Saduakassova triumphs, Nandhidhaa takes silver

Saduakassova didn’t lose a single game in the 13-round tournament and finished with 9.5 points. Dordzhieva had to settle for the bronze after scoring nine points, the same as the host’s P.V. Nandhidhaa, who won the silver on account of a better tie-break score.

Published : Aug 21, 2016 21:10 IST , Bhubaneswar

Jeffery Xiong and Dinara Saduakassova emerged winners at the World Junior Chess Championships in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Jeffery Xiong and Dinara Saduakassova emerged winners at the World Junior Chess Championships in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Dinara Saduakassova went through a gamut of emotions for a couple of hours at the KIIT University campus here on Sunday afternoon before she emerged as the World junior girls' chess champion.

From the brink of victory, the top seed from Kazakhstan was pushed to settle for a draw in her game with Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh of Mongolia.

Now, her fate was no longer in her hands. The title was going to be decided by the second-board game between India’s Parnali Dharia and Russian Dinara Dordzhieva, who would be crowned the champion if she won. She seemed well on course for a victory too, but erred, allowing her rival to draw.

“I was feeling very tense indeed, watching their game,” said a relieved Saduakassova. “I was devastated after my game. But right now, I feel so happy as this is the biggest victory of my career.”

She didn’t lose a single game in the 13-round tournament and finished with 9.5 points. Dordzhieva had to settle for the bronze after scoring nine points, the same as the host’s P.V. Nandhidhaa, who won the silver on account of a better tie-break score.

Bronze for Narayanan

There was more good news for India, with S.L. Narayanan taking the bronze in the boys’ event after edging out China’s Xu Yi, who also scored nine points. The title had already been won by second seed Jeffery Xiong of the United States with a round a spare. The silver went to the top seed Vladislav Artemiev of Russia, who finished with 9.5 points, one behind the champion.

Important results (13th round; Indians unless specified): Jeffery Xiong (USA) 10.5 drew with Masoud Mosadeghpour (Ira) 8; Vladislav Artemiev (Rus) 9.5 bt Aravindh Chithambaram 8; S.L. Narayanan 9 bt Grzegorz Nasuta (Pol) 8.5; Parham Maghsoodloo (Ira) 8 lost to Xu Yi (Chn) 9; Shardul Gagare 7.5 lost to Rasmus Svane (Ger) 8.5; Karthikeyan Murali 8.5 bt Cristobal Villagra Henriquez (Chi) 7.5; Xu Yinglun (Chn) 8.5 Paulo Bersamina (Phi) 7.5; Shahin Lorparizangeneh (Ira) 8 drew with Tran Tuan Minh (Vie) 7.5; G. Akash 8 drew with Dennis Wagner (Ger) 7.5; Syed Khalil Mousavi (Ira) 7.5 drew with Arjun Kalyan 7.5.

Girls: Dinara Saduakassova (Kaz) 9.5 drew with Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh (Mgl) 8.5; Parnali Dharia 8.5 drew with Dinara Dordzhieva (Rus) 9; R. Vaishali 8.5 bt Alina Bivol (Rus) 8; Michelle Catherina 8 drew with Paula Rodriguez Rueda (Col) 8.5; Nataliya Buksa (Ukr) 7.5 lost to P.V. Nandhidhaa 9; Gu Tianlu (Chn) 7.5 drew with Janelle Mae Frayna (Phi) 8.5; Anna Styazhkina (Rus) 8 bt Teodora Injac (Srb) 8 bt M. Mahalakshmi 7; P. Bala Kannamma 7 lost to Du Yuxin (Chn) 8; V. Varshini 7 drew with Karina Ivanova (Rus) 7.5.

Standings:

1. Jeffery Xiong (USA) 10.5; Vladislav Artemiev (Rus) 9.5; 3-4. S.L. Narayanan (Ind) and Xu Yi (Chn) 9; 5-9. Karthikeyan Murali (Ind), Masoud Mosadeghpour (Ira), Xu Yinglun (Chn), Grzegorz Nasuta (Pol) and Rasmus Svane (Ger) 8.5 ; 9-13. Aravindh Chithambaram, Parham Maghsoodloo (Ira), Bozidar Ivekovic (Cro) and Shahin Lorparizangeneh (Ira) 8.

Girls: 1. Dinara Saduakassova (Kaz) 9.5; 2-3. P.V. Nandhidhaa (Ind) and Dinara Dordzhieva (Rus) 9; 4-8. Paula Rodriguez Rueda (Col), Janelle Mae Frayna (Phi), R. Vaishali, Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh (Mgl) and Parnali Dharia 8.5; 8-13. Alina Bivol (Rus), Michelle Catherina (Ind), M. Mahalakshmi (Ind), Anna Styazhkina (Rus) and Du Yuxin (Chn) 8.