Kransekow Maintains Lead
By Praful Zaveri


Overnight leader and top-seeded Polish GM Michael Kransenkow maintained his slender ½ point lead over rest of the field as the players on the top-boards played safe and agreed for draws to retain their championship chances at the end of round 9 of the LIC – Mumbai Mayor's International Chess Tournament at Goregaon Sports Club.

On the top board GM Abhijit Kunte and Kransenkow agreed for a draw just after 11 moves in the Catalan opening while Al-Rakib drew with his colleague, Ziaur Rahman in 10 moves from the Moscow variation of the Sicilian Defense.

The fight on the 3rd board between GM-norm holder M.S. Thejkumar and 3rd seeded Macieje proved to be exciting as the Indian player, who is rated much below Macieja, invited complications in the opening by sacrificing a pawn on move 9. He also tried to open lines for his pieces and also saddled him with doubled pawns on the 'a' file however, Macieja was able to equalize and players agreed for a draw after the exchanges.

2nd seeded GM Koneru Humpy, renowned for her fighting qualities, tried to quell the challenge of IM Aurn Prasad. In the King's Indian defense – unusual variation, Humpy, playing white, was able to gain ascendancy in the endgame stage and was able to create a dangerous passer on the 'b' file. However; Arun took advantage of the exposed King of white and was able to give perpetual checks. Humpy agreed to a draw after 65 moves as she could not halt checks from the Black's Queen.

Meanwhile Uzebek GM, Anton Fillipov quelled the challenge of IM Venkatesh and Bangladeshi GM Reefat Sattar and Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili defeated their opponents, Deep Sengupta and B.S. Shivananda respectively. The other notable victory was scored by IM Anup Deshmukh of LIC, who defeated GM Elizabar Ubilava.

With 2 rounds remaining in this 11-round tourney, a group of 6 players, Al-Rakib, Thejkumar, Kunte, Ziaur Rahman and Fillipov are trailing Kransenkow by half-a-point while a big pack of 12-players lead by Humpy are occupying the 3rd spot with 7 points.

Key Results of Round 9:

GM Kunte Abhijit 2547 IND 7½ Drew 8 GM Krasenkow Michal 2624 POL
GM Abdulla Al-Rakib 2514 BAN 7½ Drew 7½ GM Rahman Ziaur 2511 BAN
Thejkumar M S 2414 IND 7½ Drew 7 GM Macieja Bartlomiej 2599 POL
GM Koneru Humpy 2603 IND 7 Drew 7 IM Arun Prasad S 2465 IND
GM Filippov Anton 2509 UZB 7½ Beat 6½ IM Venkatesh M R 2450 IND
IM Laxman R R 2488 IND 7 Drew 7 Das Arghyadip 2393 IND
GM Reefat Bin-Sattar 2487 BAN 7½ Beat 6½ IM Sengupta Deep 2446 IND
GM Gagunashvili Merab 2553 GEO 7 Beat 6 Shivananda B S 2330 IND
FM Priyadharshan K 2317 IND 6 Lost to 7 GM Iuldachev Saidali 2501 UZB
IM Singh D P 2308 IND 6½ Drew 6½ GM Safin Shukhrat 2481 UZB
FM Vidit Gujrathi 2337 IND 6½ Drew 6½ GM Ramesh R B 2472 IND
GM Bakre Tejas 2455 IND 7 Beat 6 Arun Karthik R 2281 IND
Ram S Krishnan 2299 IND 7 Beat 6 IM Adhiban B 2421 IND
WGM Ramaswamy Aarthie 2298 IND 6 Lost to 7 IM Satyapragyan S 2410 IND
Bartakke Amardeep 2194 IND 6 Lost to 7 IM Saptarshi Roy 2387 IND
FM Akshat Khamparia 2287 IND 6½ Drew 6½ IM Konguvel P 2373 IND
GM Ubilava Elizbar 2558 ESP 5½ Lost to 7 IM Deshmukh Anup 2248 IND


GM Michael Kransenkow Takes Lead

GM Shukrat Takes Sole Lead