Koustav Chatterjee holds top seed Adhiban at Senior National Chess Championship

International Master Koustav Chatterjee of West Bengal held top seed Grandmaster B Adhiban of the PSPB to a draw in the third round of the MPL 58th Senior National Chess Championship.

The week-long national chess championship, organized by the All India Chess Federation (AICF), is being played at the Ganges Club in Kanpur on Saturday.

Koustav put up a brilliant show against the fancied rival. Playing on the white side of the English opening, Adhiban agreed to sign a peace treaty with his West Bengal opponent Koustav after 73 moves in an opposite color bishop and rook ending.

Chief guests inaugurating the third round matches during the 58th Senior National Chess Championships in Kanpur on Saturday. (Picture: AICF)

Both Adhiban and Koustav have 2.5 points each

After recording wins in their previous two rounds, Adhiban and Koustav had to be satisfied with a draw in their third round. Both Adhiban and Koustav have 2.5 points each to their credit.

Meanwhile, second seed, Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi of Telangana, outwitted International Master Sayantan Das of the Railways to take the pole position in the points table. Arjun shared the lead with GM Abhijeet Gupta, D Gukesh, Aryan Chopra, Harsha Bharathakoti, IM Ravi Teja, Utsab Chatterjee and Anustoop Biswas. They all have three points each to their credit.

Gupta defeated P Shyamnikhil of Railways while Gueksh, Aryan and Harsha accounted for Sammed Jaykumar Shete of Maharashtra, Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh and Harshad S of Tamil Nadu respectively.

Ravi Teja outwitted Suyog Wagh of Maharashtra, while Utsab and Anustoop stunned Grandmaster Swapnil Dhopade and Visakh N R of Railways, respectively to join the top of the points table.

Former champions Karthikeyan Murali, Sethuraman SP, Lalith Babu MR and defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram had to be satisfied with half the points in their respective third-round outings.

Earlier in the second round, Jeet Jain of Gujarat held Grandmaster Abhimanyu Puranik while Grandmaster P Iniyan suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Suyog Wagh of Maharashtra.

Important Results

(Round 3)

GM Adhiban B of PSPB (2.5) drew with IM Koustav Chatterjee of West Bengal (2.5)

IM Sayantan Das of Railways (2) lost to Arjun Erigaisi of Telangana (3)

GM Abhijeet Gupta of PSPB (3) beat IM Shyaamnikhil P of Railways (2)

GM Laxman RR of Railways (2.5) drew with GM Karthikeyan Murali of PSPB (2.5)

GM Sethuraman SP of PSPB (2.5) drew with IM Srijit Paul of West Bengal (2.5)

GM Gukesh D of Tamil Nadu (3) beat IM Sammed Jaykumar Shete (2)

IM Shahil Dey of Assam (2.5) drew with GM Aravindh Chithamabram of Tamil Nadu (2.5)

GM Aryan Chopra of Delhi (3) beat IM Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh (2)

IM Srihari LR of Tami Nadu (2.5) drew with GM Lalith Babu MR of PSPB (2.5)

Ritviz Parab of Goa (2.5) drew with GM Mitrabha Guha of West Bengal (2.5)

FM Harshad S of Tamil Nadu (2) lost to GM Harsha Bharathakoti (3)

GM Swapnil Dhopade of Railways (2) lost to Utsab Chatterjee of West Bengal (3)

IM Ratnakaran K of Railways (2.5) drew with IM Aditya Mittal of Maharashtra (2.5)

FM Jain Kashish Manoj of Maharashtra (2.5) drew with IM Aronyak Ghosh of West Bengal (2.5)

Ravi Teja S (3) beat FM Suyog Wagh of Maharashtra (2)

GM Visakh NR of Railways (1.5) lost to Anustoop Biswas of West Bengal (3)

Anadkat Kartavya of Gujarat (1.5) lost to GM Abhimanyu Puranik of Maharashtra (2.5)

GM Sankalp Gupta of Maharashtra (2) drew with IM Saravana Krishnan P of Tamil Nadu (2)

Jeet Jain of Gujarat (1.5) lost to GM Deep Sengupta of PSPB (2.5)

IM Manish Anto Cristiano of Tamil Nadu (1.5) lost to GM Deepan Chakkravarthy of Railways (2.5).