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Lahno Enhances Lead Against Negi
By Arvind Aaron
Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine has seized the upperhand in the 18-game match. On a decisive Saturday, Lahno blanked the Delhi grandmaster Parimarjan Negi 3-0 to
leave him with what else but Saturday Night Fever!
The prize fund, the venue, home surrounding all are fine except the score for Negi. Trailing 2.5-6.5 after nine games, Negi has an uphill task of making up a
huge deficit. There are three rapid games and six blitz games left in this Amity Grandmasters Challenge that is taking place at the Russian Cultural Centre
in Delhi.
A lop-sided scoreline is going to make such matches unpopular in the future. Negi is
certainly having a poor form. Rather, Lahno, is showcasing her talent in a big way. In the classical chess that ended with a close score, 3.5-2.5 for the Ukrainian girl, a long match was anticipated. Lahno is looking for more than
Elo points. A lion's share of the Rs.5 lakh prize money and more.
The event managed to draw plenty of overseas attention and people who matter in chess publications are talking about it. It is clear that Negi has not played
matches and is feeling the heat. He still has a chance if he can have one big day on Christmas in the blitz games. He has to come with a cool head, look at
winning one game first, rather than think of wiping the deficit in one go.
Five draws and four defeats and going into the next half without a win from the first can be a hard feeling. The 1989-born Lahno is on 2459 and ranked 21 in
the world among women. The 1993-born Negi is on 2538 and ranked 390 in the world among men. The winner gets Rs.3 lakh and the loser Rs.2 lakh and it is a
composite match featuring Classical, Rapid and Blitz in the six apiece ratio.
Advantage Lahno, dont give up Negi.
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Published on :
24th
Dec, 2006
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