Players quick on draw but Jha finds mark

Keeping their respective targets in mind most of the cerebral masters chose to adopt the safety first approach agreeing for quick draws.

Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran (ONGC), who is following sole leader GM Abhijit Kunte for the title, tried hard for a win but finally had to beat a hasty retreat settling for a draw against K Murugan (Neyveli Lignite Corporation).

GM Kunte, playing Atanu Lahiri, made 15 moves before offering for a draw. Kunte later said that he was unhappy with the position in the Nimzo Indian defence. The IOC player held on to the pole position with 12.5 points.

In one of the longest games of the day (68 moves), GM Sasikiran tried his best to score a full point but was held back by an alert Murugan. Frustration was writ large on Sasikiran’s face who played sharply with the black pieces against the Queen-Pawn Opening employing the King’s Indiandefence.

Murugan played the Finachetto variation and kept a check on Sasikiran’s moves in the centre. Trying to attack Sasikiran sacrificed a pawn on the queenside that saw a complex middle-game unfold.

Murugan held well as Sasikiran didn’t have any return from the sacrificed pawn. With the opponent unable to make headway, Murugan strengthened his placings and had a winning chance with queen and a pawn in the end.

Sasikiran, however, managed to escape with a draw with inventive defence.None of the other boards involving top players generated much interest. GM Dibyendu Barua (Tisco) was unwilling to take any chances against IM DV Prasad (IOC) and peace was agreed to after only nine moves.

Young IM P Harikrishna used the French defence to challenge the Tarrasch variation of Fide Master TS Ravi but the end-game had both sides tied after an early exchange of queens. Harikrishna was solid in defence which saw Ravi concede to the draw offer after 20 moves.

IM Surya Shekhar Ganguly (Goodricke National Chess Academy, GNCA), who had made a strong come back in the tournament, was happy to share the point with Vishal Sareen. The two called for truce after just 10 moves.

IM GB Prakash displayed good positional chess to clinch a winning position against IM Sandipan Chanda (GNCA) but made mistakes in time trouble and had to reconcile with a draw.

IM V Saravanan (BPCL) played the Sicilian Pelikan against IM Neelotpal Das (GNCA) but he too decided against taking risks after a complex end-game wasreached.

Delhi youngster Shriram Jha otwitted IM Ravi Hegde in a tactical battle to record the only victory of the day.

Results (round 16): Neelotpal Das (6.5) drew with V Sarvanan (8), Ravi Hegde (6.5) lost to Sriram Jha (6.5), Lanka Ravi (5) drew with S kidambi (5.5), KMurugan (6.5) drew with K Sasikiran (10.5), TS Ravi (8) drew with P Harikrishna (8), Vishal Sareen (6.5) drew with SS Ganguly (9), GB Prakash (6) drew with Sandipan Chanda (7.5), Atanu Lahiri (5.5) drew with Abhijit Kunte (12.5), DV Prasad (8.5) drew with Dibyendu Barua (10), Pravin Thipsay (7.5) bye.

Game of the day

White: Ravi Hegde
Black: Sriram Jha

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 b5 6. O-O Bb7 7. a4 Nd7 8. e4 Ngf6 9. Qe2 a6 10. Rd1 Be7 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bf4 Re8 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Qb6 16. h3 Rad8 17. Qc2 Rd7 18. Ne2 c5 19. a5 Qa7 20. d5 exd5 21. exd5 Bxd5 22. Bxf6 Bxg2 23. Bxg7 Ba8 24. Nf4 Qb7 25. Kh2 Rxd1 26. Rxd1 Bg5 27. Rg1 Bxf4 28. gxf4 Re1 0-1 Hegde resigns.