Good start for Indians in World Junior Chess

In what can be termed a good beginning for the Indian contingent, Sagar Shah was the only blot as he lost his opening game while S P Sethuraman, who is fresh from a fine performance at the Czech Open, had to settle for a draw.

However, M R Lalith Babu, Swapnil Dhopade and Anwesh Upadhyay cruised to fine victories over their respective opponents. In the girls' championship being organised simultaneously, B Pratyusha caused a mild flutter when she held sixth seed Sopiko Guramishvili of Georgia to a draw. Amongst the other two Indian contestants, Padmini Rout got off to a flier against her lower rated opponent in the first round while Bhakti Kulkarni conceded half point.

Sethuraman was in for an opening surprise in the Nimzo Indian defense as Shiyam Thavandiran of Canada went for less trodden paths very early with black pieces. The Indian got a decent advantage in the middle game where he had superior space control but as the game progressed further complications became inevitable after a piece sacrifice by the Canadian.

Sethuraman had to return the piece after which his extra pawn just about compensated for his opponent's activity. The game was drawn in 59 moves. Anwesh played a fine game to outwit Florian Pierard of Belgium. Up against a Slav defense, Upadhyay got a miniscule advantage out of the opening and nurtured it in exemplary fashion.

The Indian came up with a spectacular pawn sacrifice that opened black's king side and white pieces simply rolled on the black king thereafter. Updhyay won in 35 moves. Swapnil also faced the Slav defense with white pieces against Vladimir Lukovic of Serbia and his' too was a fine effort after early trade of queens.

Lukovic missed a fine piece sacrifice that led to loss of heavy material and called it a day in 34 moves. Lalith Babu took just 24 moves to brush aside the challenge of local hopeful Radoslaw Barski from a Caro Kann defense where the former played black.

Barski went for unwarranted complications leading to a mistimed attack on the king side and Lalith Babu won his queen for little compensation.

Important and Indian results after round 1 (Indians unless stated): Matas Narmontas(LTU) lost to Dmitry Andreikin (RUS); Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) drew with Marcin Krzyzanowski (POL); Piotr Nguyen (POL) w/o Parimarjan Negi; Ivan Salgado Lopez (ESP) beat Pavel Dimitrov (BUL); David Arenas Vanegas (COL) lost to Maxim Matlakov (RUS); Eltaj Safarli (AZE) drew with Davit Lomsadze (GEO); Anastasios Pavlidis (GRE) drew with Ivan Saric (CRO); Wouter Spoelman (NED) beat Fabian Platzgummer (AUT); Illya Nyzhnyk (UKR) beat Yang-Fan Zhao (ENG); S P Sethuraman drew with Shiyam Thavandiran (CAN); Radoslaw Barski lost to M R Lalith Babu; Vasif Durarbeyli (RUS) beat Sagar Shah; Swapnil Dhopade beat Vladimir Lukovic (SRBU); Anwesh Upadhyaya beat Florian Pierard (BEL).

Girls: Anna Muzychuk (SLO) beat Anna Iwanow (POL); Zsofia Edes (SVK) lost to Deysi Cori (PER); Olga Girya (RUS) beat Martina Mareckova (CZE); Carla Sofia Heredia Serrano (ECU) lost to Zoja Severiukhina (RUS); Melanie Ohme (GER) beat Patrycja Labedz (POL); B Pratyusha drew with Sopiko Guramishvili (GEO); Zrinka Deur (CRO) lost to Nafisa Muminova (UZB); Padmini Rout beat Aleksandra Zmarzly (POL); Joanna Kasperek (POL) drew with Bhakti Kulkarni.