India was lucky to hold Italy to a 2-2 draw in the third round of the Chess Olympiad at Tromso, Norway, on Monday. In the women’s section, fifth seed India hit back through Padmini Rout on the fourth board against 17th seed Kazakhstan to make it 2-2.
On a day when fancied Armenia and USA lost to France and the Netherlands, India struggled in both sections. Parimarjan Negi’s defeat to World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana levelled the match score after S.P. Sethuraman rallied to win. After B. Adhiban drew on the fourth board, Sasikiran pressed hard for win against Daniele Vocaturo, but in vain.
The women, too, struggled all the way against Kazakhstan. The loss of Eesha Karavade on the third board pushed India on the backfoot after draws on the top two boards. But young Padmini’s late victory gave India a vital match-point.
Leading results : Third round: Open: Italy (4) level with India (4) 1.5-1.5 [Fabiano Caruana bt Parimarjan Negi, Alberto David lost to S.P. Sethuraman, Daniele Vocaturo drew with K. Sasikiran, Sabino Burnello drew with B. Adhiban]; Armenia (4) lost to France (6) 1.5-2.5; USA (4) lost to the Netherlands (6) 1.5-2.5; Germany (5) drew with England (5) 2-2; Poland (5) drew with Cuba (5) 2-2; Turkey (5) drew with Georgia (5); Iceland (4) lost to Serbia (6) 1.5-2.5; Switzerland (5) drew with Vietnam (5).
Women : Kazakhstan (5) drew with India (5) 2-2 [Guliskhan Nakhbayeva drew with D. Harika, Dinara Saduakassova drew with Tania Sachdev, Zhansaya Abdumalik bt Eesha Karavade, Madina Davletbayeva lost to Padmini Rout]; USA (4) lost to China (6) 1-3; Norway (4) lost to Hungary (6) 1-3; Russia (6) bt France (4) 2.5-1.5; Armenia (6) bt Vietnam (4) 3-1; Bosnia & Herzegovina (4) lost to Iran (6) 0-4; Azerbaijan (6) bt Switzerland (4) 2.5-1.5; Romania (4) lost to Indonesia (6) 1.5-2.5; Germany (6) bt Argentina (4) 3-1.
