Ukraine Grandmaster Solodovnichenko Yuri (6.0) shared the lead with three other GMs after the seventh round of the 8th Chennai Open International Grandmaster Chess tournament 2016 for Sakthi Group Dr N Mahalingam trophy, held at Nehru Stadium, Chennai here today.
Yuri beat giant killer Kumar Gaurav and maintained his position on top of the leader-board with 6.0 points. Joining Solodovnichenko in lead were Belous Vladimir, Mozharov Mikhail (both Russia) & Dzhumaev Marat (Uzb) respectively.
Earlier, the Chennai Open 2016 had a special visitor in Mr Dmitry Dudochkin, Chief Administrative Officer, Consulate General of Russian Federation, Chennai. He was shown around the tournament hall by Mr R Anantharam, Tournament Director & Mr R R Vasudevan, Chief Arbiter. Dmitry interacted with fellow Russian Grandmasters, before making a symbolic first move, in the presence of Mr D V Sundar, Vice President, FIDE and Mr V Hariharan, Hon. Sec, AICF to inaugurate the sixth round.
Dmitry Dudochkin, Chief Administrative Officer, Consulate General of Russian Federation, Chennai, R R Vasudevan, Chief Arbiter, R Anantharam, Tournament Director, V Hariharan, Hon.Secretary, All India Chess Federation, official from Russian Consulate, D V Sundar, Vice President, FIDE, GM Solodovnichenko Yuri
It was the round which saw the upset of the event, when International Master Rathnakaran Kantholi felled top seed Grandmaster Grachev Boris of Russia.
Indian duo Deepan Chakkravarthy and Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman (5.5) kept themselves in hunt for major prizes, staying half a point behind the leaders.
Also at 5.5 points was defending champion GM Ivan Popov who who was held to a draw by Ernst Sipke of The Netherlands in the top board.
Three more rounds remain in this 214 player ten round Swiss tournament.
IM Rathnakaran K (2457) – GM Grachev Boris (2652)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. c3 Bd7 9. h3 Rc8 10. Be3 Qc7 11. Nbd2 Rfd8 12. Rc1 Ne5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. a4 a6 15. Ra1 Bc6 16. Qc2 b5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ra2 Ra8 19. Rea1 h6 20. Rxa8 Bxa8 21. c4 b4 22. Bf1 Nd7 23. Nb3 f5 24. f3 f4 25. Bf2 fxg3 26. Bxg3 Bb7 27. h4 Rf8 28. Qe2 Bc8 29. Bh3 Nb8 30. Kh1 Nc6 31. Rg1 Qd8 32. h5 Bg5 33. Bg4 Qe7 34. Qf2 Nd4 35. Nxd4 exd4 36. Qh2 Be3 37. Ra1 Re8 38. Bd6 Qg5 39. Ra7 Kh8 40. Be5 Re7 41. Ra8 Re8 42. Qg3 Rg8 43. Ra7 Bf2 44. Qf4 Qh4 45. Kg2 Be3 46. Qg3 Qxg3+ 47. Kxg3 b3 48. f4 Bc1 49. Bd1 Bxb2 50. Bxb3 Bc3 51. Ba4 Bd2 52. Bb5 Bb4 53. Kf2 Bd2 54. Ke2 Bb4 55. Kd1 Bc3 56. Bc6 Bb4 57. Bd6 Rd8 58. Be7 Rg8 59. e5 1-0
Report by R R Vasudevan
GMs M R Venkatesh and R R Laxman
