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Short out to foil India’s medal sweep

Rakesh Rao

Malaysian IM Mas Hafizulhelmi can be expected to cause a few surprises
Ramesh, Ganguly, Abhijeet formed the medal bracket in the open section last year

NAGPUR: Over the past decade, the Commonwealth chess championship has almost become part of this cerebral discipline’s calendar in the country. With over 90 per cent participants from India, it does not come as a surprise to watch Indian names dominating the event’s Roll of Honour since 1996.

Only Nigel Short, the outspoken British Grandmaster, has denied the Indians the honour on the two occasions he chose to play the event in Mumbai in 2004 and 2006. When the championship opens at the Naivedhyam Celebrations Centre here on Sunday, Short will be aiming to win a third title by squashing the strong Indian challenge spearheaded by the five-time National champion Surya Shekhar Ganguly.

“I think, I have a better chance than most others to win here,” said Short, drawing confidence from his runner-up finish in the recent European Union Championship.

Strength and depth

As seen in many open events in different parts of the world this year, the strong Indian presence will once again lend strength and depth to the field here. Though Short begins as the favourite despite being past his prime, a new champion cannot be ruled out from India’s nine-man Grandmasters’ pack.

It comprises Ganguly, Abhijit Kunte, World junior champion Abhijeet Gupta and runner-up Parimarjan Negi, former champion Dibyendu Barua, P. Magesh Chandran, defending champion R.B. Ramesh, Deepan Chakkravarthy and Neelotpal Das.

Grandmaster in-waiting S. Arun Prasad, along with other International Masters like R.R. Laxman, M.R. Venkatesh, G. Rohit, Deep Sengupta and S. Kidambi along with the recently-crowned National ‘B’ champion B. Adhiban are expected to give the higher rated GMs a run for their money.

Notwithstanding Short’s presence, the overseas challenge looks less than formidable. The non-arrival of Canadian veteran Kevin Spragett, joint champion in 1984 and 1985, has left it to Bangladesh’s GMs Enamul Hossain, Ziaur Rahman and Niaz Murshed to try and deny India a repeat medal sweep.

Malaysian IM Mas Hafizulhelmi can also be expected to cause a few surprises.

Last year, Ramesh, Ganguly and Abhijeet Gupta had formed the medal bracket in the open section. Though it is great to find Indians sweeping the medals, it must also be remembered that the regulations of this championship are such that medals are almost ‘distributed’ in age-group sections, since a player can be given only a medal. For the GM or IM norm aspirants, the event provides one of the few opportunities to realise their objective in India.

Due to the paucity of norm-making tournaments in the country, several IMs and lesser rated players cough up anything between Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 20,000 as entry fee to play this event.

Top 15 players (with ratings):

1. Nigel Short (Eng, 2655), 2. Surya Shekhar Ganguly (2631), 3. Ziaur Rahman (Ban, 2564), 4. Abhijit Kunte (2554), 5. Abhijeet Gupta (2551), 6. Parimarjan Negi (2529), 7. R. R. Laxman (2498), 8. Dibyendu Barua (2497), 9. S. Arun Prasad (2492), 10. Enamul Hossain (Ban, 2489), 11. P. Magesh Chandran (2486), 12. R.B. Ramesh (2478), 13. Tejas Bakre (2474), 14. Deepan Chakkravarthy (2464), 15. Neelotpal Das (2462).

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