Kunte, Sasikiran draw matches

KOZHIKODE, March 7: India’s future prospects Abhijit Kunte and Krishnan Sasikiran warmed themselves up for the major battles ahead with cautious draws against Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua and Victor Komliakov of Moldova in the third round of the Indian Independence Golden Jubilee GM chess tournament at Hotel Hyson today.

Results (third round): Abhijit Kunte (India) 2 drew with Barua (India) 1.5; Komliakov (Moldova) 2.5 drew with Sasikiran (India) 2; Adianto (Indonesia) 2.5 bt Prasad (India) 1; Zia-ur Rahman (Bangladesh) 2 bt Thipsay (India) 0; Yurtaev (Kyr) 2.5 bt Murugan (India) 0.5; Lanka Ravi (India) 1.5 bt Konguvel (India) 0.