AMN/ WEB DESK
In the World rapid chess championship, teenage Indian player B. Savitha Shri registered four straight victories to jump into the joint lead of the women’s section in Almaty, Kazakhstan yesterday.
15-year-old Savitha who was on 2.5 points, is the star of the day, posting four consecutive wins to join Zhongyi Tan of China and Georgia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina at the top with 6.5 points.
Savitha began the day with a win over lower-rated Zarina Nurgaliyeva of Kazakhstan before pulling off victories over higher-rated Iranian Sarasadat Khademalshareieh, Antonaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, and Bela Khotenashvili of Georgia.
Meanwhile, India’s top player and No. 7 seed Koneru Humpy overcame a loss to Armenia’s Elina Danielian in the first match of the day to pick up 2.5 points from the next three rounds with a couple of wins to take her tally to 6.
In the open section, young Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi after four wins on day one had mixed fortunes. He posted two victories, including impressive ones over France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Anish Giri in rounds nine and seven respectively while going down to Vladimir Fedoseev and young German Vincent Keymer. Arjun is on 6.5 points and in joint third with five others. Compatriot Nihal Sarin with six points is joint fourth.
A total of 15 Indians are in the fray in the Open event while five are taking part in the women’s event.