PRESENTS

3RD KOLKATA OPEN GRANDMASTER CHESS TOURNAMENT

DEDICATED TO

THE YEAR OF RUSSIA IN INDIA

MEDIA RELEASE AFTER ROUND 10

Grandmaster Viktor Laznicka of the Czech Republic emerged as the Champion of the 3^rd Kolkata Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament being held at Alekhine Chess Club. The Gitanjali Group is presenting the tournament.

Laznicka and the top seed Krishnan Sasikiran both finished on 8.5 points but the Czech Grandmaster was declared the winner because he had a better tiebreak score. He got the winners trophy and prize money of $ 5,000 (Rs.2, 00,000) whereas Sasikiran got $4,000 (Rs.1,60,000). In all 30 players received prize money totaling Rs. 9,00,000/-

Both Sasikiran and Laznicka had to try for the victory against their respective opponents International Master Arun Prasad of India and Grandmaster Adly Ahmed of Egypt in order to put pressure on each other.

Sasikiran had the advantage of the lighter pieces in his game and after his opponent opted for the Slav defence he went for a queenside attack, which eventually earned him a pawn. With his extra material he went on an exchanging spree, which eventually earned him the point on the 52^nd move.

The second board game was more exciting Laznicka needed to win his game with the black pieces against the World Junior Champion Adly Ahmed. Adly tried out the Reti opening and Laznicka countered aggressively by keeping his pieces on active squares. Adly miscalculated a combination and lost an exchange after which the Czech player went for a direct kingside attack sacrificing his rook to set up mating threats which could not be defended. Adly resigned on the 41^st move.

Most of the players on the top boards took the safe option and went for draws in order to get into the top half of the prize list. Only Grandmaster Safin Shukhrat of Uzbekistan took the chance of getting a better prize and it paid off when he beat Grandmaster Tejas Bakre of India thereby assuring himself of the 3^rd spot.

Noted Bengali writer and chess enthusiast Sunil Gangopadhyay was the Chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony. Also present on the presidium were Mr. V.Lazarev Consul General of Russian Federation in Kolkata, Mr.Sameer Salgaonkar Vice president of All India Chess Federation, Mr.D.V.Sundar Secretary of All India Chess Federation, Mr.Bharat Singh Chauhan,Treasurer of All India Chess Federation , Mr.Udayan Kanti Ghosh Organising Secretary of West Bengal Chess Federation and Mr.N.K.Bose, Vice President of Alekhine Chess Club. 

Top board results:-

GM Krishnan Sasikiran (8.5) beat IM Arun Prasad(7)

GM Adly Ahmed (6.5) lost to GM Viktor Laznicka (8.5)

GM Koneru Humpy (7) drew with GM Ziaur Rahman (7)

Rolando Nolte (7) drew with GM Sandipan Chanda (7)

GM Safin Shukhrat (7.5) beat GM Tejas Bakre (6.5)

IM Ashwin Jayaram (7) beat GM Ghaem Maghami (6)

GM Alberto David (7) beat GM Vladimir Dobrov (6)

GM Nguyen Anh Dung (6.5) drew with IM Sundararajan Kidambi (6.5)

IM Saptarshi Roy (6.5) drew with GM R.B.Ramesh (6.5)

GM Smbat Lputian (6.5) beat IM G.B.Prakash (6) 

Kenneth Sinha

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