The Hindu : Sport / Chess : World junior chess begins today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 09, 2005

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World junior chess begins today

NEW DELHI: In the absence of defending champion P. Hari Krishna, it appears highly unlikely that the boys' title will return to India from the World junior championship, beginning at Istanbul's Golden Age Hotel on Wednesday.

Eesha Karavade, the surprise bronze medallist in the girls' section last year, along with Kruttika Nadig, Tania Sachdev, N. Raghavi and donor-entrant D. Harika, seeded six; carry India's medal hopes in the 13-round competition.

In the boys' section, talented youngsters like G. N. Gopal, Poobesh Anand, Akshat Khamparia and unofficial entries like Deep Sengupta, G. Rohit and 12-year-old Parimarjan Negi will be the ones to hold the Indian interest.

Asian junior champion S. Arun Prasad skipped the event preferring to play for Oil India Limited in the Petroleum inter-unit tournament.

Sahu as coach

For a change, the All India Chess Federation has appointed seasoned International Master Sekhar Sahu as the coach of the squad.

Negi, the youngest Indian ever to hold four International Master norms, will have the services of Evegeny Vladimirov. The Kazakh, a one-time trainer of Hari and coach of the Indian Olympiad team in 2002, is now Negi's personal coach.

The team: Seeded player: Eesha Karavade; Official entries: Boys: G. N. Gopal, Poobesh Anand, Akshat Khamparia. Girls: Kruttika Nadig, Tania Sachdev and N. Raghavi. Donor entries: Deep Sengupta, G. Rohit, Parimarjan Negi and D. Harika.

Officials: Sekhar Sahu and K. Reddy. — Special Correspondent

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