Kolkata Open chess: Kunte maintains lead

Modified Mar 22, 2014 22:29 IST

Kolkata, March 22 (IANS) Indian Grand Master Abhijit Kunte maintained his lead by half a point over his nearest rivals with a score of 4.5, after the fifth round of the 6th Kolkata Open 19thInternational Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament here Saturday.

Six players, including two Indians, occupy the second slot logging four points.

Overnight sole leader Kunte played safe to finish with a draw against Indian GM J deepen Chakkaravarthy in 28 moves of an English opening game.

Former age category world champions Indians B Adhiban and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi signed the peace treaty, when Vidit sacrificed his rook to force a three fold repetition draw with his queen. The equally poised game, lasted 34 moves.

In a complicated game, Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia prevailed over India’s Arun Prasad in 39 moves.

Arun attacked fiercely, but overlooked a series of combinations and exchanges, leading to the loss of his queen for the opponent’s rook. Arun resigned when further extension of play would have led to a checkmate with queen and knight.

Oliver Barbosa of Philippines, Levan, Chakkaravarthy, Gujrathi, and Bangladesh GMs Ziaur Rahman and Abdulla Al-Rakib are on 4 points.

Important results of fifth round:

Deepan Chakkravarthy J. IND 4 drew with Kunte Abhijit IND 4 and 1/2

Adhiban B. IND 3 and 1/12 drew with Vidit Santosh Gujrathi IND 4

Arun Prasad S. IND 3 lost to Pantsulaia Levan GEO 4

Barbosa Oliver PHI 4 beat Laxman R.R. IND 3

Abdulla Al-Rakib BAN 4 beat Ghosh Diptayan IND 3

Debashis Das IND 3 and 1/2 drew with Haznedaroglu Kivanc TUR 3 and 1/2

Rahman Ziaur BAN 4 beat Rathnakaran K. IND 3

Landa Konstantin RUS 3 and 1/2 beat Abhishek Kelkar IND 3

Narayanan Srinath IND 3 drew with Mchedlishvili Mikheil GEO 3

Lalith Babu M.R. IND 3 drew with Swapnil S. Dhopade IND 3