Six players lead with 4.0/4 at 12th Chennai GM Open 2020

by Shahid Ahmed - 21/01/2020

Untitled Harshavardhan G B played brilliantly against GM Mchedlishvili to register his fourth victory of the tournament and be among the leaders with a score of 4.0/4. Top seed GM Pavel Ponkratov was held to a draw by former Commonwealth Champion GM Karthikeyan P. IM P Saravana Krishnan suffered a heartbreaking loss against GM Stanislav Bogdanovich after missing quite a few winning opportunities. Jose Eduardo Martinez, Visakh N R, Sayantan Das and M Khusenkhojaev are the other players who are also in the lead with a score of 4.0/4. The tournament heads for the final double round of the tournament on 21st January. Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Harshavardhan shocks Mchedlishvili with his superb play

Six players are in the lead with a score of 4.0/4. Top seed of the tournament GM Pavel Ponkratov was held to a draw by GM Karthikeyan P. Jose Eduardo Martinez, Harshavardhan G B, Stanislav Bogdanovich, Visakh N R, Sayantan Das and Muhammad Khusenkhojaev are the six players who registered their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament to be among the leaders at the conclusion of round 4 of 12th Chennai GM Open 2020.

Former Commonwealth Gold medalist GM Karthikeyan P (2416) secured a decent advantage out of the Modern Benoni against the top seed of the tournament GM Pavel Ponkratov (RUS, 2622).

Karthikeyan P held Ponkratov to a draw | Photo: Amruta Mokal

GM Jose Eduardo Martinez (PER, 2606) defeated IM Nitin S (2347) in Sicilian Kan after the latter made some inaccuracies in the middle game.

Jose Eduardo Martinez is one of the leaders at 4.0/4 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Harshavardhan G B (2343) played some solid chess and capitalized on his opponent GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili's (GEO, 2578) mistakes to score a full point and be among the leaders.

Focused Harshavardhan | Photo: Jitendra Choudhary

Mchedlishvili - Harshavardhan, Round 4

What should Black do after 16.a3 ?

The 17-year old boy knew that to defeat a strong GM he has to take every chance he gets, playing active chess is the only way to keep chances alive.

White missed an opportunity to get back into the game after 31...Ke7

Can you find out what did White miss after 31...Ke7 ?

Position after 36...Re7

Black has completely consolidated the position and winning the game is just a matter of technique now.

IM P Saravana Krishnan (2313) suffered a heartbreaking loss against GM Stanislav Bogdanovich (UKR, 2562) who is still struggling with his form.

Saravana Krishnan missed quite a few opportunities to win | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Bogdanovich - Saravana Krishnan, Round 4

How should Black continue after 32.Qg2 ?

It is evident that black is dominating the position, but black should not rush into capturing the e3-bishop.

Position after 49...Qf3+

Black can easily settle for a draw by perpetual check with Qh5 and Qf3+, however black need not do that as he can go for a win.

Position after 57.Rd6 ?

Well white should have played 57.Rxf7+ Kxf7 58.Qd7+ and that would have been a draw by perpetual check which is the best result white can ask for here. With 57.Rd6+, white gave another chance to black to go for a win.

Even after trading the queens, the resultant Rook vs Rook and Bishop was also in favor of black but of course it was much difficult. What black needed to do was to push a5 pawn to create some trouble, but instead the white pawns free-flowed and created more trouble for black.

Position after 94...Rg6

Find out the best continuation for white after 94...Rg6.

GM Visakh N R (2518) made a short work of IM Sidhant Mohapatra (2346) in just 32 moves after the latter made an inaccuracy.

Visakh is among the leaders at 4.0/4 | Photo: Amruta Mokal

Untitled Pranav Vijay (2265) missed a wonderful opportunity against GM Karthik Venkataraman (2479) and the game eventually ended up in a draw.

Pranav missed a decisive advantage | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Pranav - Karthik, Round 4

Position after 22...Bxf6

White continued the game with 23.Bg4 which is not the most accurate continuation. Can you find out what did White miss here?

