New Delhi (14 Jan 2011): Top seed Ukrainian Grandmaster Alexander Areshchenko defeated Grandmaster Mikhailo Oleksienko in the ninth round to emerge as sole leader in the
9th Parsvnath International Open Chess Tournament at Ludlow Castle Sports Complex here on Friday.
Other overnight joint leaders, sixth seed Grandmaster
Parimarjan Negi signed the peace treaty against third seed
Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine and Slovenian Grandmaster Lenic Luka settled for half point against Grandmaster S Kidambi.
Playing with white pieces in Sicilian Defence, Areshchenko maneuvered his pieces to good effect in the middle game to fetch full point against his country mate Grandmaster rival in 72 moves while Negi and Kuzubov agreed to split the point after 40 moves arrived out of Reti opening.
Negi, Kuzubov, Lenic and Kidambi along with Grandmaster Henrik Danielsen of Iceland are in joint second spot with adrift of half point from the leader. Two more round remaining in this Rs. 1.35 million prize money tournament.
In other important ninth round encounters, city based
International Master Sahaj Grover held Grandmaster Evgeny Postny of Israel while former world junior champion
Abhijeet Gupta satisfied with half point against fellow
Grandmaster R R Laxman. International Master Shyam Nikil held Grandmaster Konstantin Chernyshov of Russia to a creditable draw.
