ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship 2015

Round 11

Overnight leaders GM Karthikeyan Murali of Tamil Nadu and GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi of PSPB drew their respective games to keep the lead between them at the end of the eleventh round of the ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship, organised by Tiruvarur District Chess Association at Kasi’s Inn today. They have scored 7.5 points each and three players defending champion SP Sethuraman of PSPB, newcomer to National Premier K Praneeth Surya of Telangana and IM P. Karthikeyan of Railways are behind by one point.

Vidit, playing the Classical variation against his teammate Neelotpal Das’s Nimzo Indian defence, gave up his rook for a knight and pawn. Later, Neelotpal gave back the exchange to mount pressure on Vidit’s king, but could not maintain the tempo, irrespective of the fact that he won exchange again. The truce was signed after 48 moves.

Defending champion GM Sethuraman of PSPB is back to winning ways and today, playing black, he triumphed by overcoming the challenge of IM Arghyadip Das of Railways in a Pirc defence game. The exchange sacrifice by Das on 25th move was not wise enough. Though he launched a series of attacks on Sethuraman’s king, Sethuraman forced exchange of his queen and rook for Das’s queen and bishop. With plenty of pawns on hand, win for Sethuraman was much easier.

K Praneeth Surya, the find of the tournament attacked with Rossolimo variation to the Sicilian defence by his opponent GM MR Venkatesh of PSPB. Consuming a very long time on his clock during the middle game, Praneeth played most of the latter half of the game under time pressure. It did not deter him and he played accurately, sacrificing his bishop. Venkatesh’s dormant queen came alive in the finishing stage and that too only to be exchanged for a rook. A fine win has put Praneeth, the lowest ranked player in the tournament, in a good position and is poised to stand high in the ranking. A win in the next round will fetch him the coveted GM norm.

When Abhijit Kunte of PSPB began with king side fianchetto, Karthikeyan Murali counter balanced it with the reversed King’s Indian attack. Keeping safety in mind, Karthikeyan accepted the draw offer by Kunte to raise his tally to 7.5 points. Handling the black side of Queens Indian defence, IM P. Karthikeyan of Railways also agreed for a quick draw with his teammate IM Swapnil Dhopade, after completing the stipulated 25 number of moves to offer or accept a draw.

IM K Rathnakaran of Railways answered with the two-knight variation to the Caro Kann defence by GM M Shyam Sundar of AAI. After exchanging all pieces except opposite coloured bishops, they settled for a draw after 48 moves. IM P. Shyaam Nikhil of Tamil Nadu chose the Rubinstein variation against the Nimzo Indian defence by former under 12-world champion Deep Sengupta of PSPB. In the knight and pawn ending, Shyaam sacrificed his knight to extricate half a point.

Results of eleventh Round

GM Sethuraman (right) has limped back to top, by beating IM Arghyadip Das


Top boards in action - Vidit vs Neelotpal and Karthikeyan Murali vs Kunte

Karthikeyan (right) drew his game against GM Abhijit Kunte to keep in the front

ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship 2015

Round 9

Vidit Santosh Gujrathi of PSPB maintained his unbeaten record and a lead by full point, beating the second placed P. Karthikeyan of Railways in the ninth round of the ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship, organised by Tiruvarur District Chess Association, today. Karthikeyan Murali of Tamil Nadu moved ahead of Karthikeyan to second place with six points, winning over his team mate P. Shyaam Nikhil.

In the Closed Catalan game, both Vidit and Karthikeyan played a cautious and error free middle game. A good combination of pieces led to the loss of exchange to Karthikeyan on 25th move. Though Karthikeyan won a pawn on the 32nd move, Vidit’s control of long diagonal by his queen and bishop daunted him. Karthikeyan resigned on 36th move, when he was about to lose his knight.

Karthikeyan Murali is on a roll, as he has secured five wins and two draws, after first two rounds loss. The victim in this round was his team mate P. Shyaam Nikhil, who preferred to play Modern defence. In the middle game, Shyaam lost two valuable pawns and when Karthikeyan won one more pawn, Shyaam did not hesitate to resign on the 36th move.

In a wild game, IM Arghyadip Das of Railways accepted the queen’s gambit by IM Swapnil Dhopade also of Railways and both had premature pawn movements. On the 16th move, Swapnil made a wrong knight manoeuvre, resulting in the loss of two pawns. Swapnil posed threats to Arghyadip’s king with rook and bishops. Once the king reached a safe position protected by his pawns, Arghyadip counter attacked and grabbed another pawn to win the game.

GM Neelotpal Das of PSPB started his defence against IM K Rathnakaran of Railways with the Kopec system of Sicilian defence. Rathnakaran gave up his rook for a knight, hoping to push the two connected centre pawns. Neelotpal had a completely commanding position and was about to march his pawn to eighth rank, but moved his rook, allowing Rathnakaran to make perpetual check and escape with a draw.

