BHUBANESWAR 10-Jun-2010 240
Orissa International Master Debasish Das concluded his campaign the 3rd Mumbai Mayor’s Cup International Open Chess Tournament on glorious note, defeating Air India Grand Master Parimarjan Negi in the 11th and final round at Goregaon Sports Club, Mumbai today.
Cuttack teenager Debasish finished 21st with eight points, winning six games, drawing four and losing one in the process. Overall, he shared the third position with 14 others, including three country men. This was a creditable performance, considering the fact that only three Indians (GM Abhijit Kunte, IMs Himanshu Sharma and Ashwin Jayaram) could secure places among the top 20.
Russain GM Dmitry Kokarev emerged champion with nine points. Altogether 353 players from 15 countries, including 39 GMs and 29 IMs participated in the tournament, which is considered as the strongest of its kind in Asia, offering a total prize fund of Rs 13 lakhs.
Among two other Orissa players in the fray, Swayams Mishra finished 50th with seven points, while Sidhant Mohapatra occupied the 93rd position with 6.5 points. The father-son non-residant Orissa duo of IM Sekhar Chandra Sahu and Vikramaditya Sahu ended 126th and 123rd respectively with six points apiece.
Cuttack teenager Swayams won seven games, including one against Brazil GM Alexandr Fier and lost the remaining four. Bhadrak school boy Sidhant caused two upsets, holding Ukraine GM Ruslan Pogorelov and Indian IM Ashwin Jayaram to creditable draws. Overall, he won five games, drew three and lost three.
