Viji, Bhagyashree suffer setbacks

SANGLI, FEB 23: Women International Masters S Vijayalaxshmi and Bhagyashree Thipsay, both in line to become country's first Women Grand Ma...

SANGLI, FEB 23: Women International Masters S Vijayalaxshmi and Bhagyashree Thipsay, both in line to become country8217;s first Women Grand Masters, suffered a major setback in the second round of the Commonwealth Chess Championship at the Krishna Valley Complex on Tuesday.

Viji, who has a bright chance of reaching the coveted title first after having already earned her third and final WGM Norm, and requiring to complete a nine-game norm formality here, lost to defending champion Atanu Lahiri. She faced a mate after 37 moves of Nimzo Indian defence Rubinstein variation.

Atanu broke Viji8217;s defence into pieces by sacrificing two of his minor pieces for the black8217;s outside passed pawn and a rook. Viji, who has been playing for more than a month now, this being her fourth without a break, missed many chances.

Yet another WGM hopeful Bhagyashree Thipsay, who is running for her third WGM norm, lost to Ravi Kumar of Raipur Madhya Pradesh in the Caro-Kann defence. For both players, the defeats would prove crucial particularly in this kind of tourney, where losing a round pushes a player down to lower boards and thus maintaining the category becomes difficult.

Meanwhile, IM Anup Deshmukh India staged an upset win 8212; from a near loosing position 8212; against Uzbekistan GM Yuldashev Saidali from the black pieces. Anup, being an exchange down and in an inferior position in the middle game, brought his pieces into action and fought to force Yuldashev to resign in 70 moves.

India8217;s fifth GM prospect, 20-year-old Krishnan Sasikiran 1.5, opted to play safe, settling for a 17-move draw against No 4 GM Maxim Sorokin 1.5 of Argentina. The country8217;s latest GM elect Abhijit Kunte 1.5 held GM Alexan Goloshchapov 1.5 of Russia with black pieces in the Sicilian defence Scavininder system.

The Russian GM sacrificed his queen for a couple of Abhijit8217;s rooks, but could not manage to get any advantage out of it, where the game headed to a drawish position.

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Indian GM Dibyendu Barua also recorded a win against Bangladesh8217;s IM Reefat Bin-Sattar to be among the 12 joint leaders.

IMPORTANT RESULTS 2ND ROUNDAtilde;tilde;

GM Andrei Charilla Rus, 1.5 drew GM Fominih Aleksander Rus, 1.5; GM Leonid Yurtaev Kry, 2 bt GM Ibragimov Ildar Rus, 1; GM Evegeny Vladimirov Kaz, 2 bt GM Safin Shurat Uzb, 1; IM K Sasikiran Ind, 1.5 drew GM Maxim Sorokin Arg, 1.5; GM Alexan Goloshchapov Rus, 1.5 drew IM Abhijit Kunte Ind, 1.5; GM Dibyendu Barua Ind, 2 bt IM Reefat Bin-Sattar Ban, 1; Jayant Gokhale Ind, 2 bt WFM Saheli Dhar-Barua Ind, 1; Deepan Chakravarthy Ind, 1.5 drew WIM Swati Ghate Ind, 1.5; Ravi Kumar Ind, 2 b WIM Bhagyashree Thipsay Ind, 1; Koneru Humpy Ind, 2 bt M Sai Meera Ravi Ind, 1; R Aarthie Ind, 2 bt L P Khadilkar Ind, 1; GM Yuldashev Saidali Uzb, 0.5 lost to Anup Deshmukh Ind, 2; Vishal Sareen Ind, 1 drew GM Gallagher Joseph SWZ, 1; GM Pravin Thipsay Ind, 1.5 bt Sriram Jha Ind, 0.5; IM Orzoli Annageldiyev Tkm, 1.5 bt IM Tejas Bakre Ind, 0.5; IM V Saravanan Ind, 0.5 lost to IM RB Ramesh Ind, 1.5; GM Toni Najdoski Mek, 0 lost to IM V Koshy Ind, 1.5; WIM NishaMohota Ind, 1.5 bt Ravindra Dongre Ind, 0; CS Gokhale Ind, 0 lost to SS Ganguly Ind, 1; Atanu Lahiri Ind, 1 bt WIM S Vijayalakshmi Ind,0; P Harikrishna Ind, 0.5 drew DV Prasad IND, 0.5.