The 61st National Chess Championship saw a remarkable turn of events as Diptayan Ghosh achieved something no one else could: he drew against the top seed, Surya Sekhar Ganguly. This draw brought an end to Ganguly’s impressive winning streak, which had spanned seven consecutive games. Despite the draw, Ganguly remains in the lead with a one-point advantage over the chasing pack. Only three rounds remain in the tournament.
Following Ganguly on 7.5 points is a group of nine players tied on 6.5 points: Diptayan Ghosh, defending champion S.P. Sethuraman, Himal Gusain, Karthik Venkataraman, Aronyak Ghosh, Ajay Karthikeyan, Sriram Jha, M.R. Lalith Babu, and Arjun Adireddy.
This round saw some notable upsets. Ajay Karthikeyan emerged victorious against the second-seeded Abhijeet Gupta, a surprising outcome. Ajay admitted to a bit of luck in the English Opening game, where Abhijeet’s unwise king move left him vulnerable. Despite this, Abhijeet made three critical errors with his rook and queen, allowing Ajay to secure a 39-move win with white pieces.
The top-board match between the two Kolkata players, Ganguly and Diptayan, was a quieter affair. The Spanish Game ultimately ended in a draw after 68 moves.
Other noteworthy results from the eighth round include:
* Himal Gusain drew with S.P. Sethuraman.
* Karthik Venkataraman drew with Aronyak Ghosh.
* Arjun Adireddy defeated Sayantan Das.
* Sriram Jha defeated N.R. Visakh.
With the tournament nearing its climax, the battle for the title is becoming increasingly intense. The final three rounds will determine the champion, and the players will be looking to capitalize on any opportunity to secure a victory and claim the coveted title.
