Vidit jumps to joint lead in Kolkata Open

Kolkata: Former Under 14 world champion Vidit Gujrathi of Maharashtra joined his state mate Abhijit Kunte of PSPB in joint lead with five points each after round six of the 6th Kolkata Open GM Chess Tournament on Sunday.

GM Al Rakib Abdulla of Bangladesh adopted Nimzo Indian defence against GM Vidit and the game went on expected lines until move 19. When Vidit doubled his rooks on the open b-file, Abdulla exchanged one of the rooks to minimise Vidit?s attack. But, Vidit made a stunning rook sacrifice on the 23rd move, leading to a knight fork of Abdulla?s king and queen as the Bangladeshi GM resigned immediately. On the top board, GM Kunte again played it safe to keep the lead, holding the Philippines grandmaster Oliver Barbosa to a draw in 25 moves of an English opening. The second board game between Pantsulaia Levan of Georgia and Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh also ended with a similar result, but it lasted 44 moves. In a same colour bishop ending, Orissa?s only GM Debashis Das had to give up his bishop to prevent Russia?s Konstantin Landa?s pawn on b- file from queening. Debashis resigned on the 41st move. Top seeded Nigel Short of England could not wriggle out of his poor form, as Orissa?s international master Swayams Mishra forced him to concede his third draw in six games to less stronger opponents. Second seeded Sergey Fedorchuk of Russia got the better of Asian Junior champion IM N Srinath of Tamil Nadu and fourth seeded Mchedlishvili Mikheil outwitted former national under 17 champion P Shyam Nikil of Tamil Nadu. Kolkata?s hopes GM Deep Sengupta and IM Diptayan Ghosh came back into reckoning by defeating Abhishk Kelkar of Maharashtra and CRG Krishna of AP respectively. However, GM Neelotpal Das of Kolkata, representing PSPB went down to M. Shaym Sundar, another grandmaster from PSPB. National woman champion Mary Ann Gomes was held to a draw by lower rated Harsha Bharathkoti of AP.