Sasikiran shares lead with five others

Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran beat English GM Bogdan Lalic with white pieces to share the lead with five others on two points after the second round in the 13th Goodricke International Open chess tournament in Kolkota on Tuesday.

Argentine GM Maxim Sorokin, Asren Yegiazarian of Armenia, Ukranian Alexander Goloshchapov, Russian Alexander Fomynih and Pavel Kostur of Kazakstan also won their games to join the Indian in the lead.

Sasikiran adopted the anti-Grunfeld move in an English set-up and then went for an interesting 'g4' move, creating weaknesses in Lalic's kingside. The Indian soon exploited a loophole to outsmart Lalic and maintained his perfect score.

GM Dibyendu Barua drew against second seed Alexander Motylev of Russia in a dragon variation of the Sicilian defence. The players agreed to split the point after 20 moves. Both players now have 1.5 points.

The other Indians, however, had a dismal day. While World junior girls' champion and Woman Grandmaster Koneru Humpy went down tamely to Russian GM Alexei Kuzmin in 27 moves, GM Abhijit Kunte went down to GM Pavel Kostur of Kazakstan.

In a double Fianchetto opening, Humpy lost a pawn for little compensation and later had to part with another piece that forced her instant resignation.

Rahul Shetty of Indian Airlines, who upset GM Ruslan Sherbakov of Russia in the opening round yesterday lost to GM Evgeny Gleizerov of Russia in a knight versus bishop ending.