GM Norm holder Srihari L R (7.0) scored over in-form Grandmaster Nguyen Duc Hoa (Vietnam) and moved into shared lead after the 8th round in the 14th Chennai Open International Grandmaster Chess tournament 2023 for Sakthi Group Dr N Mahalingam trophy at Hotel Ambassador Pallava, Chennai here today. Joining Srihari on top of the leaderboard is the defending Champion Grandmaster Savchenko Boris of Russia at 7.0 points.
Following the leaders half a point behind at 6.5 points were seven players viz., Fedorov Alexei (Belarus), Manik Mikulas (Slovakia), Nguyen Duc Hoa (Vietnam), Laxman R R, Pawar Harshit, Abhishek Kelkar (all India) and Buscara Sevan (France).
The top board game between Vietnamese GM Nguyen Duc Hoa and IM Srihari L R saw the Indian star in good nick. For, Srihari inflicted a second successive defeat on GM Hoa, following his victory in the Madurai GM tournament last fortnight. The game emerged from the French opening and GM Hoa went for a big attack on Srihari’s king. Giving up his rook for a minor piece, Srihari restored the balance. Further Srihari caught the white king in the middle of the board, finishing the game in 33 moves.
This 10 round tournament carries a prize fund of Rs 20 lakhs with the winner picking up a cash award of Rs 4 lakhs along with a trophy. 60 cash prizes are awarded in this event that concludes by Sunday 7th January, 2023, after two more rounds.
GM Savchenko Boris (Rus) against GM Glek Igor (Bel)
Round 8 results : (Indians unless specified) Nguyen Duc Hoa (Vie) 6.5 lost to Srihari L R (7), Savchenko Boris (Rus) 7 bt Glek Igor (Bel) 6,Fedorov Alexei (Blr) 6 – Abhishek Kelkar (6), Aronyak Ghosh (6) drew with Murugan K (6), Murali Krishnan B T (6) drew with Tologon Tegin Semetei (Kgz) 6, Pawar Harshit (6.5) bt Shahil Dey (5.5), Majumder Shrayan (5.5) lost to Buscara Sevan (Fra) 6.5, Jake Shanty (5.5) lost to Manik Mikulas (Svk) 6.5, Balkishan A (5.5) lost to Laxman R R (6.5), Aakash G (6) drew with Avinash Ramesh (6).
Attachment
