Unheralded Narayan holds GM Alexander to draw

Untitled Indian player S L Narayan surprised Grand Master Zubarev Alexander by holding the Ukrainian to a draw in the 6th Mumbai Mayor International Chess Tournament at the National Sports Club of India here today.

The game started in Queen's Gambit Declined Ragozin variation, went smoothly with regular exchange of the pieces before both the players agreed to a draw in 66 moves.
Overnight leaders, GM Babujian Levon of Armenia and GM Pantsulaia Levan of Georgia, agreed for a quick draw in just 9 moves, taking their points to 4.5.

They were joined at the top by top-seeded GM M Mikheil of Georgia (ELO 2435), who defeated IM Murali Karthikeyan Murali (ELO 2435) in 55 moves, and GM Davit Petrosian of Armenia (ELO 2436), drubbed V A V Rajesh in 32 moves.

Playing with white, IM Karthikeyan Murali faced the Najdorf variation of Sicilian defense from Mikheil. On the 22nd move Murali offered exchange of queens to play opposite color bishop endings along with Rooks.

Mikheil trapped Murali's Bishop on the Queen side, not allowing his rival to take part into the king side battle. He managed to get his rook on the 7th rank and captured the A2 pawn, which forced Karthikeyan to resign after 55 moves.

IM Swayansh Mishra (ELO 2406) of Orissa held GM Vaibhav Suri (ELO 2535) of Delhi to a draw in 22 moves.

IM Rahul Sangma and IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni, both from Railways, also managed to draw their games against GM Hossain Enamul of Bangladesh and GM Hoang Thanh
Trang of Hungary respectively.

The results: GM Babujian Levon (4.5) drew with GM Pantsulaia Levan 4.5; IM Murali Karthikeyan (TN) 3.5 lost to GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil 4.5; GM Papin Vasily 3.5 drew with GM Yagupov Igor 2428 3.5 IM Rajesh V A (TN) 3.5  lost to GM Davit Petrosian 4.5; GM Amonatov Farrukh 4 bt IM Shyam Nikil P (TN) 3; IM Udeshi Aditya (Mumbai) 3 lost to GM Andriasian Zaven 4.

GM Zubarev Alexander 3.5 drew with S L Narayanan (Ker) 3.5; IM Karthikeyan P (TN) 3.5 drew with GM Malakhatko Vadim 3½; IM Swayams Mishra (ORI) 3.5 drew with GM Vaibhav Suri (Delhi) 3.5; GM Georghy Timoshenko 4 bt IM Akshat Khamparia (Rlys) 3; IM Rahul Sangma (Rlys) 3.5 drew with GM Hossain Enamul 3.5; GM Hoang Thanh Trang 3.5 drew with IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni (Rlys) 3.5.