Asian chess: Nihal Sarin finishes runner-up; qualifies for the World Cup

Nihal Sarin finished second in the Asian individual chess championship at Al Ain.
| Photo Credit: File photo: DEBASISH BHADURI

Nihal Sarin finished runner-up in the Asian individual chess championship at Al Ain (UAE) on Thursday. The No.1 seed from Kerala defeated Bardiya Daneshvar in the top board clash between the joint overnight leaders, but the Iranian became the champion on account of a superior tie-breaker score after they finished with seven points each from nine rounds.

Nihal, however, booked his berth for the World Cup, scheduled to be held in India later this year. Five other Indians – Pa. Iniyan, R. Raja Rithvik, S.L. Narayanan, M. Pranesh and G.B. Harshvardhan – also qualified for the prestigious event.

In the women’s section, Vantika Agrawal was the best placed Indian, in fourth place. She was among four players to score seven points from nine rounds, but China’s Song Yuxin won the title after the ties were broken. Mongolia’s Bat-Erdene Mungunzul was the runner-up.

The standings: Open: 1-2. Bardiya Daneshvar (Ira) and Nihal Sarin (Ind) 7 points; 3-8. Shamsiddin Vokhidov (Uzb), Ivan Zemlyanskii (Rus), Pa. Iniyan (Ind), R. Raja Rithvik (Ind), S.L. Narayanan (Ind) and M. Pranesh (Ind) 6.5; 9-10. G.B. Harshvardhan (Ind) and Sergei Lobanov (Rus) 6.

Women: 1-4. Song Yuxin (Chn), Bat-Erdene Mungunzhul (Mgl), Xeniya Balabayeva (Kaz) and Vantika Agrawal (Ind) 7 points; 5-9. Srija Seshadri (Ind), Anastasia Bodaruk (Rus), Valentina Gunina (Rus), Afruza Khamdamova (Uzb) and Alua Nurman (Kaz) 6.5; 10. Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (Uzb) 6.