Woman IM Ghate shocks GM Kunte

Grandmasters Pendyala Harikrishna, Dibyendu Barua, Krishnan Sasikiran and International Master S S Ganguly all raised their tally to five points to share the lead after the sixth round in Bharat Petroleum 39th National 'A' chess championship in Nagpur on Tuesday.

Woman International Master Swati Ghate produced the first major upset of the championship when she beat GM Abhijit Kunte in 42 moves.

All was going well for Kunte till the 32nd move by which he had won two pawns. Due to time pressure and possibly complacency, Kunte allowed Ghate to set up mate with her queen and knight. He survived the first time control but despite the presence of his queen and bishop the mate was unavoidable and he resigned on 42nd move. The win takes Ghate to three points.

GM Sasikiran played the kings Indian defence with black pieces in his game against Vishal Sareen (LIC). The latter played imaginatively and sacrified his knight for two pawns and when about to win exchange, changed plans.

He allowed Sasikiran a position in which the latter had to lose the queen for two rooks. This position was misjudged by Sareen while Sasikiran showed it was a forced win in just five more moves. Sasikiran won convincingly on the 32nd move.