Grandmaster Harika shares spoils in fifth, sixth rounds of Abu Dhabi Chess Festival

ABU DHABI: Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli played out two draws against compatriot Eesha Karavade and Spain’s Antonio Pazos Porta in the fifth and sixth rounds respectively of the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival.

The World No.9 Indian, playing with white pieces for her first game of the day, got off to a flying start against Eesha. But she could not capitalise on the advantage as Eesha blocked all possibilities to make inroads and lead the game towards neutral territory.

“I didn’t see much happening in the first game and offered a draw, which she gladly accepted,” Harika said after her first-round game.

The draw in the fifth round put Harika up against FM Pazos Porta of Spain. She had to be at her defensive best to contain the attack from her Spanish opponent.

However, it was the Spanish who offered to share the spoils after just 20 moves and Harika accepted.

“The position was dead equal and my opponent couldn’t break my defensive strategy, so he offered a draw,” the Hyderabadi said after her second game of the day.

After six rounds in the nine-round Swiss tournament, Harika has registered two wins, three draws and just one loss.

She will take on CM Suleymanli Aydin of Azerbaijan for her seventh-round clash and will look to bounce back from the three consecutive draws. MUMBAI: Chief football coach Stephen Constantine doesn’t want to dwell on the past and said India’s ninematch winning streak will count for nothing if they fail to qualify for the Asian Cup.

India registered their ninth win on the trot when they trounced Mauritius in the trination series opener 2-1, courtesy strikes by forwards Robin Singh and Balwant Singh on either sides of the break.

“It (nine wins on the trot) makes nothing if we don’t qualify for the Asian Cup, that’s what it means. I am proud to have made this little bit of history but if I don’t qualify for the Asian Cup, what’s the use of nine wins in a row, or 10 or 11 or 12,” he told reporters on Saturday night.

“Records are there and they are nice. It is important to win, we want to win to continue to win, but our focus is 1000 per cent on Macau. We need to get something in that game (against Macau), bring home and finish it (qualify),” he quipped ahead of the game on September 5.

Constantine said his team

Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli, who is the World No. 9 Indian, will take on CM Suleymanli Aydin of Azerbaijan for her seventh-round clash and will look to bounce back from the three consecutive draws at the Internation Chess Festival