Sasikiran draws with Hassan

MUMBAI, MARCH 7: India's rising star Krishnan Sasikiran suffered a minor setback when he was held to a draw by Bangladesh's Enamul Hassan...

MUMBAI, MARCH 7: India’s rising star Krishnan Sasikiran suffered a minor setback when he was held to a draw by Bangladesh’s Enamul Hassan in the opening round of the Datamatics Asian Zonal Chess Championships at Club Aquaria here today.

India’s Grandmasters, top seed Dibyendu Barua and Pravin Thipsay, opened to comfortable victories while Abhijit Kunte also won against his Bangladeshi opponent.

Sasikiran faced Hassan’s Grunfeld Defence. The Bangladeshi sacrificed to initiate some attack but it resulted in the queens going out early in the game. After Sasikiran got back his bishop, the players were left with two bishops each and they drew after 39 moves.

Anup Deshmukh was in time trouble, having to make 24 moves in five minutes against GM Barua. Deshmukh lost a queen for a rook and resigned after 18 moves.

Pravin Thipsay showed superior defence to thwart V Saravanan’s attempt to initiate an attack on the white king by sacrificing a bishop. Thipsay, who played the Sicilian Defence, won his opponent’squeen when Saravanan gave up the fight.

Abhijit Kunte faced the Slav Defence from Rakeeb, who made two blunders in the opening which forced his knight on A5, out of the main action. Kunte penetrated down Rakeeb’s C File and had won three pawns. He was gaining another when Rakeeb’s flag fell on the 39th move.

The women’s first round will be held tomorrow. There are eight women and seven rounds.