The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Harikrishna a firm contender

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 06, 2005

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Sport - Chess

Harikrishna a firm contender

BERMUDA, FEB. 5. Well begun is half done. But many hurdles still remain in the path of World junior champion P. Harikrishna at the half-way stage in the Bermuda International Invitational tournament now in progress here.

The Indian Grandmaster, who is in joint lead on three points after five rounds, will take on another joint leader Giovanni Vescovi of Brazil in the sixth round in the six-players double round-robin tournament.

The fact that Harikrishna has three white games to come out of remaining five, makes him a firm contender for the title in his first category-17 all-play-all tournament.

Gelfand is the other leader in the event and he will play against tailender Bartlomiej Macieja of Poland, who struck form in the last round by beating Vescovi.

The third encounter sees Ukrainian champion Andrei Volokitin taking on Cuban Lenier Dominiguez. In their earlier contest in the event, Dominiguez had a smooth sailing over his younger rival and Volokitin has been anxiously waiting for this return game.

Of the three leaders, Harikrishna has gained maximum thus far. Already the Indian is adding seven ELO points to his kitty and if he does well in the rounds to come, Harikrishna, presently 2632, will be very close to achieving the 2650 mark, a milestone for Grandmasters.

The biggest hurdle in Harikrishna's quest will be Gelfand, who also gets three white games out of next five. In all likelihood, the round-8 clash between the two will be a deciding factor for the championship. — PTI

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