India poised for glory
Chinese women sole leaders in Asian Nations Cup Chess
dubai — The Indian men’s chess team sailed past Uzbekistan in the penultimate round to close in on the title in the Asian Nations Cup Chess Championship organised by the UAE Chess Federation under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation at the Novotel Abu Dhabi Al Bustan Hotel.
India lead with 15 match points, two points ahead of second placed China. India need only a draw in the last round against Vietnam to grab the crown. A team earns two match points for a win and one point for a draw. Game points over four boards shall break the tie.
In the women’s division, China grabbed the sole lead with 13 points followed by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with 12 points each, India with 11, Vietnam 10, Iran and Mongolia 8 each, UAE-2 with 3, Sri Lanka 2 and UAE-1 with 1 point.
China are the men’s defending champion, having won the Cup eight times. India have won twice in 2005 and 2009.
GM B. Adhiban scored for India as he crushed the Slav Defence of GM Marat Dzhumaev of Uzbekistan in only 21 moves. All three other boards were drawn.
China kept pace by beating Mongolia 3.5-0.5. Kazakhstan edged out Iran 2.5-1.5 to trail alone in third slot with 12 match points. GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev scored the winning point for Kazakhstan by crushing the Gruenfeld Defense of Parham Maghsoodloo in 41 moves. The three other boards were drawn.
In other matches, Bangladesh beat Jordan 3.5-0.5, UAE-1 beat Kyrgyzstan 2.5-1,5, Vietnam blanked Sri Lanka 4:0, Lebanon drew 2:2 with Iraq, Afghanistan beat UAE-2 by 3:1, Oman beat Tajikistan 2.5-1.5, Nepal drew2:2 with Palestine and Kuwait edged UAE-3 by 2.5-1.5.
Iran, UAE-1, Bangladesh and Mongolia share fourth slot with 10 match points each followed by Vietnam and Uzbekistan with 9 each, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan and Oman with 8 each, Lebanon and Sri Lanka at 7 each, UAE-2 with 6 points, Palestine and Kuwait with 5 points each, Nepal 4 and Tajikistan and UAE-3 at 2 each.
In women’s action, China clob- bered Vietnam 3.5-0.5 on wins by GM Ju Wenjun, GM Zho Xue and WGM Tan Zhongyi over Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Hoang Thi Bao Tram and Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, respectively. Vietnam’s board 4 Nguyen Thi Thanh An held Lei Tingjie to a draw to prevent a shutout.
Kazakhstan crushed arch rival and erstwhile leader Uzbekistan as Dinara Saduakassova beat giant killer Nafisa Muminova and Gulmira Dauletova won over Gulrukhbegim Tokhirojonva. Mongolia blanked Sri Lanka 4:0, India shutout UAE-2 by 4:0 and Iran blanked UAE-1 by 4:0.