Ivanchuk starts with a win

CHENNAI, MAY 13. Vassily Ivanchuk and Michal Krasenkov of Poland started the Leonid Stein Memorial Tournament in Ukraine with remarkable opening round victories on Friday.

This was Ukraine's first super category tournament at Lviv. It is a six player category 17 tournament. Two of the three opening round games were decisive. In the drawn encounter, Boris Gelfand shared points with veteran Viktor Korchnoi by perpetually checking the white king in 42 moves.

Ukraine's best player, Ivanchuk used an advanced passed pawn to deadly effect to better his former countryman Beliavsky in 41 moves. Beliavsky now stays and plays for Slovenia but has been invited to play in his native country.

The results (1st round): V.Ivanchuk (Ukr) bt A.Beliavsky (Slv), V. Korchnoi (Swz) drew B.Gelfand (Isr), M.Krasenkov (Pol) bt O.Romanishin (Ukr).

Smirin Wins

GM Ilya Smirin, originally from Russia won the New York Open Championship with a 7.5/9 score on Friday to pick up $14,000 and an equisite porcelain chess set donated by Heraldica Imports. In the final round, Smirin won a decisive game against Alexander Grischuk.

A total of 38 grandmasters from 37 countries comprised the 200 participants. Finishing second were GM Igor Khenkin (Ger), GM Nick de Firmian (USA), GM Alexander Goldin (Isr), GM Alexander Ivanov (USA) with 7 each.

Sadvakasov triumphs

Following Asia's strongest closed tournament at the Bali Beach Hotel in Indonesia was the Japfa Open (May 3-11).

GM Darmen Sadvakasov, a former world junior champion from Kazakhstan won this 230-player $20,000 event on tie break scoring 7.5/9.

- Our Chess Correspondent

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