GM Karthikeyan Murali and GM Vidit Gujrathi remained joint leaders, with 7.5 points each, after the 11th round of the ONGC National Premier chess championship, organised by the Tiruvarur DCA, at the Kasi’s Inn here on Thursday.
GM Abhijit Kunte began with the king side fianchetto and Karthikeyan counterbalanced it with the reversed King’s Indian attack. The game ended in a draw after 30 moves.
Vidit, playing the Classical variation against GM Neelotpal Das’s Nimzo Indian defence, gave up his rook for a knight and pawn.
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Neelotpal gave back the exchange to mount pressure on Vidit’s king, but could not maintain the tempo although he won exchange again. The truce was signed after 48 moves.
Defending champion GM S.P. Sethuraman, playing black, defeated IM Arghyadip Das in a Pirc defence game. Arghyadip made an exchange sacrifice on the 25th move.
Sethuraman forced exchange of his queen and rook for Arghyadip’s queen and bishop. With plenty of pawns in hand, Sethuraman eased to victory.
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FM K. Praneeth Surya scripted a win over GM M.R. Venkatesh, while IM P. Karthikeyan, handling the black side of Queens Indian defence, agreed for a quick draw with GM-elect Swapnil S. Dhopade after 28 moves.
Sethuraman, Praneeth, and Karthikeyan, shared the second spot with 6.5 points each.
The results (11th round): K. Praneeth Surya (Tel) 6.5 bt M.R. Venkatesh (PSPB) 4.5; K. Ratnakaran (Rlys) 4.5 drew with M. Shyam Sundar (AAI) 5; P. Shyaamnikhil (TN) 3.5 drew with Deep Sengupta (PSPB) 4.5; Vidit Gujrathi (PSPB) 7.5 drew with Neelotpal Das (PSPB) 6; Abhijit Kunte (PSPB) 4.5 drew with Karthikeyan Murali (TN) 7.5; Swapnil S. Dhopade (Rlys) 4.5 drew with P. Karthikeyan (Rlys) 6.5; Arghyadip Das (Rlys) 5.5 lost to S.P. Sethuraman (PSPB) 6.5.