Asian Chess Championship: Praggu makes his move, takes lead

PTI

 New Delhi, November 2

Top-seeded Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa posted a crucial win over compatriot Koustav Chatterjee in the eighth round of the open section to take the lead at the Asian Continental Chess Championship here today.

The 53-move victory puts Praggnanandhaa half-a-point ahead of the field and in a good position to claim the top prize.

Five players — Harsha Bharathakoti, SL Narayanan, B Adhiban and Karthik Venkataraman and Shamsiddin Vokhidov — are on six points. Grandmaster Bharathakoti was held to a draw by Vokhidov in 30 moves.

Meanwhile, there were wins for Narayanan, Adhiban and Venkataraman. Narayanan scored a win over Saparmyrat Atabayev, the experienced Adhiban beat young GM Leon Luke Mendonca and Venkataraman outlasted Maksat Atabayev.

In the women’s event, Indian GM PV Nandhidhaa remained in the lead with seven points after a win over Soumya Swaminathan in 54 moves in the eighth round.

The Tamil Nadu GM, who is unbeaten so far, is a full-point ahead of the rest of the field and a draw would see her claim the top prize.

Her compatriots Padmini Rout and Divya Deshmukh share the second place with six points. Rout beat Mary Ann Gomes and Deshmukh won a 44-move match against Priyanka Nuttaki.

Nuttaki and Thi Kim Phung Vo have 5.5 points, while as many as six players are on five points.

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