Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia moved into sole lead in the Tal Memorial at Moscow on Nov 8. Kramnik who lives in Moscow defeated countryman Peter Svidler of St Petersburg with the white pieces to move into sole lead with three points from four rounds.
World champion Viswanathan Anand remained quiet with a draw from his third black game in round four. He shares the second-third place with Levon Aronian on 2.5 points. Anand drew comfortably with the black against Ponomariov. Anand gave up a pawn to enter a dead level opposite colour bishop ending.
Anand is the only player to play the same opening in all his four rounds. He played the Grunfeld defence three times with black and Svidler played it with black against him in the third round. Anand won round three to break the jinx of draws in the event. Soon, Kramnik also won against Morozevich after Aronian put it across Leko. With his win number two in a row, Kramnik has taken an early lead.
Anand played some deft moves on turn 24 and 25 to exploit the black weakness and win against Svidler in round three. Anand has a clean 1/1 score with white and still has three more white games to come.
On the health of the players, Carlsen is reported to be suffering from fever and Kramnik is also not well. Kramnik is playing at 2964! This super category 21 event is a 10-player single all-play-all with an average rating of 2764.
The results (round four): V. Kramnik (Rus) 3 bt P. Svidler (Rus) 1, M. Carlsen (Nor) 2 drew with L. Aronian (Arm) 2.5, R. Ponomariov (Ukr) 2 drew with V. Anand (Ind) 2.5, P. Leko (Hun) 1.5 drew with V. Ivanchuk (Ukr) 2, A. Morozevich (Rus) 1.5 lost to B. Gelfand (Isr) 2.
Results of round three: Anand bt Svidler, Aronian bt Leko, Morozevich lost to Kramnik, Gelfand drew Carlsen, Ivanchuk drew Ponomariov.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Ten Draws In Moscow
World champion Viswanathan Anand played his second draw in a row in the Tal Memorial Tournament and both of them are welcome results as he played black in these two encounters. Round two also produced five draws and there is no sign of victory in Moscow so far. Seven rounds remain to be played in this event which will be played from Nov 4-14.
Two draws from black games, both by using the Grunfeld is a good sign for Anand. Anand had played the Grunfeld before in the June 1994 PCA Candidates match against Oleg Romanishin at New York.
This draw against Kramnik from whom he wrested the world title last year went to an opposite colour bishop ending before draw was agreed. Kramnik sacrificed his queen for rook and bishop to keep his chances but black played well for a draw.
Anand's two draws are better than Carlsen's two draws as the Chennai born Indian played black in both while Carlsen played white pieces in both his games. All ten players are on one point.
The results (round two). M. Carlsen (Nor) drew with A. Morozevich (Rus), V. Kramnik (Rus) drew with V. Anand (Ind), P. Leko (Hun) drew with B. Gelfand (Isr), P. Svidler (Rus) drew with V. Ivanchuk (Ukr), R. Ponomariov (Ukr) drew with L. Aronian (Arm).
Two draws from black games, both by using the Grunfeld is a good sign for Anand. Anand had played the Grunfeld before in the June 1994 PCA Candidates match against Oleg Romanishin at New York.
This draw against Kramnik from whom he wrested the world title last year went to an opposite colour bishop ending before draw was agreed. Kramnik sacrificed his queen for rook and bishop to keep his chances but black played well for a draw.
Anand's two draws are better than Carlsen's two draws as the Chennai born Indian played black in both while Carlsen played white pieces in both his games. All ten players are on one point.
The results (round two). M. Carlsen (Nor) drew with A. Morozevich (Rus), V. Kramnik (Rus) drew with V. Anand (Ind), P. Leko (Hun) drew with B. Gelfand (Isr), P. Svidler (Rus) drew with V. Ivanchuk (Ukr), R. Ponomariov (Ukr) drew with L. Aronian (Arm).
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Soumya Swaminathan Is World Junior Champion
Soumya Swaminathan achieved what only five other Indians have achieved in world chess. She won the World Junior girls chess championship at Puerto Madryn in Argentina on November 3, 2009.
In the thirteenth and final round, Soumya, defeated Kubra Ozturk of Turkey with the white pieces for a place in world history. She became the third Indian girl after Koneru Humpy (2002) and Dronavalli Harika (2008) to win the World Junior Girls championship. The World Junior had been won by V. Anand (1987), P. Harikrishna (2004) and Abhijeet Gupta (2008) also. India is retaining the girls title.
"Great news Magesh, congratulations to her and to the entire team. Our president Mr N.Srinivasan and myself convey our hearty thanks for having kept the Indian flag flying high," said D.V. Sundar in an official comminique from Vietnam to the Indian coach GM P. Magesh Chandran in Argentina.