Lakshmi Narayanan M V (2162) was better for the major part of the middle game against GM Vishnu Prasanna (2474). However Lakshmi failed to capitalize on his chances and the game eventually ended up in a draw.

Lakshmi Narayanan - Vishnu, Round 4

Find out the best continuation for black after 30.Nd3

Black continued the game with 30...Rc8 and missed a huge opportunity to create some serious trouble for white.

Priyanka K (2124) missed a winning chance and ended up with a draw against IM Taher Yoseph Theolifus (INA, 2462)

Priyanka made a good start with 3.5/4 | Photo: Jitendra Choudhary

Jubin Jimmy (2193) drew with ease against GM Valeriy Neveory (UKR, 2460)

One of the budding players of Kerala, Jubin Jimmy | Photo: Niklesh Jain

IM Sayantan Das (2424) made a short of compatriot IM Anup Deshmukh (2163) in just 26 moves.

Sayantan Das made a good start with 4.0/4 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Srihari L R (2302) scored a fantastic win over GM Cristhian Camilo Rios (COL, 2498)

Srihari made a great start with 3.5/4 | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Among other upsets, GM Rodrigo Schroeder Vasquez (2487) was held to a draw by IM Murali Krishnan B T (2202), FM Rohit Krishna S (2289) drew with GM Maxim Lugovskoy (2453), Indrajeet Mahindrakar (2066) defeated IM Denis Eraschenkov (2370), GM Levan Pantsulaia (2598) lost to Chirag Satkar (2066), GM Venkatesh M R (2501) drew with Srikrishnan P (1903), Aaditya Dhingra (1897) defeated GM Ziaur Rahman (2434) and Sooraj M R (1874) defeated GM Attila Czebe (2392).

Replay all games

Round 4 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Bdld	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Bdld	FED	Rtg	No.
1	32	GM	Karthikeyan P.		IND	2416	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Ponkratov Pavel		RUS	2622	1
2	2	GM	Martinez Alcantara Jose Eduardo		PER	2606	3	1 - 0	3	IM	Nitin S.		IND	2347	41
3	6	GM	Mchedlishvili Mikheil		GEO	2578	3	0 - 1	3		Harshavardhan G B		IND	2343	43
4	8	GM	Bogdanovich Stanislav		UKR	2562	3	1 - 0	3	IM	Saravana Krishnan P.		IND	2313	49
5	42	IM	Sidhant Mohapatra		IND	2346	3	0 - 1	3	GM	Visakh N R		IND	2518	11
6	55		Pranav V		IND	2265	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Karthik Venkataraman		IND	2479	17
7	18	GM	Vishnu Prasanna. V		IND	2474	3	½ - ½	3	AGM	Lakshmi Narayanan M V		IND	2162	65
8	20	IM	Taher Yoseph Theolifus		INA	2462	3	½ - ½	3		Priyanka K		IND	2124	67
9	60	FM	Jubin Jimmy		IND	2193	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Neverov Valeriy		UKR	2460	21
10	64	IM	Deshmukh Anup		IND	2163	3	0 - 1	3	IM	Das Sayantan		IND	2424	29
11	30	IM	Khusenkhojaev Muhammad		TJK	2420	3	1 - 0	3	FM	Ramakrishna J.		IND	2068	73
12	38	IM	Muthaiah Al		IND	2367	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	Goganov Aleksey		RUS	2583	5
13	39	IM	Ameir Moheb		EGY	2363	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Rozum Ivan		RUS	2573	7
14	46		Senthil Maran K		IND	2328	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	David Alberto		ITA	2562	9
15	12	GM	Yudin Sergei		RUS	2508	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Rathnakaran K.		IND	2329	45
16	50	FM	Srihari L R		IND	2302	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Rios Cristhian Camilo		COL	2498	15
17	16	GM	Vasquez Schroeder Rodrigo		CHI	2487	2½	½ - ½	2½	IM	Murali Krishnan B T		IND	2202	57
18	52	FM	Rohith Krishna S		IND	2289	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Lugovskoy Maxim		RUS	2453	23
19	26	GM	Neelotpal Das		IND	2436	2½	1 - 0	2½		Barath Kalyan M		IND	2091	69
20	68		Bakshi Rutuja		IND	2118	2½	0 - 1	2½	IM	Viani Antonio Dcunha		IND	2417	31
21	112		Umashankar A		IND	1838	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	Sundararajan Kidambi		IND	2414	33
22	36	GM	Manik Mikulas		SVK	2378	2½	1 - 0	2½		Sanket Chakravarty		IND	2055	78
23	74		Mahindrakar Indrajeet		IND	2066	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Eraschenkov Denis		RUS	2370	37
24	3	GM	Pantsulaia Levan		GEO	2598	2	0 - 1	2½		Satkar Chirag		IND	2066	75
25	4	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej		BLR	2592	2	1 - 0	2		Sreekar J S S		IND	1937	95

