Saranya holds GM Solodovnichenko in Chennai Open

Chennai, Jan 19 (PTI) Woman FIDE Master J Saranya of Chennai held Grandmaster Yuri Solodovnichenko (Ukraine) to a draw in the second round of the 10th Chennai Open International Chess tournament here today.

Top-seed GM Timur Gareyev of USA defeated Maharashtra girl Mrudul Dehenkar and Sergei Tiviakov (Netherlands) scored over P Bala Kannamma to lead a bunch of players at the top with two points each.

Sharing the lead are GMs Tukhaev Adam, Vitaly Sivuk (both Ukraine), Tran Tuan Minh (Vietnam), Marat Dzhumaev (Uzbekistan), Pruijssers Roeland (the Netherlands), Adam Horvath, Czebe Attila (both Hungary), Deepan Chakkravarthy and R R Laxman (both India), among others.

The 266-player 10-round Swiss tournament concludes on January 25.

Important results (Round 2) (Indians unless specified): Timur Gareyev (USA) 2 bt Mrudul Dehankar (1), Sergei Tiviakov 2 bt P Bala Kannamma (1), J Saranya (1.5) drew with Turi Solodovnichenko (Ukr) 2, Adam Tukhaev (Ukr) 2 bt Tarini Goyal (1), Thanki Hemal Karsanji (1) lost to Vitaly Sivuk (Ukr) 2, Manu David Suthandram R (1) lost to Tran Tuan Minh (2);

Roeland Pruijssers (Ned) 2 bt K G Chaithanyaa (1), P Mythireyan (1.5) drew with P Karthikeyan (1.5), Nguyen Phuoc Tam (Vie) 1 lost to Adam Horvath Adam (Hun) 2, Karthik Venkataraman (2) bt Rajarishi Karthi (1), A Balkishan (1) lost to J Deepan Chakkravarthy (2)