GM SP Sethuraman is India National Chess Champion 2014

Hello chess blog friends, the Indian national chess championship 2014 concluded recently with GM SP Sethuraman becoming the new champion. He drew his last game to take the title 1/2 ppoint clear of the field. 

GM Deep Sengupta IM P Karthikeyan scored 8 points, but the former was second on better tiebreak score. 

This was Sethuraman's third try at the Indian national chess championship and he remained undefeated in the event. 

Final Standings

1 Sethuraman S.P. (PSPB) 8½ 

2 Sengupta Deep (PSPB) 8
3 Karthikeyan P. (Rlys) 8
4 Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (PSPB) 7
5 Grover Sahaj 7
6 Kunte Abhijit (PSPB) 6½
7 Lalith Babu M.R. (PSPB) 6
8 Shyam Nikil P. (TN) 5½
9 Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (Rlys) 5½
10 Swayams Mishra (ORI) 5
11 Laxman R.R. (Rlys) 4
12 Rajesh V A V (TN) 3½
13 Girinath P.D.S. (Rlys) 3½

Find more photographs at FIDE website.



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India National Chess R11: Sethuraman in Lead

Hello chess blog friends, Indian national chess championship now has S.P. Sethuraman in sole lead after 11 rounds after he drew with Vidit Gujrathi in Kottayam, India. He leads by 1/2 a point. 

Sethuraman leads with 7.5, and is followed by Deep Sengupta and Sahaj Grover on seven points. In fourth place is Vidit Gujrathi on 6.5 points. All four of them have won world age group titles but not yet the Indian national chess championship.

The absence of big stars like Ganguly and Sasikiran has allowed the next generation of stars to play and win the most prestigious National Premier.

The results (round eleven): Sahaj Grover (Rly) 7 drew with P Shyam Nikil (TN) 4.5; R.R. Laxman (Rly) 3.5 bt J Deepan Chakkravarthy (Rly) 4.5; Swayams Mishra (Odi) 4 drew with V.A.V. Rajesh (TN) 2.5; S.P. Sethuraman (PSPB) 7.5 drew with Vidit Gujrathi (PSPB) 6.5; Deep Sengupta (PSPB) 7 bt Abhijit Kunte (PSPB) 4.5; P.D.S.Girinath (Rly) 2.5 drew with M.R. Lalith Babu (PSPB) 6; P Karthikeyan (Rly) 6 – bye. (Update via All-India Chess Federation website)


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India National Chess R7: Sengupta, Sethuraman, Lalith Babu in Joint Lead

Hello chess blog friends, the Indian national chess championship is on the southern city of Kottayam where seven rounds have been played - GMs Sethuraman and Lalith Babu won their games to join Deep Sengupta to be in joint lead on Friday. 

Although all three of them are leading with 4.5 points, it is Sethuraman who is having an edge since he has played one game less than the other two.

In the fourth place on four points is Sahaj Grover who won two back to back games. However, Deepan Chakkravarthy who is also on four points had played one game less and could use that to bridge the gap on the leaders. Sethuraman exploited the exposed black king of Deep to win a rook for bishop with a discovered check to win the game in 48 moves.

Sahaj Grover won a pawn and pushed Kunte into a zugzwang to win the game in 42 moves. In another decisive game, Laxman played passively and lost a pawn. Lalith Babu cashed on the extra material to win with ease and move into joint lead.

Six rounds remain to be played in this 13-player all-play-all. The event comes to a close on December 18, 2014.

The results (round seven): P Shyam Nikil (TN) 3 bt V.A.V. Rajesh (TN) 1.5; P Karthikeyan (Rly) 3.5 drew with Vidit Gujrathi (PSPB) 3.5; Sahaj Grover (Rly) 4 bt Abhijit Kunte (PSPB) 3; R.R. Laxman (Rly) 2 lost to M.R. Lalith Babu (PSPB) 4.5; Swayams Mishra (Odi) 2 bt P.D.S. Girinath (Rly) 2; S.P. Sethuraman (PSPB) 4.5 bt Deep Sengupta (PSPB) 4.5; J Deepan Chakkravarthy (Rly) 4 – bye.

(Report via All India Chess Federation)

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India National Chess: Deep Sengupta Leads after R6

Hello chess blog friends, one of the strongest national chess championships is being played in India. Deep Sengupta has beaten IM Swayams Mishra to take the lead with 4.5 points after six rounds. The former under-12 world chess champion forged ahead even as overnight joint leaders MR Lalith Babu lost to Sahaj Grover and SP Sethuraman had a rest day. GM Deepan Chakkaravarthy is trailing by half a point. 

 

The thirteen player round robin tournament has an average of 2487, a category 10 event. Deep was slow and steady in developing his pieces against IM Swayams Mishra of Odisha in Slav defence game. After gaining an exchange Deep’s march past of the a- pawn towards eighth rank prompted Swayms to resign the game. Young Delhi grandmaster Sahaj Grover was in his elements, when he over powered GM Lalith Babu of PSPB in a Queens Indian defence game. Playing White, Lalith broke open his opponent’s king side, preventing Sahaj from castling. Sahaj retaliated by sacrificing a bishop to tear open Lalith’s king side. Lalith resigned on 34th move, realising the danger of getting checkmated. 

In a Kings Indian defence, Deepan sacrificed his bishop to obtain a better position on the king side, leading to a chain if three connected pawns at the centre, against VAV Rajesh of TN. Rajesh had to forego his queen for a rook. Rajesh fought valiantly in a rook and pawns vs queen ending, but in vain. Deeapn triumphed after 79 moves.

Two-time national champion GM Abhijit Kunte beat P. Karthikeyan in just 20 moves. Former under-14 world chess champion Vidit Santosh Gujrathi had to be content with a draw against IM P. Shyam Nikil in a Grunfeld defence in 35 moves. RR Laxman and PDS GIrinath agreed to a quick draw. Tomorrow is a rest day. 

Update via FIDE

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India National Chess begins with Sasikiran as Top Seed

Hello chess blog friends, the Russian national chess championship is about to conclude and beginning in another strong country is another national chess championship! We speak of India. 

Top seed GM Sasikiran

The Indian national chess championship begins on Thursday in the southern city of Kottayam. The 52nd edition of the event will run all the way to December 18 and feature 14 leading chess players of India. Nine players have qualified to the event through the National Challenger Championship, four from FIDE and the reigning champion.

The tournament will decide the national champion of the year as well as the Indian team to be sent to major events like Asian, World and Olympiad championships.

Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran - former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand's second in the recently-concluded world championship in Russia, will be the top seed. The lineup also includes Adhipan, Lalith Babu and Sethuraman, who have all been bronze winners in board prizes at World Chess Olympiads. 

The prize money is about $15,000 and the CMS Bi-Centenary trophy is sponsored by the Church of South India. 

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