Kunte earns GM norm, Sasi still in race

Kozhikode, March 13: Abhijit Kunte of India has moved closer to his Grandmaster title by securing his second GM norm in the Indian Independe...

Kozhikode, March 13: Abhijit Kunte of India has moved closer to his Grandmaster title by securing his second GM norm in the Indian Independence Golden Jubilee GM Chess Tournament today. He needed only 10 moves and five minutes with the black pieces to get a draw from K Murugan in the ninth round and reach six points, the requirement for a nine-round Swiss norm from a round robin affair of category 10 status.

Krishnan Sasikiran of India also stayed in the hunt for a GM norm with a commendable ninth round win over GM and seven-time national champion Pravin Thipsay. Sasikiran has a stiff task as he has to win both his remaining games to get his maiden GM norm. Sasi meets Kunte and Prasad. Abhijit Kunte, who meets Konguvel tomorrow, runs into Sasi in the last round. After nine rounds, Kunte remained in lead with six points followed by Sasikiran and Zia-ur Rahman of Bangladesh who have 5.5 points each.

The Murugan-Kunte game played in the Kings Indian Attack was only of academic interest. A nod of the headafter his 10th move was enough to give Kunte the desired result. With the Swiss norm in his pocket, Kunte can now go for the higher norm though the target is 1.5 from two games. Thipsay seemed to have attained a good position from the black side in the Kings Indian Defence against Sasikiran. But in acute time trouble Thipsay, who had to make some 10 moves in about a minute, allowed tactical chances for his rival. Sasi won a pawn and then an exchange to promote his Queenside pawn by move 45.

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Top seed Utut Adianto of Indonesia lost a piece in the Caro-Kann Defence against Leonid Yurtaev of Kirgystan and lost tamely in 53 moves when Yurtaev threatened to promote his Queenside pawn.

Former national champion P Konguvel played a solid game against another former national champion DV Prasad who could not avoid allowing a Queenside passer in the Caro-Kann Defence in a bishop ending. But Prasad also got a passer and the game was drawn in 58 moves with both of them Queening their pawns.

Komliakov of Moldova won apawn in an irregular French Defence against India’s Dibyendu Barua. Komliakov combined his heavy pieces correctly and found a mating combination after 56 moves. Lanka Ravi of India and Ziaur Rahman of fought a grim battle in the Slav Defence and drew in 68 moves.

Results (9th round): K Murugan (India) 3.5 drew with Abhijit Kunte (India) 6; Sasikiran (India) 5.5 bt Thipsay (India) 3; Yurtaev (Kirgystan) 5 bt Adianto (Indonesia) 5; Konguvel (India) 4 drew with DV Prasad (India) 3; Lanka Ravi (India) 4 drew with Zia-ur Rahman (Bangladesh) 5.5; Komliakov (Moldova) 5 bt Barua (India) 4.5.

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10th round pairings: Barua vs Thipsay; Prasad vs Sasikiran; Kunte vs Konguvel; Adianto vs Murugan; Zia-ur Rahman vs Yurtaev; Komliakov vs L Ravi.

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