Employing neo-Grunfeld defence, defending champion GM SP Sethuraman of PSPB played out a formal 25 move draw with former national champion and his team mate GM Abhijit Kunte. In the Bishop’s opening encounter between the two Tamil Nadu GMs M Shyam Sundar of AAI and MR Venkatesh of PSPB, the former played an attacking game. But, Venkatesh defended patiently to get away with half a point. K Praneeth Surya, playing against the third highest rated player Deep Sengupta was on par with his opponent throughout the game. He drew the game comfortably by constantly threatening Deep’s king in a queen and pawns ending.

Sri DV Sundar, Vice President of World Chess Federation inaugurated the ninth round.

Results of ninth round

Defending champion GM SP Sethuraman (right) had a formal draw against GM Abhijit Kunte


GM Karthikeyan Murali (right) overtook Karthikeyan to second spot by beating IM P Shyaam Nikhil

GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi maintains his unbeaten record in the championship and IM P Karthikeyan slips


IM Arghyadip Das dominated IM Swapnil Dhopade in ninth round

Round 7

Vidit Santosh Gujrathi of PSPB, former under 14 world champion extended his sole lead with 5.5 points by beating IM Arghyadip Das of Railways for the only decisive result in the seventh round of the ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship 2015, organised by Tiruvarur District Chess Association at Kasi’s Inn today. He is one point ahead of IM P. Karthikeyan of Railways, who remained on second spot.

In a Slav defence played by Arghyadip, Vidit gained a slight advantage on the 33rd move by forking his opponent’s king and rook. The two rooks vs rook and knight ending looked like a draw, when Arghyadip committed a minor mistake of moving his rook instead of knight on the 43rd move. Another mistake on the very next move cost the game to Arghyadip.

In an intense struggle of Ruy Lopez opening game, IM P Shyaam Nikhil of Tamil Nadu fought gallantly against former under 16 world champion and defending champion SP Sethuraman of PSPB. He capitalised on a couple of mistakes by Sethuraman and was in a commanding position. Shyaam blundered on 53rd move forcing an exchange of queens and could not regain the advantage to settle for a draw after 83 moves. Thus, Sethuraman avoided the embarrassing hat trick of losses.

The English opening between grandmasters M. Shyam Sundar of AAI and Neelotpal Das of PSPB ended peacefully, each getting the share of half point after 35 moves.

After two successive losses in the previous rounds, former Commonwealth champion salvaged a draw against GM elect Swapnil Dhopade of Railways. Swapnil could not get a full point in the rook vs rook and pawn ending, leading to a Philidor position.

In a promising position arising from Bishop’s opening, IM K Rathnakaran of Railways did not continue correctly to slip to a draw with his team mate IM P. Karthikeyan.

After exchanging the queens on 19th move, Praneeth made a steady progress and he had a good advantage until 34th move, irrespective of Karthikeyan having a double bishop. At this juncture, Praneeth went into shell, deciding to stop the advancement of Karthikeyan’s a- and b- pawns and lost his advantage. The game petered out to a draw after 56 moves. The half point was enough for Praneeth to secure his first nine game IM norm.

Playing the black side of Ruy Lopez opening, GM MR Venkatesh of PSPB held his team mate and former under 12 world champion Deep Sengupta in a rook and pawn end game.

Results of Seventh Round

Giant killer Praneeth Surya drew with GM Karthikeyan Murali


GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi registered the only win of the day, beating IM Arghyadip Das

IM Rathnakaran missed a good position and drew with IM P. Karthikeyan

ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship 2015

Round 4

Four players, grandmaster SP Sethuraman and Vidit Santosh Gujrathiof PSPB, international masters P. Karthikeyan and Arghyadip Das of Railways shared the lead with three points each at the end of the fourth round of the 53rd National Premier Chess Championship organised by Tiruvarur District Chess Association, at Kasi’s Inn, Tiruvarur today.

In an absorbing struggle arising from Catalan opening, both Sethuraman and GM M Shyam Sundar of AAI played an attacking game. After exchanging the queens, Sethuraman managed to win a pawn on 34th move, resulting three chain pawns to him, compared to that of two isolated pawns to Shyam. In a rook and knight ending, Shyam committed hara-kiri by exchanging the rooks and the extra pawn helped Sethuraman to secure a valuable point in 57 moves.

Two games had connected pawns on a- and b- files in the end game, both of them producing victories. IM Arghyadip of Railways, who is in good nick, threatened to queen his a- pawn and Praneeth transferred the attack to king side by sacrificing his knight. Unperturbed Arghyadip accepted it; sacrificed his bishop and posted his rook on seventh rank, leading to a winning combination. The game ended after 37 moves in Arghyadip’s favour.

IM Swapnil Dhopade of Railways held the upper hand against his team mate IM K Rathnakaran in an English opening, lasting 47 moves. His connected pawns on a- and b- files had a decisive advantage, in addition to a knight outpost. When Rathnakaran had to lose his knight to stop the marching a- pawn of Swapnil, the end in favour of the latter was not far off.

