The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Sasikiran makes a winning start

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Sport - Chess

Sasikiran makes a winning start

NEW DELHI: K. Sasikiran made a winning start in the Aerosvit chess tournament in Foros, Ukraine, by beating USA’s Alexander Onischuk on Monday.

Sasikiran, seeded sixth in the 12-Grandmaster field that boasts of an average rating of 2693, cruised to victory in 35 moves of Queen’s Indian.

The victory saw Sasikiran share the lead with the day’s other two winners Cuba’s Lenier Dominguez Perez and Spain’s Alexei Shirov.

Playing white, Sasikiran offered a rook for a bishop and pawn on the 18th move and went on to gain a kingside pawn on the 27th move. A struggling Onishcuk gave up when faced with the prospect of losing a piece without improving his chances of survival.

Home favourite and top seed Vassily Ivanchuk drew with compatriot Sergei Karjakin in 23 moves of Sicilian’s Modern Dragon. This 11-round all-play-all event ends on June 29.

The results (first round): K. Sasikiran bt Alexander Onishcuk (USA); Lenier Perez Dominuez (Cub) bt Loek van Wely (Ned); Sergey Karjakin (Ukr) drew with Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr); Liviu-Diter Nisipeanu (Rom) drew with Dmitry Jakovenko (Ru s); Peter Svidler (Rus) drew with Pavel Eljanov (Ukr); Alexei Shirov (Esp) bt Sergei Rublevsky (Rus).