India finished with three victories in a row to win the bronze medal on maiden appearance in the World Team Championship that came to a close at Turkey on Jan 13.
India humbled Brazil 3.5-0.5, also by the biggest margin achieved in this event by all teams. India was the most impressive of all teams. India won the last three matches in a row to keep the nerve and win the bronze medal.
Total Team Effort: Sundar
D.V. Sundar, Honorary Secretary of the All India Chess Federation said it was a total team effort and all the six players pulled up their weight in the crucial moments of each round to achieve this feat. The All India Chess Federation announced a cash award of Rs.25,000 for each of the six players.
India scored six wins, and drew Olympiad champions Armenia, and lost to Russia and USA. This display was spirited and led by Krishnan Sasikiran at the top and later Ganguly joined in the scoring in the second half.
India had upset Israel, Azerbaijan and drawn Armenia and certainly send a message of our big progress in chess in the last few years.
India Thrash Brazil
In the final round, India did not let go the leg from the pedal and won their third straight match. It was Ganguly who took the advantage and send the Brazilians in the backfoot on the third board. Gopal scored using his passed central pawn to give India the lead. Harikrishna added to the lead by winning a pawn and entering a won ending.
With two wins in the bag, Sasikiran drew with black to help India win the bronze medal. Later, Ganguly added to the tally by rolling his queen bishop pawn to glory. An excellent performance by a team coached by Grand Master Lev Psakhis of Israel.
India was robbed of the silver had USA and Azerbaijan fought their match. They went for four draws on 30 moves and later to follow the rules of the competition which forbids agreed draw in under 30 moves.
Indian results: India beat Greece 2.5-1.5, lost to USA 1-3, beat Azerbaijan 2.5-1.5, beat Turkey 3-1, drew Armenia 2-2, lost to Russia 1.5-2.5, beat Egypt 2.5-1.5, beat Israel 2.5-1.5, beat Brazil 3.5-0.5. India scores: Sasikiran 5.5/9, Harikrishna 4/8, Ganguly 5/7, Gopal 3/5, Arun Prasad 2.5/5, Adhiban 1/2.
The results (round nine): Egypt (3) lost to Armenia (12) 1-3, Israel (7) lost to Russia (15) 1-3, Brazil (4) lost to India (13) (Rafael Leitao drew with K. Sasikiran, Alexandr Fier lost to P. Harikrishna, G. Milos lost to S.S. Ganguly, Andre Diamant lost to G.N. Gopal) 0.5-3.5, Greece (8) bt Turkey (3) 2.5-1.5, USA (13) drew with Azerbaijan (12) 2-2.
Final placings (tie-break order): 1 Russia 15, 2 USA 13, 3 India 13, 4 Azerbaijan 12, 5 Armenia 12, 6 Greece 8, 7 Israel 7, 8 Brazil 4, 9 Egypt 3, 10 Turkey 3.
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