IM Vikramaditya & Visakh upset Grandmasters Adam & Ivan

Mumbai lad IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni stunned GM Adam Tukhaev in an eight-round match of the 11th Mumbai Mayor’s Cup International Open Chess Tournament 2018, sponsored by LIC at Mount Litera School, Bandra, carrying Rs 35 lakh prize money. In another match, 9th Mumbai Mayor’s Cup Champion IM Visakh NR scored an upset victory over GM Rozum Ivan of Russia.  

Playing with black, Vikramaditya (ELO 2323) opted for French defence classical variation. On the 22nd move, Vikramaditya won an extra pawn, which he had to forego when Tukhaev (ELO 2557) exchanged his knight for a bishop. After exchanging the queens, Vikramaditya attacked the base pawn which was difficult to protect and Adam sacrificed his bishop for two pawns. Since Vikramaditya had one extra piece on board Adam had no chance of survival and accepted his defeat in 42 moves.

The game between GM Rozum Ivan (ELO 2581) and IM Visakh NR (ELO 2447) converted to Reti opening after starting with English opening.  Although Rozum got an extra pawn, it gave an open file to Visakh which lead to a powerful attack with his rook on the 7th rank and pinned a knight. With a continuous attack on his knight, Ivan had no option but to offer his rook for the knight.  With a rook versus knight endgame, Ivan tried his best to hold the game but Visakh's resilience and focus helped him snatch a victory in 56 moves.

The game between FM V.S. Rathnavel (ELO 2301) and GM Burmakin Vladimir (ELO 2528) started with Karokan defence. In the middle game, Rathnavel aggressively attacked the black king with a pawn and two knights. Post exchange of queens, he got a rook and two knights versus  bishop and knight endgame. With Rathnavel’s pawn about to get promoted to the queen, Vladimir had no option but to accept defeat. Meanwhile, Ritvik Raja continued his good form by playing very cautiously without taking any risk and drew the game with GM Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam.

8th ROUND RESULTS

GM Amonatov Farrukh (2605, TJK) drew with GM Kravtsiv Martyn (2662, UKR) 6-6; GM Rozum Ivan (2581, RUS) lost to IM Visakh N R (2467, IND) 5½-5½; IM Harsha Bharathakoti (2471, IND) drew with GM Mozharov Mikhail (2558, RUS) 5½-5½; GM Tukhaev Adam (2557, UKR) lost to IM Kulkarni Vikramaditya (2323, IND) 5½-5½; IM Khusenkhojaev Muhammad (2445, TJK) drew with GM Ghosh Diptayan (2536, IND) 5½-5½; GM Pruijssers Roeland (2514, NED) bt Sammed Jaykumar Shete (2375, IND) 5½-5½; FM Raja Rithvik R (2296, IND) drew with GM Tran Tuan Minh (2514, VIE) 5½-5½; GM Manik Mikulas (2399, SVK) bt FM Karthik Venkataraman (2475, IND) 5½-5½; FM Rathanvel V S (2301, IND) bt GM Burmakin Vladimir (2528, RUS) 5-5; FM Erigaisi Arjun (2505, IND) drew with WGM Kulkarni Bhakti (2294, IND) 5-5