China Levels Scores In Round Four

China Levels Scores In Round Four
By Arvind Aaron

China reestablished its winning ways to defeat India 2.5-1.5 and level the scores at the end of the fourth round in the India-China Summit Match that is taking place at Hyderabad on March 5, 2015.

This victory helped the Chinese stop India from winning the third match in a row. The teams are locked in a 8-8 score at the half-way mark. In the next half, the first team to reach 16.5 points will win the contest.

Sasikiran suffered a double defeat at the hands of Wang Cheng. He played aggressively and tried to rebound from the third round defeat. The Chinese player quietly pocketed the advanced pawns and reached a rook and bishop ending with two extra pawns. Sasikiran gave up the fight.

Lalith Babu played an entertaining game sacrificing material but he was at the defeated side after 35 moves. World No.14 Ding Liren used the extra material to win with a bishop pair against a rook in 35 moves.

Wei Yi and Adhiban played a fighting 48-move draw after playing a queen ending with freshly promoted queens. Draws are the third legitimate result and such nice fights can make any sport sound entertaining.

Sethuraman’s 63-move win over Zhou Jianchou came from an exciting well fought middlegame and in an opposite colour bishop ending. Sethuraman went for the advanced variation against the Caro-Kann defence of his opponent.

With both teams winning two matches each, the series is interestingly poised at the half-way mark.China won the first and fourth rounds 2.5-1.5 and India won round two and three by the same 2.5-1.5 margin.