Thej Kumar shocks Rehman, among leading trio

Thu, May 15 01:15 AM

Karnataka state chess champion and National 'A' player M.S. Thej Kumar is going through a purple patch. Thej Kumar came up with a good performance in the Grandmaster Tournament at Kolkata last month to complete his International Master title, the third person from the state to do so.

On Wednesday, the 27-year-old from Mysore continued his good run and added to the spate of upsets at the Mumbai Mayor's Cup International Open Chess Tournament by upsetting Bangladeshi GM Ziaur Rehman in the fifth round. Thej Kumar shocked the Bangladeshi from the white side of the Tartakower System, capitalising on the mistakes by Rehman for an impressive victory - his fifth in a row in this event that is co-sponsored by Life Insurance Corporation of India, and that is being held at the Goregaon Sports Club.

But, Rehman's compatriots Abdulla Al-Rakib and Uzbeki GM Safin Sukhrat maintained clean slates with easy wins. They were sharing the lead with Thej Kumar, at five points from five games, as overnight joint leaders, second-seed Koneru Humpy, MR Venkatesh, third-seed GM Bartlomiej Macieja of Poland, Reefat Bin Sattar of Bangladesh and others slumped back.

Humpy played out a safe draw with Venkatesh, Macieja managed to salvage a draw against Deep Sengupta of India after a struggle while Sattar was forced to share the point with Indian giant-killer B.T Murali Krishnan, who had upset Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili in the fourth round on Tuesday. Top-seed Michal Krasenkow of Poland and Indian GM Abhijit Kunte too jumped into the second spot with comprehensive wins to join the likes of Humpy, Sengupta, Macieja, Sattar and 11 other players at 4.5 points.

The second board game between Sengupta and Macieja was the most keenly fought battle with the GM having to use all his experience to vanquish his plucky opponent. Sengupta made the most of his chances in the Winawer Varidation of the French Defence and fought back from a minus position after Macieja sacrificed a pawn on the 11 th move to gain activity for his pieces.

Sengupta was saddled with a weak double pawn and also could not guide his King to safety by castling. However, the Indian youngster from Kolkata exchanged the pieces and also managed to maintain his extra pawn, leaving Macieja with no option but to repeat the moves and accept a draw.

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