Complete results

Round 5 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Bdld	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Bdld	FED	Rtg	No.
1	29	IM	Das Sayantan		IND	2424	4		4	GM	Martinez Alcantara Jose Eduardo		PER	2606	2
2	43		Harshavardhan G B		IND	2343	4		4	GM	Bogdanovich Stanislav		UKR	2562	8
3	11	GM	Visakh N R		IND	2518	4		4	IM	Khusenkhojaev Muhammad		TJK	2420	30
4	1	GM	Ponkratov Pavel		RUS	2622	3½		3½	GM	Manik Mikulas		SVK	2378	36
5	5	GM	Goganov Aleksey		RUS	2583	3½		3½	GM	Karthikeyan P.		IND	2416	32
6	9	GM	David Alberto		ITA	2562	3½		3½	IM	Ameir Moheb		EGY	2363	39
7	33	GM	Sundararajan Kidambi		IND	2414	3½		3½	GM	Yudin Sergei		RUS	2508	12
8	17	GM	Karthik Venkataraman		IND	2479	3½		3½	FM	Srihari L R		IND	2302	50
9	67		Priyanka K		IND	2124	3½		3½	GM	Vishnu Prasanna. V		IND	2474	18
10	65	AGM	Lakshmi Narayanan M V		IND	2162	3½		3½	IM	Taher Yoseph Theolifus		INA	2462	20
11	21	GM	Neverov Valeriy		UKR	2460	3½		3½		Pranav V		IND	2265	55
12	75		Satkar Chirag		IND	2066	3½		3½	GM	Neelotpal Das		IND	2436	26
13	31	IM	Viani Antonio Dcunha		IND	2417	3½		3½	FM	Jubin Jimmy		IND	2193	60
14	4	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej		BLR	2592	3		3½		Mahindrakar Indrajeet		IND	2066	74
15	56	GM	Ziatdinov Raset		USA	2203	3		3	GM	Mchedlishvili Mikheil		GEO	2578	6
16	57	IM	Murali Krishnan B T		IND	2202	3		3	GM	Fedorov Alexei		BLR	2562	10
17	13	GM	Stupak Kirill		BLR	2506	3		3		Zia Tahsin Tajwar		BAN	2177	62
18	71		Balkishan A.		IND	2079	3		3	GM	Vasquez Schroeder Rodrigo		CHI	2487	16
19	19	IM	Vignesh N R		IND	2472	3		3	WGM	Kiran Manisha Mohanty		IND	2133	66
20	23	GM	Lugovskoy Maxim		RUS	2453	3		3	IM	Deshmukh Anup		IND	2163	64
21	72	CM	Nikhil Magizhnan		IND	2077	3		3	IM	Mitrabha Guha		IND	2448	24
22	25	IM	Harikrishnan.A.Ra		IND	2444	3		3		Anadkat Kartavya		IND	2082	70
23	73	FM	Ramakrishna J.		IND	2068	3		3	GM	Hesham Abdelrahman		EGY	2429	28
24	79	FM	Chilukuri Sai Varshith		IND	2045	3		3	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H		IND	2413	34
25	83	FM	Vinoth Kumar M.		IND	2012	3		3	IM	Ravichandran Siddharth		IND	2358	40

Complete pairings

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