By Kirti Patil
Pune: Abhimanyu Puranik, Sethuraman, SP, Mitrabha Guha and Deep Sengupta emerged joint leaders at the 60th NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP being organized by the Maharashtra Chess Association and played at the Boxing Hall of the Balewadi Sports Complex here.
CM Kaivalya Nagare(207ELO pts) from Maharashtra, continued his top form by drawing with much higher rated IM Neelesh Saha (2435 ELO). Kaivalya had some chances in the middle game, but the position was generally equal as Kaivalya kept Maharashtra’s flag flying high on Sunday.
On top boards GM Abhimanyu Puranik converted a smooth game with the black pieces, keeping his advantage from the beginning, maintaining a perfect score. Abhimanyu’s current score was 5/5, as he continued to lead the National Chess Championship.
GM SP Sethuraman, playing on board 2, with the white pieces, survived a scare against his opponent GM Vignesh NR when he blundered in the middle game. Luckily for Sethuraman, his opponent could not take advantage of it, and Sethuraman won the game in the end.
GM Mitraba Guha scored his 5th win as he attacked well with the black pieces, cornering his opponent Praveen Kumar’s king with his queen and rook. Mitraba Guha has a perfect score of 5/5.
Top seed GM Abhijeet Gupta proved too strong for his opponent, S. Krishnan Ram, wining a quick game with the white pieces. Abhijeet’s current points are 4/5.
Results (Fifth Round):
Sayantan Das (4) (RSPB) lost to Abhimanyu Puranik (5) (AAI);
Sethuraman, SP (s) (PSPB) bt Vignesh, NR (4) (RSPB).
Praveen, Kumar C (4) (TN)lost to Mitrabha, Guha (5) (Ben).
Iniyan, P (4) (TN) lost to Deep Sengupta (5) (PSPB).
Surya Shekhar Ganguly (4.5) (PSPB) bt Soham, Kamotra (3.5) (J&K).
Diptayan Ghosh (4.5) (WB) bt Konguvel, Ponnuswamy (3.5) (PSPB).
Aronyak, Ghosh (4.5) (RSPB) bt Suyog Wagh (3.5) (MAH).
Shyaamnikhil, P (4.5) (RSPB) bt Abhishek, Kelkar (3.5) (MAH);
Deepan, Chakkravarthy (4.5pts) (RSPB) bt Dhananjay, S (3.5) (Cht);
Kaivalya Nagare(4pts) (PSPB) drew with Neelash Saha (34);
Venkatesh MR (4.5) bt Shriraj Bhosale (4) (MAH);
Bhoopnath (4) (BIH) drew with Anuj, Shrivatri (4) (MP);
Vishnu, Prasanna (4.5) (TN)bt Nirnay, Garg (3.5) (HAR).
Kolla, Bhaavan (4.5) (AP) bt Nitin, S (3.5) (RSPB);
Abhijeet Gupta (4) (PSPB) bt Ram, S. Krishnan (3) (BSNL);
Kartik, Kumar Singh (3) (MAH) lost to Visakh, NR (4) (RSPB);
