India started its campaign with a 3.5-0.5 defeat of Syria in the open section after the ladies blanked New Zealand 4-0 in the Chess Olympiad at Tromso, Norway, on Saturday.
B. Adhiban, on board three, completed India’s triumph.
The victories were expected but not the draw involving Parimarjan Negi and lowly-rated Syrian International Master Basher Iyti.
In fact, playing black, Negi was extremely lucky to escape with a draw from a seemingly lost position.
All other Indians on view — S.P. Sethuraman, B. Adhiban and M.R. Lalith Babu in the open section and the ladies quartet of Tania Sachdev, Eesha Karavade, Mary Ann Gomes and Padmini Rout — performed as anticipated.
Facing soft targets in the first round, India has chosen to rest spearheads K. Sasikiran and D. Harika in the open and ladies’ sections.
Leading first-round results: Open: Syria lost to India 0.5-3.5; Jordan trailed Russia 0-3.
Ukraine led Tunisia 2-0; Zambia lost toFrance 0-4; Armenia bt Japan 4-0.
Algeria trailed Hungary 0-3; USA led Uganda 3-0; Gautemala trailed China 0-3; Kyrgyzstan trailed Israel 0-3 England led Wales 2-0.
Women: New Zealand lost to India 0-4; IBCA lost to China 0-4; Russia bt Jordan 4-0; Luxembourg lost to Ukraine 0-4.
Georgia led Kyrgyzstan 3-0; Romania led Paraguay 2.5-0.5; Finland lost to USA 0-4; Poland led Algeria 3-0.
