feature GM Luc Winant.