Team India face shock loss to Armenia, Women’s team draw Italy in round 9

Photo: Niklesh Jain/ ChessBase India

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open & Women

Fifth-seeded Team India lost to eighth-seeded Armenia 1.5-2.5, while the Indian women’s team drew with Italy 2-2,  in the ninth round of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad at Batumi, Georgia yesterday. With 13 points and two more rounds to go, the Indian open team now needs a miracle to reach the podium.

Playing on the top board with white pieces five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand split points with the Armenian No.1 player Levon Aronian in 31 moves.

On the second board P. Harikrishna with black pieces signed the peace treaty with Gabriel Sargissian in 25 moves.

Similarly, B.Adhiban drew against Hrant Melkumyan, while bad luck struck India on the fourth board where GM Sasikiran Krishnan lost a crucial match, which resulted in the Indian team’s shock defeat.

Bo.	5	India (IND)	Rtg	–	8	Armenia (ARM)	Rtg	1½:2½
3.1	GM	Anand, Viswanathan	2771	–	GM	Aronian, Levon	2780	½ – ½
3.2	GM	Harikrishna, Pentala	2743	–	GM	Sargissian, Gabriel	2691	½ – ½
3.3	GM	Adhiban, B.	2668	–	GM	Melkumyan, Hrant	2660	½ – ½
3.4	GM	Sasikiran, Krishnan	2672	–	GM	Martirosyan, Haik M.	2597	0 – 1

In the women’s section, Koneru Humpy split points with Olga Zimina in 33 moves.

On the second board, Harika Dronavalli defeated Elena Sedina in 40 moves, while Tania Sachdev lost to Marina Brunello.

The fourth board saw Padmini Rout splitting the point with Daniela Movileanu in 50 moves.

Bo.	18	Italy (ITA)	Rtg	–	5	India (IND)	Rtg	2 : 2
8.1	IM	Zimina, Olga	2421	–	GM	Koneru, Humpy	2557	½ – ½
8.2	IM	Sedina, Elena	2267	–	GM	Harika, Dronavalli	2500	0 – 1
8.3	FM	Brunello, Marina	2294	–	IM	Tania, Sachdev	2400	1 – 0
8.4	WFM	Movileanu, Daniela	2168	–	IM	Padmini, Rout	2338	½ – ½

Team pairings – Open

Round 10 on 2018/10/04 at 16:30
No.	SNo		Team	Team	Pts.	MP	Res.	:	Res.	MP	Pts.	Team	Team		SNo
1	3		CHN	China	23½	15		:		16	25	Poland	POL		11
2	8		ARM	Armenia	24	15		:		15	24½	United States of America	USA		1
3	2		RUS	Russia	24	14		:		15	22½	England	ENG		9
4	7		FRA	France	24½	14		:		14	23½	Croatia	CRO		18
5	27		VIE	Vietnam	25½	13		:		14	23	Germany	GER		16
6	4		AZE	Azerbaijan	24	13		:		13	21½	Ukraine	UKR		6
7	13		NED	Netherlands	25½	13		:		13	24	India	IND		5
8	37		KAZ	Kazakhstan	23	13		:		13	24½	Israel	ISR		10
9	15		CZE	Czech Republic	23	13		:		13	25½	Spain	ESP		24
10	38		NOR	Norway	24	12		:		13	21½	Serbia	SRB		45

Team pairings – Women

Round 10 on 2018/10/04 at 16:30
No.	SNo		Team	Team	Pts.	MP	Res.	:	Res.	MP	Pts.	Team	Team		SNo
1	3		CHN	China	26½	16		:		15	24½	United States of America	USA		10
2	2		UKR	Ukraine	25	15		:		14	26½	Russia	RUS		1
3	11		AZE	Azerbaijan	24½	14		:		15	24	Armenia	ARM		12
4	19		VIE	Vietnam	26½	13		:		13	24	Hungary	HUN		13
5	15		ESP	Spain	23½	13		:		13	24	Kazakhstan	KAZ		8
6	4		GEO1	Georgia 1 *)	23	14		:		13	25½	Czech Republic	CZE		26
7	36		BLR	Belarus	24	12		:		13	21	Slovenia	SLO		35
8	5		IND	India	23½	12		:		12	22½	Peru	PER		37
9	18		ITA	Italy	22	12		:		12	23½	Georgia 2	GEO2		14
10	20		ROU	Romania	21	12		:		12	23	Iran	IRI		28