Indians dominate at Asian Junior Chess C’ships
V.S Rahul of India continued to lead with 5 ½ points out of possible 6 games will meet Sri Lanka’s top seed Ranindu Liyanage in the seventh round at the Asian Junior Chess Championship which is now in progress at Citrus Hotel Waskaduwa. Earlier Rahul drew his colleague from India, International Master Srihari Raghunandan in the sixth round while he beat International Master GB Harshawardana in the fourth round and the top seed, International Master Mitrabha Guha both from India in the fifth round convincingly. Sri Lanka’s 15-year-old FM Susal de Silva also made a tough game finally drew with Indian IM Vardaan Nagpal while Ranindu Liyanage was able to beat his teammate S.D.B.K Seneviratne in the sixth round. Liyanage having 4 points is ranked seventh after the sixth round while Susal de Silva also with 4 points and ranked ninth.
Three International Masters from India, Srihari Rgunandan, GB Harshawardana, and Mitrabha Guha are running behind with 4 ½ points each out of six points.
Meanwhile, Women International Master Shri Savitha of India is also continued to lead in the Asian Junior Girls Chess Championship after she drew her sixth-round game with Melika Mohmmedi of Iran to earn 5 1/2 points out of possible six games. Earlier in the 4th and 5th round, Savitha beat Oshini Gunawardena of Sri Lanka and Women International Master K Priyanka of India convincingly. Oshini drew with her teammate Esandi Newansa in the sixth round and she will meet UAE women’s FM Darwish Al Maamare while Savitha is supposed to meet Women FIDE Master Anousha Mahdian of Iran in the seventh round.
Melika Mohammed from Iran is in second place with five points out of six games while Women International Master K Priyanka of India is in third place with 4 ½ points out of six games in the Girls event. Sri Lanka’s Sanudula Dahamdi and Anousha Mahdian of Iran are closely following Priyanka having four points each.
A total of 54 players, 32 in the Open category and 22 in the Women category are participating in this event which was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka.
(D.R)