Chanda scores fourth consecutive win

Seventeen-year-old Sandipan Chanda continued his winning run, outplaying Israeli GM Victor Mikhaelevski even as GM Joseph Gallaghar of Switzerland emerged sole leader after the seventh round in the 12th Goodricke international open chess tournament in Calcutta on Monday.

Chanda, who has a GM norm to his credit, played brilliantly in a Ruy Lopez game, pushing his pawns up to sound the death knell for his opponent and record his fourth consecutive win in the tournament.

The Goodricke National Chess Academy product is now in second place, with 5.5 points.

On the top board, overnight leaders GM Buenavent Villamayor and Gallaghar engaged in a keen tussle before the Philipino blundered a rook and conceded a full point to his opponent. Gallaghar now has six points, one more than Villamayor, who slumped to the third position.

Double GM norm holder G B Prakash's bid for a final norm received a jolt as he went down to top seed Russian GM Andrei Kharlov in the Pannov-Botvinnik variation of the Caro Kann defence.

GM Dibyendu Barua (5) shared points with Argentine GM Maxim Sorokin (5). Barua adopted his favourite Guico Piano, but Sorokin played a good opening game to draw the tie.