Chanda keeps up run

BALAGUER, July 22: Calcutta youngster Sandipan Chanda and International Master Ponnuswamy Konguvel continued their impressive run to regi...

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BALAGUER, July 22: Calcutta youngster Sandipan Chanda and International Master Ponnuswamy Konguvel continued their impressive run to register victories while Neelopal Das and V Saravanan went down fighting to the Cuban trio, GM Julio Becerra and Irisbar Herrera respectively in the sixth round of the International Chess Tournament being played here.

While Sandipan scored a brilliant victory over highly rated (2410) but untitled Philippino Ynes Ranola, Konguvel was rather lucky to win against his teammate Rahul Shetty who presented him with a bishop in time trouble in an equal ending.

Both Sandipan and Konguvel are on five points now while Neelotpal and Saravanan stay on four. Israeli GM Lev Psakhis is in lead 5.5 points.IM Krishnan Sasikiran (4.5) came back into the race with a fluent victory over Israeli WGM, Ella Pitam, in 45 moves.

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After developing his pieces in prudent squares, Sandipan played an interesting move g4, suddenly in a quite middle game.

He followed it up with a resourceful Kingsideattack and finished the game off with a deep combination involving an exchange sacrifice which landed him into a won King and pawn endgame.

In a Sicilian Dragon variation, Rahul Shetty preferred the Yugoslav attack against Konguvel but reached an equal endgame soon. Coming under time pressure, he suddenly blundered his bishop in a drawn endgame and resigned immediately.

Other results

IM Tibor Karolyi (5) drew IM Narcisso Dublan (5); Garbisa (3.5) lost to GM A Baburin (4.5); GM Juliobecerra (5) bt Neelotpal Das (4); IM Irisbar Herrera (5) bt V Saravanan (4); IM Elin Mollv (3.5) lost to IM V Georgiev (4.5); Roktin Bandyopadhyay (3.5) drew with GM Liuben Spassov (3.5); SS Ganguly (4) bt Martinez Lopez (3).