The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Humpy draws first blood

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

Sport

Sport - Chess

Humpy draws first blood

By A. Joseph Antony

VIJAYAWADA, AUG. 18. Koneru Humpy went one up in the first game against Maxim Sorokin in the Hotel Ilapuram Grandmaster eight-match chess series here on Wednesday.

Sorokin began with a Reti opening to which Humpy responded with Queen's gambit Tartakower variation. Employing this ploy only for the second time, Humpy surprised the Russian Grandmaster.

Looking back, the native of Ekaterinburg was not too sure whether his moves after the 19th were precise. Some moves were repeated but Sorokin struck a different path, seeking an advantage when, in hindsight, he could have gone for a draw.

Humpy wrested the initiative with an a5 break on queenside. Occupation of the e4 square by the local lass proved crucial from where she launched an attack on Sorokin's kingside. Presently, the duo were in time trouble but the mistakes were minor. Sorokin admitted Humpy attacked better in a good game that saw no gross blunders.

Meanwhile, M.R. Lalith Babu shocked Natalia Sorokina in the opening round of the international FIDE-rating chess tournament. Babu with an Elo rating of 2104 as against Sorokina's 2266, capitalised on the two errors the latter made in the 40- move King's Indian defence game.

Humpy's sister Chandrahawsa had equal chances against D. Lakshman Rao until the exchange of major pieces when black took the upper hand. D. Sai Srinivas opened with king pawn, countered by G. Murali Krishna's Sicilian defence. White sustained the attack on the black king that could have taken cover under castling. After the exchange of queens, White's advantage became visible, which Srinivas stretched to victory in 42 moves.

The results (first round): K.V.K. Karthik 1 bt Sk. Khasim 0; D. Sai Srinivas 1 bt G. Muralikrishna 0; M.L.A. Reddy 0 lost to J. Malleswara Rao 1; S. Bhanupriya 0 lost to Y. Sandeep 1; M.R. Lalith Babu 1 bt Natalia Sorokina 0; K. Chandrahawsa 0 lost to D. Lakshmana Rao 1.

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