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Viktor Laznicka takes the honours

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

Viktor Laznicka.

KOLKATA: Grandmaster Viktor Laznicka of Czech Republic emerged the champion of the third Kolkata Open chess tournament here on Wednesday.

Though the fourth-seeded Czech and India’s super GM and top seed, Krishnan Sasikiran, both earned 8.5 points each at the end of the 10-round Swiss league, Laznicka was declared the winner after applying the rating average method. Laznicka took home a purse of Rs. 2 lakh while Sasikiran earned Rs. 1,60,000.

GM Safin Shukhrat ended third to pocket Rs. 1,20,000. GM Sandipan Chanda, GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh and GM Koneru Humpy finished in that order.

Important victory

“This victory is the most important in my career,” said the 20-year-old. He was absolutely satisfied with his performance not because he won it but the manner in which he achieved the victory.

“It is a very strong tournament and I always fancied that Sasikiran will win. When I was four points out of four rounds, I realised that I stood a good chance of making it because Sasikiran had two draws in the initial rounds,” said the Czech, the youngest to win his country’s National title.

“Going into the final round against the World junior champion Adly Ahmed (of Egypt), I was not sure of my victory because I had lost to him in the World juniors. But today Adly blundered a piece at a crucial stage and I capitalised on it, ” Laznicka said.

Sasikiran, who looked the best bet to win the tournament at least as per the Elo rating, got bogged down in the first four rounds.

“I suppose the two draws I had in the initial rounds robbed me of the title. I am not disappointed but coming off a long lay-off of two and a half months did made me feel rusty,” he pointed out.

Sasikiran went in for a queenside attack after Arun Prasad opted for the Slav defence. After having won a pawn, Sasikiran went on an exchanging spree that earned him a victory on the 53rd move.

Important results (Indians, unless stated otherwise): K. Sasikiran (8.5) bt S. Arun Prasad (7); Adly Ahmed (Egy, 6.5) lost to Viktor Laznicka (Cze, 8.5).

Koneru Humpy (7) drew with Ziaur Rahman (Ban, 7); Rolando Nolte (Phi, 7) drew with Sandipan Chanda (7); Safin Shukhrat (Uzb, 7.5) bt Tejas Bakre (6.5); Ashwin Jayaram (7) bt Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Iri, 6).

Alberto David (Lux, 7) bt Vladimir Dobrov (Rus, 6); Nguyen Anh Dung (Vie, 6.5) drew with S. Kidambi (6.5); Saptarshi Roy (6.5) drew with R.B. Ramesh (6.5); Smbat Lputian (Arm, 6.5) bt G.B. Prakash (6).

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