Indian masters make sedate start

In a rook and pawn ending, Ramesh had a slightly inferior position when his opponent accepted his truce offer after 37 moves.

Compatriot V Saravanan employed the Sicilian Najdorf English attack against Martinez Zazo and held a superior position in terms of space and double rook advantage.

Zazo exchanged queens and transposed into a double rook ending where his active rooks were sufficient to hold the Indian International Master to a draw.

The third Indian in fray, Vedant Goswami faced an unorthodox form of semi-Slav with white pieces against Buil Lores. The players exchanged pieces at regular intervals and agreed to split the points in a bishop ending after 39 moves.

Top seeds had an easy day except Grandmaster Lev Psakhis of Israel who survived some anxious moments from the black side of the French exchange variation before overcoming Hinojar Basa.

In a minor upset, Le Heuc of France accounted for IM Ioan Cosma of Romania after the game looked headed for a draw in a king and pawn endgame.

Important results Round one: IM RB Ramesh 0.5 drew with Beltran Ortiz 0.5, IM V Saravaran 0.5 drew with Martirez Zozo 0.5, Vedant Goswami 0.5 drew with Carlos Buil 0.5, Hinojar Basa 0 lost to Lev Psaknis 1