Top-seeded GM Michael Kransekow Held
By Praful Zaveri
 

Kransenkow, playing Black, employed the Modern Defense in reply to the King Pawn opening of Negi. Development went of equal footing however, Negi played safe by exchanging most of the pieces by move 20. Kransekow tried to complicate the matter but was not able to make any headway and agreed for a truce in 32 moves.

On the 2nd board, World's # 2 Woman player, Koneru Humpy was in her elements as she crushed Niladri Bhatttacharya from the White side of Queen Pawn Opening. With a pawn sacrifice on move 24, Humpy secured a good outpost for her Knight and won an exchange on move 34. With no counter-play, Niladri resigned two moves later.

On the 3rd board, Rajendra Shrestha found the going too tough against GM Bartlomiej Macieja in the Sicilian Defense game to go down in 41 moves.

GM Ubilava, who is more renowned as a very good Chess trainer struggled in the 2nd successive round today before overcoming Paramasivam in 65 moves.

Meanwhile, GM Merab Gagunashvili of Georgia crushed Ashish Thatte in just 29 moves of the irregular opening.

The 11.00 Lakhs prize money tournament is the biggest Indian Open and has attracted a record 436 players from all over the world. The games on top 20 tables are being transmitted live on internet via the Monroi System.

Key Results of Round 2:

Negi V S 2140 1½ Drew 1½ GM Krasenkow Michal 2624
GM Koneru Humpy 2603 2 Beat 1 Bhattacharya Niladri S 2136
Shrestha Rajendra 2138 1 Lost to 2 GM Macieja Bartlomiej 2599
GM Ubilava Elizbar 2558 2 Beat 1 Paramasivam M 2131
Thatte Ashish P 2136 1 Lost to 2 GM Gagunashvili Merab 2553
GM Kunte Abhijit 2547 2 Beat 1 Abhishek Kelkar 2129
Raghavendra V 2131 1 Lost to 2 GM Abdulla Al-Rakib 2514
GM Rahman Ziaur 2511 2 Beat 1 Vaidya C N 2129
Antonio Viani D'cunha 2127 1 Lost to 2 GM Filippov Anton 2509
GM Iuldachev Saidali 2501 2 Beat 1 Anurag Mhamal 2125
Rathod Gopal Ashok 2124 1 Lost to 2 IM Laxman R R 2488
IM Rathnakaran K 2488 2 Beat 1 Banerjee Sushant 2122
Beno Glad S 2120 1 Lost to 2 GM Reefat Bin-Sattar 2487
GM Safin Shukhrat 2481 2 Beat 1 Ganesh Babu S 2120
Dahale Atul 2118 1 Lost to 2 GM Ramesh R B 2472
IM Arun Prasad S 2465 2 Beat 1 WFM Swati Mohota 2114
Divyasri Ch 2110 1 Lost to 2 GM Bakre Tejas 2455
IM Sriram Jha 2452 2 Beat 1 Vishal Shah 2455

 

Kransekow Maintains Lead