Candidate Master Aditya Mittal led the charge of young Indian players, who impressed with matured display, on the second day of the 9th Mumbai Mayor International Open Chess Tournament here today.
While Mittal scored a stunning win over IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni (ELO 2278), other youngsters - Bhavic Bharambe, Ajay Krishna and Ojas Kulkarni, all recorded creditable draws against their GM opponents.
Against Mittal, Kulkarni replied with an unusual opening to his rival's queen pawn move. On the 20th move the youngster gained the centre pawn with attack on the bishop. He then won a rook for the bishop on the 36th move and wrapped up victory in 66 moves.
Mozharov Mikhail of Russia (ELO 2560), the sixth seed, was held for a draw by Krishna (ELO 2133) of Tamil Nadu. On the 25th move the Indian player had a chance to gain a decisive advantage, but failed by moving a wrong piece. With nothing much to play on the board both agreed for a draw after 35 moves.
Mumbai's Bharambe (ELO 2130), playing with white against GM Ulybin Mikhail (2520) of Russia, opted for a queen pawn opening. Both level-pegged till 28 moves.
On the 29th, with an exchange of bishops, Bharambe managed to win a centre pawn. But with the rook end game on the board, he failed to convert it to a win against the experienced Ulybin, settling for a draw in 47 moves.
Kulkarni (ELO2000) of Karnataka, who held GM Sandipan Chanda yesterday, showed good form by holding another GM, Shardul Gagare (ELO 2506), to a draw.
The top 10 results: GM Ivan Popov (Russia) bt Thanki Hemal Karsanji; Vinayak Kulkarni lost to GM Boris Grachev (Russia); GM Farrukh Amonatov (TJK) bt IM Ravi Gopal Hegde; Vinoth Kumar M lost to GM Karen Grigoryan (Armenia); Saurabh Anand lost to GM Diptayan Ghosh; GM Mikhail Mozharov (Russia) drew wth Ajay Krishna; Ziaur Rahman (Bangladesh) bt Suyog Wagh; Bhavik Bharambe drew with Mikhail Ulybin (Russia); Arvinder Singh drew with GM Evgeny Gleizerov (Russia); GM Swapnil Dhopade bt Senthil Maran.
