The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Ganguly helps India get past Hungary

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Friday, May 26, 2006

Sport

Sport - Chess

Ganguly helps India get past Hungary

NEW DELHI: Surya Shekhar Ganguly's tactical victory over Robert Ruck provided the decisive difference, as India got past Hungary 2.5-1.5 in the fourth round of the chess Olympiad in Turin on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Indian women held third seeded Georgia 1.5-1.5 with Swati Ghate scoring a crushing victory on the second board.

On a day when England's pride suffered a blow at the hands of the Turkish men, Armenia blanked Norway and joined Russia at the top with 13.5 points. Uzbekistan continued to impress after holding defending champion Ukraine on the second table.

Highlight

Ganguly's ruthless destruction of Ruck in just 30 moves was the highlight of the Indian victory. After dominating the contest, Ganguly made the most of a tactical opportunity and threatened to win a minor piece following the exchange of queens. At this point, Ruck resigned.

On the other boards, the battles were more evenly fought. On the top board, V. Anand played black and drew in a rook and pawn ending with Zoltan Almasi in 49 moves. Sasikiran needed seven moves less to reach a similar ending on the second table. P. Hari Krishna's grim battle after offering a rook for a knight on the 32nd move led him to a draw in 49 moves.

India, with 11.5 points, plays China next in a battle of the continent's chess super powers.

In the ladies' section, Swati drubbed former World junior girls' champion Nana Dzagnidze to offset the loss suffered by a passive Mary Ann Gomes. Swati's 34-move victory came as a result of her kingside offensive with a queen and two rooks. Later, Humpy drew in 65 moves on the top board.

The results (fourth round):

Open: China (11.5) lost to Russia (13.5) 3-1; Uzbekistan (12.5) drew with Ukraine (12); 2-2; Netherlands (13) bt Greece (11) 3-1; Bulgaria (12) bt Brazil (11) 2.5-1.5; Armenia (13.5) bt Norway (9.5) 4-0; Iceland (11) lost to Spain (12) 1.5-2.5; Germany (10.5) lost to Georgia (11.5); 1.5-2.5; Hungary (10.5) lost to India (11.5) 1.5-2.5 (Zoltan Almasi drew with V. Anand; K. Sasikiran drew with Ferenc Berkes; Csaba Balogh drew with P. Hari Krishna; Surya Shekhar Ganguly bt Robert Ruck); USA (11.5) bt Poland (10) 3-1.

Women: Russia (11.5) bt Lithuania (9) 3-0; China (9.5) lost to Ukraine (10) 1-2; USA (9.5) bt Romania (9) 2-1; Bulgaria (9.5) bt Israel (8.5) 2-1; Georgia (8) drew with India (8.5) 1.5-1.5 (Nino Khurtsidze drew with K. Humpy; Swati Ghate bt Nana Dzagnidze; Lela Javakhishvili bt Mary Ann Gomes); Slovenia (8) drew with Germany (8) 1.5-1.5; Hungary (9) bt France (6.5); 2.5-0.5; Greece (8.5) bt Belarus (7.5) 2-1; Armenia (8.5) bt Ecuador (7.5) 2-1.

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