Ausssie IM Sardana emerges champion

Mumbai, Jan 8 (PTI) Australian IM Rishi Sardana (ELO 2398) clinched the title in the EKA-IIFL Investment Managers 4th Mumbai International Chess Tournament that concluded here on Monday night.

He snatched a significant win over Indian IM Al Muthaiah (2408) in a ninth and concluding round game to emerge the champion.

The 22-year-old Aussie of Indian origin finished with seven points, the same as the three overnight leaders, Vietnamese GM Tran Tuan Minh (2524), and Indians GM Abhimanyu Puranik (2544) and young talent IM D Gukesh (2466), who all drew their final games.

The Vietnam Grandmaster was held to a draw by the 12-year-old Indian lad Gukesh while Puranik shared honours with Russian GM Ivan Rozum (2589) as they played out a draw.

Sardana was declared winner on the basis of a better tie-break score of 47.0 as compared to 46.5 for GM Tran and 43.5 for both Puranik and Gukesh, who finished third and fourth respectively.

In the final game, the winner was engaged in a tense battle with the 19-year-old Muthaiah before pulling through to victory in 72 moves on the fourth board.

Results: Round 9 (Top 10 boards): IM Gukesh D (IND, 2466) 7 drew GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE, 2524) 7; GM Abhimanyu Puranik (IND, 2544) 7 drew GM Ivan Rozum (RUS, 2589) 6.5: IM Visakh N.R. (IND, 2491) 6.5 drew GM Laxman R.R. (IND, 2436) 6.5; IM Rishi Sardana (AUS, 2398) 7 beat IM Al Muthaiah (IND, 2408) 6;GM Ziaur Rahman (BAN, 2468) 6.5 drew GM Kirill Stupak (BLR, 2557) 6; GM Sandipan Chanda (IND, 2555) 5.5 lost IM P. Shyaamnikhil (IND, 2448) 6.5; GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (IND, 2550) 6.5 beat GM Lugovskoy Maxim (RUS, 2445) 5.5; GM Andrei Deviatkin (RUS, 2464) 6.5 beat IM Nguyen Van Huy (VIE, 2438) 5.5; IM Khusenkhojaev Muhammad (TJK, 2455) 6.5 beat Saurabh Anand (IND, 2246) 5.5; IM Sayantan Das (IND, 2453) 6 drew IM V.A.V. Rajesh (IND, 2402) 6.

Final standings (Top 10): 1. IM Rishi Sardana (AUS) 7 points, 2. GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE) 7, 3. GM Abhimanyu Puranik (IND) 7, 4. IM D. Gukesh (IND) 7, 5. GM Ziaur Rahman (BAN) 6.5, 6. GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (IND) 6.5, 7. GM Ivan Rozum (RUS) 6.5, IM Visakh N.R. (IND) 6.5, 9. GM Laxman R.R. (IND) 6.5, 10. IM P. Shyaamnikhil (IND) 6.5