Sethuraman, Gujrathi off to winning start in National Chess

Former Under-16 world champion SP Sethuraman and former Under-14 world champion Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, the joint top seeds of the tournament, ,registered facile wins in the first round of the ONGC National Premier Chess Championship, here today.
International Master P Karthikeyan and K Rathnakaran of Railways and Grand Master M Shyam Sundar of Airport Authority of India also landed on the winning side in the inaugural round.
The tournament will be played in a 14-player round robin format, with a prize fund of Rs 10 lakhs.
It boasts of eight GMs, five IMs and one FM, with an average rating of 2501, which belongs to Category 11, the first of such kind for a national championship in India.

In the Taimanov variation of Sicilian defence, PSPB's Sethuraman played a positional game to outwit his state mate Karthikeyan Murali from Tamil Nadu in 43 moves.
Gujrathi recorded the first win of the championship, employing Caro Kann defence against lowest seeded K Praneeth Surya of Telangana in 36 moves.

In the fight between two GMs, M Shyam Sundar dealt a blow to higher seeded Abhijit Kunte of PSPB, a former British champion.
Kunte, playing English opening, overlooked a crucial pawn loss on 31st move to hand over an advantage to Shyam. The two active rooks of Shyam played a stellar role in pocketing a point for him.

Former Under-17 national champion P Shyaamnikhil of Tamil Nadu build up a good advantage against the Alapin variation of Sicilian defence by K Rathnakaran of Railways, right from the opening.
Former Asian Junior champion P Karthikeyan of Railways sacrificed his knight on 12th move, facilitating him to win exchange after two more moves in a Slav defence played by GM MR Venkatesh of PSPB.
Though Venkatesh defended accurately, he had to lose two valuable pawns during the process of revival. Karthikeyan pseudo sacrificed his knight to disconnect Venkatesh's pawns and his two extra pawns in the end game were vital to subdue Venkatesh in 50 moves.

In a bishop vs knight end game between former Under-12 world champion Deep Sengupta of PSPB and Swapnil Dhopade of Railways, who is awaiting for his GM title, piece was signed after 46 moves.