Tags:
Journalism of Courage
ANIBAL (SPAIN), Jan 9: Sajandas Joshi of India held Giorji Bagaturov, an International Master from Georgia to a creditable draw in the first round of Anibal International Grandmasters Chess Tournament being played at Hotel Anibal here today.
Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua opened his campaign with a fluent victory over Azerbaijan teenager Vugar Gashimov in Sicilian Defence. National champions Abhijit Kunte, former national champion P Konguvel, International Masters Lanka Ravi and K Murugan had no trouble scoring over their Spanish opponents. Particularly impressive was Konguvel’s win over Mesa Martin in just 22 moves of Caro Kann Defence. He unleashed a powerful attack on the Black King and won a piece to force Martin’s resignation.
Joshi defended his weaknesses accurately against Bagaturov’s invading pieces from the white side of Sicilian Alapin Defence. Joshi turned the tables completely and was enjoying a clear advantage when he fumbled in time trouble and allowed Bagaturov to escape with a draw.
Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay and his wife International Women’s Master Bhagyashree Thipsay got walkovers. The other Indian women went down fighting against highly-rated Grandmasters. Asian zonal women champion S Vijayalaxmi lost to Grandmaster Yuri Kruppa of Ukraine while Chinese Grandmaster Xu Jun accounted for national women champion Anupama Gokhale in King’s Indian Defence.
Results (1st round): Dibyendu Barua bt Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan), Saheli Dhar-Barua lost to Karen Asrian (Armenia), Xu Jun (China) bt Anupama Gokhale, Karen Movszishian (Armenia) bt Swati Ghate, Mrunalini Kunte lost to France Mastamorous (Equador), Montarelo Sanz (Spain) lost to Abhijit Kunte, DV Prasad drew with Larious Gespo (Spain), Lanka Ravi bt Sales Montealegre (Portugual), K Murugan bt Hernandez (Mexico).
