The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Indian men drub Mongolia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 25, 2006

Sport

Sport - Chess

Indian men drub Mongolia

NEW DELHI: India turned out to be the most authoritative winner among the top 62 nations in the third round when it drubbed Mongolia 4-0 and stayed firmly on the recovery path in the chess Olympiad at the Oval in Turin on Tuesday.

Even the Indian women had reasons to be pleased after getting past Croatia 2.5-0.5.

Keen to make up for the lost points on the opening day, India fielded its best combination to defeat Mongolia and took nine points. In fact, even in the last Olympiad, India had a similar tally after three victories from as many rounds.

Russia, China and Uzbekistan share the lead with 10.5 points. Three teams are on 10 points and six on 9.5. Then comes India in the company of four others on nine.

With Viswanathan Anand leading from the front, the Indian combination recorded a runaway victory over the 81st seeded Mongolia on the 23rd table. Anand and Hari won with white pieces while K. Sasikiran recorded an easy victory with black on the second board.

Surya Sekhar Ganguly, facing Mongolia's only Grandmaster on the fourth board, made all the right moves to complete an Indian sweep. This was India's second successive 4-0 result having swept aside Cyprus on Monday.

In the ladies' section, India owed it to K. Humpy and debutant Mary Ann Gomes who won with white pieces. However, D. Harika let Lara Stock escape with a draw.

The results (third round):

Open: Russia (10.5) bt Germany (9) 2.5-1.5; Poland (9) lost to Greece (10) 2.5-1.5; Ukraine (10) bt Serbia and Montenegro (8.5) 3-1; Turkey (8) lost to Netherlands (10) 1-3; Australia (7.5) lost to Uzbekistan (10) 0.5-3.5; Iceland (9.5) bt Vietnam (8.5) 2.5-1.5; Slovakia (7.5) lost to China (10.5) 0.5-3.5; Spain (9.5) bt Argentina (7.5) 3-1; India (9) bt Mongolia (5.5) 4-0 (Viswanathan Anand bt Cegmed Batchuluun; Bayarsaihan Gundavaa lost to K. Sasikiran; P. Hari Krishna bt Balgan Bayarmandah; Bazar Hatanbaatar lost to Surya Shekhar Ganguly).

Women: France (6.5) lost to China (8.5); Lithuania (9) bt Latvia (6) 3-0; Russia (8.5) bt Poland (5.5) 3-0; Israel (7.5) bt Hungary (6.5) 2-1; Ukraine (8) bt Mongolia (5.5) 3-0; USA (7.5) bt Cuba (5.5) 2.5-0.5; Romania (8) bt Italy `A' (6) 2.5-0.5; Ecuador (6.5) drew with Germany (6.5) 1.5-1.5; Georgia (6.5) drew with Slovenia (6.5) 1.5-1.5; India (7) bt Croatia (5) 2.5-0.5 (K. Humpy bt Mirjana Medic; Lara Stock drew with D. Harika; Many Ann Gomes bt Vlasta Macek).

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