Neelotpal nails Vishal to surge ahead

JAMSHEDPUR, OCT. 14. International Master Neelotpal Das (Goodricke National Chess Academy) shot into sole lead on five points with an emphatic victory over triple IM norm holder Vishal Sareen (Life Insurance Corporation) in the 5th round of the Tata Steel 38th National B chess championship here today.

Six players share the second position with 4.5 points in their kitty - GM norm holder Sandipan Chanda (GNCA), IM Atanu Lahiri (WB), IM K. Murugan (TN), IM Tejas Bakre (IA), IM S.C. Sahu (BSB) and R. Balasubramanium (Railways).

Neelotpal gave a fantastic display of his deep opening preparation to beat Vishal in a one-sided game with black pieces. Vishal was the first to falter when on his 13th turn, he tried to deviate from regular theory to allow a positional bind on the queenside. Neelotpal kept a close vigil in the ensuing position and exerted pressure with the help of his well placed minor pieces.

In time pressure, Vishal failed to put up a stiff resistance and had to part with a piece and the rest was a matter of routine technique for Neelotpal.

Sandipan made short work of G.B. Joshi of Indian Airlines in a Sicilian Taimanov defence game with black pieces.

Impressed with his teammate V.S. Negi's victory over IM Sharad Tilak yesterday, Joshi employed the same attacking set up but was up against a new idea in the middlegame.

The pawn chain on on the king side became vulnerable soon and Sandipan collected one pawn on the queenside. Joshi tried for further complications but it was not his day.

Atanu Lahiri had a miraculous escape from the jaws of defeat against Iwm Swati Ghate of LIC in a French defence game where the former played with black.

Playing her usual variety of attacking chess, Swati employed the advance variation and got a decisive advantage in the early middlegame after Atanu sacrificed a pawn.

However, Swati played a series of inaccurate moves to lose the game rather tamely.

Asian junior champion Tejas outclassed Ebenezer Joseph to move ahead in points table.

In a closed Sicilian game where Ebenezer had the advantage of white pieces, Tejas exchanged the queens early in the opening and lost a better knight against Bishop. The resulting endgame required precise defensive manoeuvers but Ebenezer fell in time pressure and never recovered.

The results (fifth round): V. Sareen (4) lost to N. Das (5); G.B. Joshi (3.5) lost to S. Chanda (4.5); S. Ghate (3.5) lost to a Lahiri (4.5); S. Kutwal (3.5) lost to K. Murugan (4.5); R.P. Sharma (4) drew with N.S. Babu (4); E. Joseph (3.5) lost to T. Bakre (4.5); S. Saha (4) drew with K.V. Shantharam (4); B.V. Prakash (3.5) lost to S.C. Sahu (4.5); R. Balasubramanium 4.5 bt K. Gopalakrishna 3.5; P. Konguvel (4) bt J. Ramakrishna (3); M.K. Panigrahi (3.5) drew with V. Koshi 3.5; T.S. Ravi (3.5) drew with S.R. Chowdhary (4); R.G. Hegde 3 lost to Surinder Kumar (4); S. Soman (3.5) drew with P. Mokal (3.5); N. Neelkantan (3.5) drew with R.G. Shetty (3.5).

- PTI

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