IM Venkatesh Surprise Leader after 5 Rounds at BCC Open 2012

BCC News, Tournaments

Alexander J. Klemm

Indian IM Ventakesh is the surprise leader after 5 rounds
Indian IM Ventakesh is the surprise leader after 5 rounds

 

The third day of play at the 12th Bangkok Chess Club Open 2012 was the second but last double round. The morning round began at 9 a.m. sharp, so the maxim was “The early bird catches the worm.” Some players had to dig deep to find their top form shortly after breakfast. No doubt, for some of us chess is not a morning sport. Among the wide-awake, however, were tournament favorites GM Nigel Short, title defender GM Jan Gustafsson, Indian IM M.R. Venkatesh, and former champion GM Xiu Deshun all of whom took advantage of middle- and endgame inaccuracies by their opponents to squeeze out full points. Rather unexpectedly, GM Hou Yifan and GM Farrukh Amonatov both dropped half a point. The surprise leader after four rounds was IM Venkatesh from India, remaining the only player with a clean sheet. He was followed by a pack of eleven players with 3½ points.

The results of the top boards from round 4:

  1. GM Hou Yifan (CHN) ½ -½ IM Nguyen Duc Hoa (VIE)
  2. IM Liu Qingnan (CHN) ½-½ GM Amonatov (TJK)
  3. IM Venkatesh M. R. (IND) 1-0 IM Wynn Zaw Htun (MYA)
  4. GM Short (ENG) 1-0 FM Voigt (GER)
  5. Severino (PHI) 0-1 GM Gustafsson Jan (GER)
  6. IM Contin (ITA) 0- 1 GM Xiu Deshun (CHN)

With players from 34 nations the BCC Open 2012 is as internationally diverse as ever. IM Venkatesh is one of 33 tournament participants from India, making this the best-represented nation and proving the tournament’s lasting popularity with Thailand’s big neighbor to the West. While there are also numerous players from China and the Southeast Asian countries, players travelled from as far away as Europe, the USA, and Australia to be part of one of Asia’s foremost chess events, hosted by the outstanding Dusit Thani Hotel which offers terrific playing conditions and accommodation. Many players have stated this time and in previous years that they appreciate the BCC Open because it allows them to combine their love for the game with a vacation in the “Land of Smiles.”

The following is IM Venkatesh’s fourth-round win against the Burmese IM Wynn Zaw Htun. 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Bg5 Nf6 8.0–0–0 e6 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 0–0 11.Qd3 Qc7 12.Nd4 Rfd8 13.f5 Ng4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qg3 Ne5 16.Rhf1 Kh8 17.Rf2 Rac8 18.Rdf1 a6 19.Kb1 Bd7 20.b3 b5 21.fxe6 fxe6 22.Nce2 Kg8 23.Nf4 Rf8 24.Nf3 Nxf3 25.Rxf3 Bc6 26.Re1 e5 27.Nh5 g6 28.Ref1 Bxe4 29.Nf6+ Rxf6 30.Rxf6 Rxc2 31.Ka1 Rxg2? (31… Rc1+ 32.Rxc1 Qxf6 with equal chances) 32.Qh4 (White is better.) 32… Qc7 33.Rf8+ Kg7 34.Qf6+ Kh6 35.Qh4+ Kg7 36.R1f7+ Qxf7 37.Rxf7+ Kxf7 38.Qxe4 1-0

Here are the round 5 results of the first six boards:

  1. GM Gustafsson (GER) 0-1 IM Venkatesh M. R. (IND)
  2. IM Liu Qingnan (CHN) 0-1 GM Short (ENG)
  3. Wan Yunguo (CHN) ½ -½ GM Hou Yifan (CHN)
  4. GM Amonatov (TJK) ½ -½ GM Sriram Jha (IND)
  5. GM Xiu Deshun (CHN) ½ -½ Stany G. A. (IND)
  6. IM Nguyen Duc Hoa (VIE) ½ -½ IM Nguyen Van Huy (VIE)

After five rounds IM Venkatesh is the sole leader with 5 points, followed by GM Nigel Short (4.5) and 16 others (4). Full results and latest standings at chess-results.com