Likewise, pawns on a- and b- files could not produce a win for P. Karthikeyan in a Reti opening against GM Deep Sengupta of PSPB. Though Karthikeyan had an extra pawn, Deep had a stout defence in the opposite colour bishop ending and repeated the position to get away with a draw. Sixteen year old grandmaster Karthikeyan Murali of Tamil Nadu recorded his second successive win in the tournament by beating GM Neelotpal Das of PSPB in the exchange variation of Spanish opening. Karthikeyan played an enterprising end game, pocketing a pawn on an unexpected 31st move. When Neelotpal doubled his rooks on g- file, planning for a lethal attack, Karthikeyan sacrificed his rook for a knight to obtain an unassailable position and Neelotpal had no hesitation to resign immediately.

In the fast paced Neo Grunfeld defence between former Commonwealth champion GM Abhijit Kunte of PSPB and international master P. Shyaam Nikhil of Tamil Nadu, the players exchanged all the pieces except opposite colour bishops to reach a draw position after 26 moves.

Results of Fourth Round:

IM Arghyadip Das joined the leaders at the top, beating K Praneeth Surya


16 year old GM Karthikeyan Murali defeated GM Neelotpal Das twice older than him


GM elect Swapnil Dhopade recovered from his third round loss to overcome IM K Rathnakaran

While IM P Karthikeyan drew with GM Deep Sengupta on first board, defending champion SP Sethuraman outwitted GM M Shyam Sundar

Round 3

Former Under 16 world chess champion SP Sethuraman of PSPB bounced back from his second round loss to score a crucial win over Deep Sengupta also of PSPB, third highest ranked player of the tournament in the third round of the ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Championship, organised by Tiruvarur District Chess Association at Kasi’s Inn, Tiruvarur today. Both overnight leaders Vidit Santosh Gujrathi of PSPB and P. Karthikeyan of Railways drew their respective games with Shyaamnikhil of Tamil Nadu and Neelotpal Das of PSPB to continue to share the lead with 2.5 points each.

Sethuraman adopted the O’kelly variation of Sicilian defence against Deep and the game later transposed to Alapin. Actually, when Sethu played 24th Bb5 move, Deep had a superior position than his opponent. Two more moves later, he missed another chance to go for a big win, when Sethu played Be2. By exchanging the light coloured bishops, Deep threw the point to Sethuraman and adding to the woes, he also lost the dark coloured bishop in the process. Relieved Sethu played a cool game to pick up a valuable point from a formidable opponent.

Though new to the format of round robin tournament, debutant to National Premier Chess Championship, K Praneeth Surya of Telangana displayed his prowess to outwit GM elect Swapnil Dhopade of Railways. In the battle between the winner and runner up of the National Challengers Championship, Praneeth, the runner up rose up to the occasion under time pressure to expose the opponent’s unguarded king. He first sacrificed his knight on 35th move and went further to sacrifice his rook for a bishop to finish the game in style.

Former under 16 world champion Karthikeyan Murali and grandmaster MR Venkatesh of PSPB played the Steinitz defence deferred variation of Ruy Lopez opening. In a queen, rook and pawns ending, Karthikeyan deflected his opponent’s rook away from guarding his king by sacrificing a pawn. Venkatesh fell into the trap and lost a valuable point and is yet to score in the tournament.

In the French advanced set up of Sicilian defence, both Rathnakaran and Abhijit Kunte fianchettoed their bishops on the king side. The latter enjoyed a slight advantage in the middle game after an exchange of queens on 20th move. Rathnakaran lost the exchange to remove the active bishop and Kunte converted the advantage to an easy win in 47 moves.

In the Sveshnikov variation of Sicilian defence, former under 14 world champion Vidit Santosh Gujrathi traded the queens with IM P. Shyaamnikhil of Tamil Nadu on 23rd move. Posting the two rooks on seventh rank, he tried to carve out a win using his outside passer pawn. But, Shyaam did not relent; went for counter attack, forcing repetition of position and extricated half a point from Vidit. Neelotpal Das of PSPB and P. Karthikeyan had a peaceful draw in a game arising from Evans gambit accepted in 25 moves.

Grandmaster M. Shyam Sundar of AAI played the symmetrical queen pawn opening against Arghyadip Das of Railways. Das tried to repeat the position for a draw, but Shyam disallowed it. Anyhow, the longest game of the tournament until the third round ended in a tame draw.

Results of Third Round

Debutant FM K Praneeth Surya stunned GM elect Swapnil Dhopade


Former under 16 world champion GM Karthikeyan Murali registered his first win of the tournament, beating GM MR Venkatesh

GM SP Sethuraman recorded a crucial win over GM Deep Sengupta, third highest rated player of the tournament


Former British champion GM Abhijit Kunte (right) defeated IM K rathnakaran of Railways