India’s H Balasubramaniam scored a sensational win over Russian Grandmaster Lugovskoy Maxim in a third round of the fourth Mumbai International GM Chess Tournament 2018, organized by Mumbai City District Chess Association and All India chess federation.
The 15-year-old Chennai-based Balasubramaniam, starting with white, played aggressively and launched a good attack after the 23-year-old Russian GM Maxim opened with the French defence.
The Indian teenager put his rival under a lot of pressure and then capitalized on an error from the Russian to grab his Queen on the 17th move. Maxim with not much options remaining to fight back resigned on the 19th move to hand the upcoming India a creditable victory.
Meanwhile, India’s 35-year-old GM Sandipan Chanda and 20-year-old NR Visakh, the only two players to extend their winning streaks to three, enjoy the lead at the top with three points each.
Sandipan easily defeated compatriot Sammed Jaykumar Shete while Visakh maintained his composure to outwit his Egyptian opponent Ameir Moheb (2327) in 72 moves.
Top ranked Aleksej Aleksandrov of Belarus dropped half a point as he played out a draw with Indian Al Muthaiah and now has 2.5 points to be placed third.
Second ranked Russian Ivan Rozum after sharing a point with Uzbekistan Sarvinoz Kurbonboeva in the second round, returned to winning ways as he overcame India’s Saksham Rautela and is way down the ranking list.
Results – Round 3: IM Muthaiah Al (IND, 2408) 2.5 drew GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (BLR, 2590) 2.5.
GM Chanda Sandipan (IND, 2555) 3 beat Sammed Jaykumar Shete (IND, 2378) 2.
FM Mohammad Fahad Rahman (BAN, 2381) 2.5 drew GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE, 2524) 2.5.
IM Ameir Moheb (EGY, 2327) 2 lost IM Visakh N.R. (IND, 2491) 3.
IM Khusenkhojaev Muhammad (TJK, 2455) 2.5 drew IM Tran Minh Thang (VIE, 2342) 2.5.
IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh (IND, 2437) 2.5 drew IM Kathmale Sameer (IND, 2312) 2.5.
GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (IND, 2550) 2.5 beat FM Wagh Suyog (IND, 2240) 2.
GM Mosadeghpour Masoud (IRI, 2520) 2 drew FM Anuj Shrivatri (IND, 2357) 2.
GM Saptarshi Roy (IND, 2494) 2.5 beat IM Siva Mahadevan (IND, 2333) 1.5.
IM Kulkarni Vikramaditya (IND, 2345) 1.5 lost GM Rahman Ziaur (BAN, 2468) 2.5.
Balasubramaniam H (IND, 2270) 2.5 beat GM Lugovskoy Maxim (RUS, 2445) 1.5.
GM Rozum Ivan (RUS, 2589) 2 beat Saksham Rautela (IND, 2123) 1.5.
Banerjee Sushant (IND, 2198) 1 lost GM Movsziszian Karen (ARM, 2505) 2.
Leaders: 1. GM Chanda Sandipan (IND) – 3 pts. 2. IMVisakh N.R. (IND) – 3 pts. 3. GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (BLR) – 2.5 pts, 4. IM Muthaiah Al (IND) – 2.5 pts, 5-8. GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE), FM Mohammad Fahad Rahman (BAN), IM Kathmale Sameer (IND) – all 2.5 points each.