Soumya tied for the first place with two others but had the better tie-break score to end a deserving winner. All of them scored 9.5 points from 13 games. In the final round, Soumya started on 8.5 points and Cori Tello (Per) was also on 8.5. But Betul Yildiz of Turkey was better placed on nine points. While leader Yildiz only drew against Orissa's Kiran Mohanty, Soumya and Cori Tello won to tie for the first place on 9.5 points. When the official results were out, Soumya had the higher tie-break score of 27314, higher than Cori Tello's 27250 and Yildiz's 27052.
Soumya was in command in the event but a penultimate round defeat pushed her down from which she rose to win the tournament. She speaks English, Hindi, Marathi and fluent Tamil.
Soumya was born in Palakkad in 1989 and their family moved to Pune. Both her parents worked in a bank. When she was about to represent India in the World Under-10 championship her mother died in a road accident. Soumya recovered from that blow and has achieved plenty in chess.
"In her trip to Europe last year, she made five norms in one and a half months," said Joseph D'Souza, a chess administrator in Pune. Soumya is hard working and is a Commerce Student from the BMCC College he said. She is under the scholarship of a Petroleum company, he said.
Soumya had won several National titles: National U-17 in 2004, National Junior in 2005 and 2008. Her rating is 2297 and she played at 2433 Elo and would be gaining about ten Elo points from this event. Soumya won eight games, lost two to the two players she tied on points and drew three games for the title.The highest rated player she defeated was second seed Xiaowen Zhang of China. She did not face the top seed Mary Ann Gomes of Kolkata.
Medal winners and Indians in tie-break order:
Boys: 1-2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra), Sergei Zhigalko (Blr) 10.5/13; 3 GM Michal Olszewski (Pol) 9; 20 IM M.R. Lalith Babu (Ind) 7.5; 22 IM P. Karthikeyan (Ind) 7.5; 24 IM Ashwin Jayaram (Ind) 7.5; 40 IM B. Adhiban (Ind) 6.5; 41 IM M. Shyam Sundar (Ind) 6.5; 44 FM Vishnu Prasanna (Ind) 6.5...82 players.
Girls: 1-3. WGM Soumya Swaminathan (Ind), WIM Deysi Cori Tello (Per), Betul Yildiz (Tur) 9.5/13 each; 8 WIM Padmini Rout (Ind) 8; 10 WIM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Ind) 8; 19 WGM Mary Ann Gomes (Ind) 7; 34 S. Harini (Ind) 5.5...45 players.
In the thirteenth and final round, Soumya, defeated Kubra Ozturk of Turkey with the white pieces for a place in world history. She became the third Indian girl after Koneru Humpy (2002) and Dronavalli Harika (2008) to win the World Junior Girls championship. The World Junior had been won by V. Anand (1987), P. Harikrishna (2004) and Abhijeet Gupta (2008) also. India is retaining the girls title.
"Great news Magesh, congratulations to her and to the entire team. Our president Mr N.Srinivasan and myself convey our hearty thanks for having kept the Indian flag flying high," said D.V. Sundar in an official comminique from Vietnam to the Indian coach GM P. Magesh Chandran in Argentina.
Soumya tied for the first place with two others but had the better tie-break score to end a deserving winner. All of them scored 9.5 points from 13 games. In the final round, Soumya started on 8.5 points and Cori Tello (Per) was also on 8.5. But Betul Yildiz of Turkey was better placed on nine points. While leader Yildiz only drew against Orissa's Kiran Mohanty, Soumya and Cori Tello won to tie for the first place on 9.5 points. When the official results were out, Soumya had the higher tie-break score of 27314, higher than Cori Tello's 27250 and Yildiz's 27052.
Soumya was in command in the event but a penultimate round defeat pushed her down from which she rose to win the tournament. She speaks English, Hindi, Marathi and fluent Tamil.
Soumya was born in Palakkad in 1989 and their family moved to Pune. Both her parents worked in a bank. When she was about to represent India in the World Under-10 championship her mother died in a road accident. Soumya recovered from that blow and has achieved plenty in chess.
"In her trip to Europe last year, she made five norms in one and a half months," said Joseph D'Souza, a chess administrator in Pune. Soumya is hard working and is a Commerce Student from the BMCC College he said. She is under the scholarship of a Petroleum company, he said.
