Tamil Nadu State Chess Association

India Takes Lead After Round Three
India took the lead over China at the end of the third round in the Summit Match at Hyderabad on March 4, 2015. Round three saw three higher rated players lose and one of them made a draw. None of the higher rated players won on either side! India’s 2.5-1.5 win in round three gave the home team an overall slender 6.5-5.5 lead in the four board Scheveningen match. Five rounds or 20 games remain to be played. Andhra’s Lalith Babu was the hero of round three as well. He shocked World No.14 Ding Liren with the black pieces. His endgame display was sufficient to defeat the strongest Chinese player in a marathon rook ending. Posting back to back wins, Lalith Babu has turned the fortunes of the home country. He is leading with a big 2.5/3 personal score among all eight players. Adhiban shocked Wei Yi with the white pieces. The Chinese player went for the piosoned pawn variation of the Najdorf Sicilian. Adhiban finished him off with a knight sacrifice to win a miniature game. India expected Sasikiran to win at the start of this round. He is the highest rated Indian and his opponent, Wang Chen was the lowest rating Chinese. However, pawn advances indicated that the Indian was going for the risk. Wang Chen trooped his minor pieces and won a rook for knight which gave China their lone win in a day of upsets. All three lower rated players winning thus far, the lone higher rated who did not lose the game was Indian champion Sethuraman. He thwarted the passed pawn threat with a well posted knight to draw Zhou Jianchao in 48 moves. India won the match 2.5-1.5. In round four, the same players meet with the colours reversed. Olympic champions, China would be seeking revenge for the double defeat suffered in a row.

Lalith Babu Helps India Level Scores
M.R. Lalith Babu of Vijayawada helped India level the scores against China. He defeated Wang Chen with the black pieces in round two to help India win 2.5-1.5. After two rounds, the series is tied 4-4 with six rounds or 24 games still to be played. India and China are playing a four a side Scheveningen system match with each player facing the rival twice, once with white and once with black. In the top board, Adhiban could only draw with white against World No.14 ranked Ding Liren. In a rook ending, Adhiban had to fight and get a draw after 70 moves with the white pieces. In the other two games, Wei Yi-Sethuraman and Sasikiran-Zhou Jianchao ended in draws.In the third round, Sasikiran faces up Wang Chen, the lowest rated Chinese and could look for his first victory. In the other two games, Wei Yi-Sethuraman and Sasikiran-Zhou Jianchao ended in draws.In the third round, Sasikiran faces up Wang Chen, the lowest rated Chinese and could look for his first victory. Lalith Babu won a piece against Wang Chen but was able to cash the point in a touch and go ending after 59 moves. Lalith Babu played the Caro-Kann and his opponent went for the two knights variation. Chances for both sides opened up in the opposite coloured bishop ending. Game became lively. Lalith Babu raced ahead by one move to win the game. Lalith Babu works for Indian Oil and along with Ding Liren has scored 1.5/2. Adhiban and Wang Chen are on 0.5/2 and the rest of the players are on one out of two. This India v China Summit Class is happening at Hyderabad and can be followed at www.aicf.in

Ding Liren Helps China Wrest Lead In Hyderabad
World No.14 ranked Ding Liren made the difference in the first round of the eighth round Indo-China Summit Scheveningen Match that got underway at Hyderabad on Monday. In the opening game, Ding Liren beat former world under-16 champion B Adhiban of India to give China a 2.5-1.5 lead in the best of four board match. Seven rounds remain to be played. The event was inaugurated by D.V. Sundar, Vice President of FIDE in the presence of Dinakar Babu IAS, Managing Director and Chairman, Sports Authority of Telangana State, Narasimha Reddy, Chairman, Bar Council of Telangana State and also the Vice President of All India Chess Federation. Bharat Singh Chauhan, CEO, AICF and V. Hariharan, Honorary Secretary, AICF, KS Prasad, Convener of the Summit and Sharath Datta, CMD of Marriott Hotel were also present.

PIO ( Person of Indian origin ) / OCI ( Overseas Citizen of India ) card holders
As per Government of India guidelines / rules, players with PIO / OCI documents cannot play for India. As a result, AICF had taken a decision that these players cannot participate in any selection tournaments like district selection / State selection and National Championship which ultimately lead to the selection of the Indian National team. However these players can play in all FIDE rated events and other tournaments in India and abroad. If they wish to participate in all FIDE official events like the World Youth Championship or Continental Youth Championship it is necessary that they have to register as member of the Country of which they are citizens. In case they decide to register with the Country of their citizenship, the AICF will issue a No Objection Certificate on their request. However, to enable these players to participate in other tournaments in India, they can register with AICF, with conditions as stated above. A Separate registration form for PIO / OCI is enclosed for your ready reference. The same can be downloaded from AICF website. It is therefore requested that all state chess associations to inform all tournament organizers under their jurisdiction to collect the appropriate players registration form for PIO / OCI players before submitting to AICF.

India To Take On China In Summit Clash
India and China will face off in a Scheveningen Match on four boards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad from March 1-10. China has had matches with Russia and the United States and it is the first time the Asian giants will face in the chess board in such an exclusive Indo-China Summit match. India had finished third at the Tromso Olympiad at Norway winning its maiden bronze medal. China had won its maiden gold medal in the Olympiad at Norway in August 2014. A clash between the continental giants is likely to provide enough entertainment on all days.