Sai Krishna stuns B’desh GM Rakib

FM Sai Krishna G.V. of India snatched a morale-boosting win over Bangladesh GM Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib in a tense eighth round match of the Mumbai Mayor's Cup International Open Chess Tournament 2017.

Sai Krishna (ELO 2339) and ranked 26th capitalized on a lapse by seventh ranked Al Rakib (ELO 2484) and turned it to his advantage to come out a winner.

Sai Krishna initially went for the king pawn opening but as the game progressed switched to the Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence Deferred game. The Bangladesh GM seemed to have lost focus a bit and a slight miscalculation with the king on the 44th move allowed the Indian to get into a better position. Sai Krishan fully exploited the situation by pressurizing his opponent with a couple of checkmates. The visiting Al Rakib faced with a grim position and with no way out accepted defeat on 52nd move. At the end of eight rounds, Sai Krishna joins compatriots GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. and GM Neelotpal Das, Ukraine GM Tukhaev Adam and Vietnam’s GM Nguyen Duc Hoa at the top of the heap, all with 6.5 points each. With two rounds remaining it will depend on which of the five players at the top manage to hold their nerves and try to emerge victorious.

Meanwhile, top ranked GM Amonatov Farrukh fighting to stay close to the leaders scored a win against GM Babujian Levon of Armenia.

Amonatov started the game with Benoni defence and planned his strategy well. On the 15thmove Amonatov offered his pawn and started attacking Levon’s King and by the 25th move he gained control of the game and then with help of the Rook and Queen he attacked on Levon’s King and forced him to resign.

Results – Round 8 (top 10 boards): GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (2480, IND) 6.5 points drew with GM Tukhaev Adam (2567, UKR) 6.5; GM Ghosh Diptayan (2569, IND) - 6 drew with GM Neelotpal Das (2438, IND) - 6.5; GM Grover Sahaj (2485, IND) - 6 drew with GM Hossain Enamul (2464, BAN) - 6; FM Sai Krishna G.V. (2339, IND) - 6.5 beat GM Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib (2484, BAN) - 5.5; GM Deviatkin Andrei (2481, RUS) - 6 drew with IM Khusenkhojaev Muhammad (2424, TJK) - 6; GM Nguyen Duc Hoa (2477, VIE) - 6.5 beat GM Murshed Niaz (2423, BAN) - 5.5; GM Babujian Levon (2438, ARM) 5.5 lost to GM Amonatov Farrukh (2635, TJK) - 6; GM Rahman Ziaur (2526, BAN) - 6 beat IM D.P. Singh (2132, IND) - 5; FM Nitish Belurkar (2279, IND) - 5.5 drew with IM Karthikeyan P. (2502, IND) - 5.5; FM Rathanvel V.S. (2332, IND) 5.5 drew with IM Nitin S. - 5.5.