Parimarjan Negi is National champion

Parimarjan Negi is National champion
Rakesh Rao
Special thanks to Jagdish Dube for sending us the article

NEW DELHI: Having done all the hard work in the days leading to the final round, Parimarjan Negi had it easy on the home-stretch. In less than 20 minutes into the 13th round, Negi claimed the title he had come for after a friendly 15-move draw with Tejas Bakre in the 48th National Premier chess championship here on Wednesday.

For the 17-year-old Negi from Bharat Petroleum and a student of Amity School, the title not only brought with it a glittering trophy and a cheque for Rs. 1.25 lakh but also an unexpected bonus of Rs. 50,000 from Delhi Chess Association President Bharat Singh Chauhan for being the first National champion from the Capital.

In addition, Negi also became the first Indian qualifier for the next year's World Cup to be held at Khanty Mansisyk, Russia.

“It obviously feels nice to win but many strong players don't play in the National championship any more,” said the champion, seeded two, while putting the triumph in perspective.

“I was one of the favourites to win and therefore, I am not overly excited about accomplishing what I was expected to. Had I won in 2008 (he had lost the final round when in sight of the title), it would have been special because someone like Surya Shekhar Ganguly was around and my game was not so mature.

“Still, being the National champion is a good feeling. Nothing more,” said the country's youngest Grandmaster, admired for his conduct, on and off the board.

For the record, an undefeated Negi tallied 9.5 points, one better than runner-up and top seed G.N. Gopal, outgoing champion B. Adhiban and former winner Abhijit Kunte.

In fact, Bakre and Negi were part of the National team title-winning Air-India squad in February. On Wednesday, an unbeaten Bakre was the first to congratulate Negi, on his fine ‘double'.

Besides Negi, another local boy, 13-year-old debutant Vaibhav Suri, came up with an inspired performance. He finished with an impressive tally of eight points after posting a stunning 21-move victory over M.R. Venkatesh for the 10th spot, ahead of several Grandmasters.

Gopal and Adhiban battled hard on the second board, each one thinking he had a better position, before settling for a draw.

Full article here.

Victorious Negi back in front

Victorious Negi back in front
Rakesh Rao
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2010

Gopal stays in title contention after win against M.R. Venkatesh
Vaibhav Suri gets past M.S. Thejkumar

NEW DELHI: In a tense battle of teens, Parimarjan Negi came up with an awe-inspiring bishop-sacrifice and went on to floor M.R. Lalith Babu, following a calculated assault in the 11th round of the 48th National Premier chess championship here on Monday.

The second seeded Grandmaster from Bharat Petroleum now leads the table with eight points, half a point ahead of fellow overnight leader Pravin Thipsay and top seed G.N. Gopal. Six players, including Lalith, follow with seven points. With two rounds to go, it is still anybody's race.

While Thipsay and S. Arun Prasad were preparing to sign truce following an equal battle in 39 moves, Negi was plotting the downfall of an unsuspecting Lalith. Though Negi had more attacking options on Lalith's castled king, he chose to make it dramatic.

Negi gave up his bishop while holding the chances of forcing a draw through perpetual checks. He won a crucial central-pawn and kept up the pressure with his active queen.

With Lalith's queen, rook and bishop away from the king, Negi pushed his central pawn to the seventh rank and threatened checkmate.
Lalith realised the futility of continuing the battle with a rook for a queen and surrendered in 39 moves.

Gopal stayed in title contention following a second successive victory. Playing with black pieces, he punished his BPCL colleague M.R. Venkatesh.

Full story here.

Thipsay in lead

Lalith joins Negi, Thipsay in lead
Rakesh Rao
Monday, Dec 20, 2010

NEW DELHI: With a third straight victory, M.R. Lalith Babu joined Parimarjan Negi and Pravin Thipsay in the lead after 10 rounds of the National Premier chess championship here on Sunday.

After Negi and Thipsay, the two overnight leaders, drew their battle in 27 moves, Babu worked out a 48-move triumph over Deepan Chakkravarthy. The leaders have seven points, half a point more than five nearest challengers.

On a day when most board produced decisive verdicts, sixth seed S. Arun Prasad's search for victory over defending champion B. Adhiban ended in a 76-move draw after more than five hours.

The result kept the players, along with the victorious trio of top seed G. N. Gopal, Abhijit Kunte and M. R. Venkatesh within striking distance of the leaders.

In Semi Slav, the 18-year-old Lalith was staring at an even battle when Deepan blundered a rook for a bishop. Thereafter, Lalith executed a fine winning plan with the help of an active rook-pair.

Earlier, the Thipsay-Negi game ended the same way as their two previous encounters. Thipsay was impressed by Negi's strong moves after the theoretical opening phase of their Sicilian Scheveningen game and later admitted having to search hard for the best response.

Negi gave up a central pawn to reach a position where he could have traded his bishop for Thipsay's rook. But Negi went by his sense of danger and straightaway made a draw-offer which Thipsay readily accepted.

Gopal bounces back

Gopal bounced back from Saturday's defeat to put it across R.R. Laxman in 42 moves, gaining from an early misjudgment from the latter.
Abhijit Kunte stayed on course of a strong finish after beating fellow-GM S. Kidambi. Venkatesh scored an expected win over G.A. Stany.

Like Kunte, third seed Deep Sengupta was firmly on the road to recovery after beating Neelotpal Das. In a surprise result, former champion P. Konguvel surrendered to young Navin Kanna.

More here.

Special thanks to Jagadish Dube for sending us the story.

The veteran stuns the young star

Thipsay stuns Gopal
Rakesh Rao
NEW DELHI, December 19, 2010

Pravin Thipsay is busy turning the clock back. Once again, it was vintage stuff from the tenacious 51-year-old as he pulled off the biggest upset of the 48th National Premier chess championship by checkmating top seed G. N. Gopal in the ninth round at the K. R. Mangalam World School here on Saturday.

Thipsay's 41-move triumph also gave him a share of the lead with second seed Parimarjan Negi. The 17-year-old Negi settled for a draw with reigning champion B. Adhiban after facing a stubborn defence.

With four rounds to go, Thipsay and Negi — the country's oldest and the youngest Grandmasters — have 6.5 points each. Trailing the leaders by half a point are, Adhiban, M. R. Lalith Babu and S. Arun Prasad.

Besides Thipsay, others who won against the less-experienced were, Lalith, Arun, Abhijit Kunte, Deepan Chakravarthy and R. R. Laxman.

Deepan Chakkravarthy, R. R. Laxman and M. R. Venkatesh were the only players to win with white pieces on the top-10 boards.

The results: Ninth round: Parimarjan Negi (6.5) dew with B. Adhiban (6); G.N. Gopal (5.5) lost to Pravin Thipsay (6.5); Vidit Gujarathi (5.5) lost to M.R. Lalith Babu (6); S. Kidambi (5.5) drew with Tejas Bakre (5.5); S.P. Sethuraman (4.5) lost to S. Arun Prasad (6): Debashis Das (4.5) lost to Abhijit Kunte (5.5); Neelotpal Das (5) drew with G.A. Stany (5); Deepan Chakkravarthy (5.5) bt Shyam Sundar (4.5); R.R. Laxman (5.5) bt Shyam Nikhil (4.5); M. R. Venkatesh (5.5) bt M.S.

Here is the full article.