Soumya had won several National titles: National U-17 in 2004, National Junior in 2005 and 2008. Her rating is 2297 and she played at 2433 Elo and would be gaining about ten Elo points from this event. Soumya won eight games, lost two to the two players she tied on points and drew three games for the title.The highest rated player she defeated was second seed Xiaowen Zhang of China. She did not face the top seed Mary Ann Gomes of Kolkata.
Medal winners and Indians in tie-break order:
Boys: 1-2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra), Sergei Zhigalko (Blr) 10.5/13; 3 GM Michal Olszewski (Pol) 9; 20 IM M.R. Lalith Babu (Ind) 7.5; 22 IM P. Karthikeyan (Ind) 7.5; 24 IM Ashwin Jayaram (Ind) 7.5; 40 IM B. Adhiban (Ind) 6.5; 41 IM M. Shyam Sundar (Ind) 6.5; 44 FM Vishnu Prasanna (Ind) 6.5...82 players.
Girls: 1-3. WGM Soumya Swaminathan (Ind), WIM Deysi Cori Tello (Per), Betul Yildiz (Tur) 9.5/13 each; 8 WIM Padmini Rout (Ind) 8; 10 WIM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Ind) 8; 19 WGM Mary Ann Gomes (Ind) 7; 34 S. Harini (Ind) 5.5...45 players.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Soumya Swaminathan In Sole Lead at World Junior
Pune's Soumya Swaminathan is the sole leader in the World Junior Girls Chess Championship. She wrested sole lead defeating Iozefina Paulet of Romania in the tenth round to take her tally to eight points, In the eleventh round, she drew fifth seed Zoja Severiukhina of Russia to keep the half points lead with 8.5/11.
The good news for Soumya is that the Turkish girl and Russian girl who share the second-third places with eight points face each other. A win on Monday can also help her establish a bigger lead. Soumya faces Deysi Cori Tello of Peru in the twelfth round at Argentina. Only two rounds remain to be played.
Among the other Indians, Kiran Manisha Mohanty is on 7.5 points and Padmini Rout is on 6.5 points. Kiran has medal chances. Top seed Mary Ann Gomes is still below.
If Soumya goes on to win this event, she will become the third Indian girl after Koneru Humpy (2002) and Dronavalli Harika (2008) to win this prestigious event. Three Indian boys have won this event already: Viswanathan Anand (1987), Pentala Harikrishna (2004) and Abhijeet Gupta (2008).
Indian boys have already lost out on the title race this time. Top seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Elo 2718) of France and Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus are leading with 9/11. P. Karthikeyan of Chennai and M.R. Lalith Babu of Andhra are in the tied 16th place with 6.5 points. B. Adhiban and Shyam Sundar are a half point behind on six points.
This event is happening at Puerto Madryn in Argentina
The good news for Soumya is that the Turkish girl and Russian girl who share the second-third places with eight points face each other. A win on Monday can also help her establish a bigger lead. Soumya faces Deysi Cori Tello of Peru in the twelfth round at Argentina. Only two rounds remain to be played.
Among the other Indians, Kiran Manisha Mohanty is on 7.5 points and Padmini Rout is on 6.5 points. Kiran has medal chances. Top seed Mary Ann Gomes is still below.
If Soumya goes on to win this event, she will become the third Indian girl after Koneru Humpy (2002) and Dronavalli Harika (2008) to win this prestigious event. Three Indian boys have won this event already: Viswanathan Anand (1987), Pentala Harikrishna (2004) and Abhijeet Gupta (2008).
Indian boys have already lost out on the title race this time. Top seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Elo 2718) of France and Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus are leading with 9/11. P. Karthikeyan of Chennai and M.R. Lalith Babu of Andhra are in the tied 16th place with 6.5 points. B. Adhiban and Shyam Sundar are a half point behind on six points.
This event is happening at Puerto Madryn in Argentina
SAHAJ GROVER BECAME INDIA’S YOUNGEST INTERNATIONAL MASTER
Delhi Chess prodigy and former World Under-10 champion Sahaj Grover became India ’s youngest International Master by winning the final round game against Nicolas Clery to finish a creditable fifth in the Le Touquet International open chess tournament in France. It was a field comprising seven Grandmasters and eight International masters and Sahaj was seeded 19th in the event. Sahahj, made his maiden Grandmaster norm just a month earlier during the Kolkata Open tournament and had 2372 elo rating in the November rating list. He will gain around 35 points from this tournament and which will take his rating beyond 2400 mark, the mandatory requirement for International Master Title. The class IX student started with two wins, including a spectacular effort against Grandmaster Vyacheslav Ikonnikov of Russia and five draws and a couple of more wins later, he assured himself of his sixth International Master norm which was inconsequential.
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