Meenkashi shocks Ekaterina

KOZHIKODE, AUG. 20. Chennai-based S. Meenakshi caused one of the biggest upsets of the World junior chess championship in Athens when she shocked the second seed Ekaterina Korbut of Russia in the fourth round on Sunday.

But third-seeded Vijayawada girl Koneru Humpy suffered a reversal against China's Gu Xiabing, seeded 15th, on the top board. This was the first loss in the tournament for the 14-year- old WGM.

Aarhite Ramaswamy won her game against Sarai Sanchez Castillo of Venezuela, while N. Kasturi held her higher rated Russian rival, Ekaterina Ubiennykh to a draw. Humpy, Meenaskhi and Aarthie are now in the joint second position, among others, with three points, one point behind Xianbing and Nadezdha Kosintseva of Russia.

In the boys' championship, P. Magesh Chandran is the best placed Indian with three points, following his victory against Joost Berkvens of the Netherlands. K. Ratnakaran, the surprise bronze medalist at the Asian junior championship last month, beat the lowly rated Isk Bensenousi of the host, Greece to take his tally to two points.

Chennai-based M.R. Venkatesh, however, lost his game to the 19th seed, Anton Korobov of the Ukraine. Tejas Bakre, a two-time Asian junior champion, was held to a draw by Oswaldo Zambrana of Bolivia, seeded 30 slots below.

Emanuel Berg of Sweden and Sergei Azarov of Belarus are leading the boys' table with the four full points, after their wins against Zhao Zong-Yuan of Australia and Amon Simutowe of Zambia, respectively.

Important results (fourth round): Boys: Zviad Izoria (Geo) 3.5 drew with Bu Xiangzhi (Chn) 3.5; Zhao Zong-Yuan (Aus) 3 lost to Emaneul Berg (Sew) 4; Amon Simutowe (Zam) 2.5 lost to Sergei Azarov (Blr) 4; Merab Gagunsashivili (Geo) 3.5 bt Evgeny Shaposhnikov 2.5 (Rus); Kamil Miton (Pol) 3 drew with Andreas Schenk (Ger) 3; Nikola Sedlak (Yug) 3 drew with Peter Acs (Hun) 2.5; Diego Flores (Arg) 2 lost to Ni Hua (Chn) 3; Gabriel Sargissian (Arm) 3 bt Dmitry Schneider (US) 2; Nikola Djukic (Yug) 2 lost to Michael Roiz (Isr) 3; David Navara (Cze) 3 bt Igor Bitansky (Isr) 2; M.R. Venkatesh (Ind) 2 lost to Anton Korobov (Ukr) 3; P. Magesh Chandran (Ind) 3 bt Joost Berkvens (Ned) 2; Oswaldo Zambrana (Bol) 2 drew with Tejas Bakre (Ind) 2; K. Ratnakaran (Ind) 2 bt Isk Bensenousi (Gre) 1.

Girls: Gu Xiabing (Chn) 4 bt Koneru Humpy (Ind) 3; Sopiko Khukhashivili (Geo) 3 lost to Nadezhda Kosintseva (Rus) 4; Tataina Kosintseva (Rus) 3 drew with Iweta Radziewicz (Pol) 3; Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger) 3 drew with Inga Charkhalashvili (Geo) 3; Olga Zimina (Rus) 2.5 lost to Xu Yuanyuan (Chn) 3; Ekaterina Korbut (Rus) 2 lost to S. Meenkashi (Ind) 3; Lilit Mkrtchian (Arm) 3 bt Evel Moncaya Romero (Ecu) 2; Iroda Khamrakulova (Uzb) 2.5 drew with Jana Jackova (Cze) 2.5; Aarthie Ramaswamy (Ind) 3 bt Sarai Sanchez Castillo (Ven) 2; N. Kasturi (Ind) 2 drew with Ekaterina Ubiennykh (Rus) 2.

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