The Armenian Grandmaster duo Robert Hovhannisyan and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan drew their top board game in the SDAT-RAMCO 50th World Junior & 29th Junior Girls Chess Championships 2011, at Chennai, India Friday. The draw helped Hovhannisyan keep his half point lead at 8.5 points, followed by fellow Armenian Ter-Sahakyan and Dariusz Swiercz (Poland) at 8.0 points. Sharing the fourth spot were GMs Adhiban Baskaran (India) and Ray Robson (USA), photo below, at 7.5 points.



GM Ray Robson (USA)



Ozturk Kubra (Turkey)

Woman Grandmaster Cori Tello Deysi of Peru maintained her stay on top, holding Ozturk Kubra (photo above) of Turkey to a draw. The Peruvian girl pressed for victory and stretched herself as the game went into a knight versus three pawns ending. Kubra defended accurately, as the marathon game concluded after 75 moves. Russian Girya Olga joined Cori Deysi on top after scoring over Mammadova Gulnar Marfat Qizi of Azerbaijan. Cori Deysi and Girya Olga lead the table with 8.5 points and are followed by Ozturk Kubra (Turkey), Bulmaga Irina (Romania) and Dogodkina Julia (Russia) at 7.0 points. A seizable 1.5 lead with three rounds to go, makes the leading duo strong title contenders.

In the second board (photo above), Swiercz Dariusz of Poland inflicted on Indian FM Girish A Koushik his second consecutive defeat.



Axel Rombaldoni (Italy)

Also facing continuous defeat was Italian Axel Rombaldoni who went down to Indian Grandmaster Adhiban Baskaran. The Catalan opening was featured between Adhiban and Rombaldoni, and an early queen sortie by the Italian appeared a bit unusual. A misplaced knight on the corner of the board added to Romabaldoni's woes. Adhiban pounced on the lack of development, sacrificing a knight on the 20th move. Capturing the knight was a taboo, and Rombaldoni lost his exchange, even as his position was compromised. The Italian called it quits five moves later, as he could not prevent the decisive seventh rank entry of white pieces.

WGM Keti Tsatsalshvili (Georgia)

Chief Arbiter R Antharam confirmed the following nine game Norms viz., Grandmaster Norm for Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (India),  and International Master Norms to Janev Tihomir of Bulgaria and Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus. Among girls, Kulon Klaudia of Poland gained a 9 game WIM Norm. Israel Grandmaster Tamir Nabaty withdrew on health grounds, after the conclusion of the tenth round.

Round 10 Results (Open) (Indians unless specified)

Hovhannisyan Robert (ARM) 8.5 drew with Ter-Sahakyan Samvel(ARM) 8, Swiercz Dariusz (POL) 8 beat Girish A  Koushik(7), Martinovic Sasa (CRO) 6.5 lost to Robson Ray (USA) 7.5, Adhiban Baskaran (7.5) beat IM Rombaldoni Axel (ITA) 6.5, Shimanov Aleksandr(RUS) 6.5 drew with Durarbeyli Vasif (AZE) 7, Salgado Lopez Ivan (ESP) 6 lost to Roganovic Milos (SRB) 7, Grover Sahaj(6.5) drew with GM Grandelius Nils (SWE) 6.5, Salem A R  Saleh (UAE) 6 lost to Sethuraman S P (7),  Rasulov Vugar Ural Oglu (AZE) 6.5 drew with Krysa Leandro (ARG) 6.5, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi(6.5) drew with Huschenbeth Niclas (GER) 6.5, Narayanan S L (6) lost to Krejci Jan (CZE) 7, Sjugirov Sanan (RUS) 6.5 beat Firat Burak (TUR) 5.5, Shyam Sundar M (6) drew with Barbosa Evandro Amorim (BRA) 6

Degrande Marigje (Belgium)

Round 10 Results (Girls) (Indians unless specified)

Ozturk Kubra (TUR) 7 drew with Cori T Deysi (PER) 8.5, Girya Olga (RUS) 8.5 beat Mammadova Gulnar Marfat Qizi(AZE) 6.5, Bulmaga Irina (ROU) 7 beat Semenova Elena (RUS) 6.5, Hoang Thi Nhu Y (VIE)6.5 drew with Padmini Rout (6.5), Dogodkina Julia (RUS) 7 beat Kulon Klaudia (POL) 6, Agrest Inna (SWE)7 beat Michelle Catherina P (6), Paikidze Nazi (GEO)6.5 beat Kazimova Narmin Nizami Qizi (AZE) 5.5, Savina Anastasia (RUS) 6 drew with Lkhamsuren Uuganbayar (MGL) 6, Nakhbayeva Guliskhan (KAZ) 6 beat Chandika Divyasree (5.5), Kulkarni Bhakti (6) beat  Nandhidhaa P V (5), Saranya J (5.5) lost to Tsatsalashvili Keti (GEO) 6.5

Pratyusha Bodda (India)

R R Vasudevan
Press Officer
World Junior Chess Championships 2011