Smooth sailing for Indian GMs

LINARES, January 15: Grandmasters Oleg Korneev and S Savchenko joined overnight leader GM Tony Miles of England with six points each after t...

LINARES, January 15: Grandmasters Oleg Korneev and S Savchenko joined overnight leader GM Tony Miles of England with six points each after the seventh round of the Anibal Open International Chess Championship here.

Indian men had a satisfying day, barring losses by National "A" champion IM Abhijit Kunte and IM Lanka Ravi.

Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua and Pravin Thipsay won their games alongwith former National "A" champion IM P Konguvel and IM Sekhar Sahu with IM’s K Murugan and DV Prasad posted fighting draws.

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Indian women had a mixed round. Former National "A"winner Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman and Mrunalini Kunte won but Swati Ghate and Saheli Dhar Barua were defeated.

Kunte, who had upset Barua in the previous round, disappointed when he dropped a costly point to 10th seed Savchenko in a theoretically drawn position. Despite the loss, he is still within reach of a GM norm.

In an English opening game, playing the black side Kunte simplified the position with his rook and two pawns against his opponent’s rook and three pawns. But Kunte hastily swapped rooks on the same side and lost in a King and pawn end game.

Barua had an outside pass pawn in rook and bishop end game against 85th seed, Lopoushnoy Denis, and won with precise technique.