Saravanan holds GM Joseph

SANGLI, FEB 22: Four Grand Masters including one Indian experienced surprises in the Commonwealth Chess Championship as they suffered open...

SANGLI, FEB 22: Four Grand Masters including one Indian experienced surprises in the Commonwealth Chess Championship as they suffered opening day jolts with three of them being forced to share points while one from Macedonia was the worst hit losing to Bangladesh8217;s International Master Reefat Bin Sattar.

At the Krishna Valley Complex on Monday, India8217;s IM V Sarvanan, though mishandling the opening, managed to hold England8217;s GM Gallagher Joseph with black pieces in a Sicilian defence game. Another shocking performance came from Sriram Jha of India, who despite blundering in time pressure, held Uzbekistan8217;s GM Yuldashev Saidali in 43 moves of the old Indian defence.

IM Tehas Bakre drew with GM Pravin Thipsay with ease in the Ruy Lopez opening. Both players, wanting to play it safe, agreed for a draw on the 15th move, with only one piece being exchanged on the board.

However, one interesting match was recorded on the day with IM Sasikiran, here with a one-point agenda of attaining his GM title which he missed by a whisker at Udaipur and Calcutta recently, going through a fully stretched round before winning over TS Ravi in the Scotch opening.

Sasikiran, with black, escaped safely from the first time trouble and held on to his fort with a pawn up, to force Ravi to resign in 79 moves.

Another Indian WIM S Vijayalakshmi, who also has a similar case like Sasikiran 8212; getting the nine-game norm to complete the WGM title, however, got off to a bad start, losing to Indian GM Dibyendu Barua in a six-hour battle.

Meanwhile, defending champion Atanur Lahiri, winner of the Bikaner Commonwealth Championship, did not take off as per expected, losing to GM Maxim Sorokin of Argentina. The Indian, with black, did not handle the Catalan opening properly and later blundered, resigning in the 19th move.

Important results 1st round:

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Suryasekhar Ganguly Ind, 0 lost to GM Andrei Charilla Rus, 1; GM Ibragimov Iidar Rus, 1 bt IM GB Prakash Ind, 0; Sundarajan Kidambi Ind, 0 lost to GM Evgeny Vladimiorov Kyr, 1; GM Maxim Sorokin Arg, 1 bt Atanur lahiri Ind, 0; IM DV Prasad Ind, 0 lost to GM A Goloshchapov Ukr, 1; GM Gallagher Joseph Eng, 0.5 drew with IM V Sarvananan Ind, 0.5; Wim S Vijayalaxmi 0, 0 lost to GM Dibyendu Barua Ind, 1; GM Fornonih Alexander Rus, 1 bt IM P Harikrishna Ind, 0; IM Reefan Bin Sattar Ban, 1 bt GM Toni Najdoski Mel, 0; GM Yurtaev Leonid Kyr, 1 bt S Gokhale Ind, 0; FM TS Ravi Ind, 0 lost to IM K Sasikiran Ind, 1; GM Safin Shurat Uzb, 1 bt IM Konguvel Ind, 0; Sriram Jha Ind,0.5 drew with GM Yuldashev Saidali Uzb, 1; IM Abhijit Kunte Ind, 1 bt Nirosh De Silva SL,0; IM Tejas Bakre Ind, 0.5 drew with GM Pravin Thipsay Ind, 0.5; VKV Sudan Ind lost to Jayant Gokhale Ind, 1; WIM Swati Ghate Ind, 1 bt Chaitanya Vaidya Ind, 0; SR Radha Ind, 0.5 drew with WIMNisha Mohota Ind, 0.5; WIM Bhagyashree Thipsay Ind, 1 bt Pushpalata Mangal Ind, 0; Krutika Nadig Ind, 0 lost to Koneru Humpy Ind, 1; VK Sindhu Ind 0 lost to R Arathie Ind, 1