Commonwealth and South African Open Chess Championships
Round 7 report and video by Vijay Kumar
Many Indians are in the reckoning for the top places at the ongoing 2011 Commonwealth & South African Open Chess Championships being played at Johannesburg in South Africa.
Top seed Grandmaster GM Nigel Short had a tough day playing against 2nd seed India's GM Abhijeet Gupta. Both the players were determined not give any chance to the other and fought for a win. However when they realised that no outcome is possible they agreed to share the point.
On the top board International Master Grover Sahaj came well prepared to face Championship leader GM Jones Gawain. Gawain who is leading the championship by half a point was in no mood to take any risk and played a normal game which in the end resulted in a draw.
International Master and former World Junior Girls Champion Dronavalli Harika, who drew her game in the 6th round, played a very good game and defeated her opponent David Ovcina with ease.
IM Prathmesh Mokal, after loosing the 5th round game, picked up two straight wins in the 6th and 7th round. With 6 points he is just half a point behind the Championship leader.
International Master and former Asian women's champion Tania Sachdev surprised her opponent in the middle game and quickly regrouped her pieces to give a crushing defeat to her opponent.
Opening ceremony and R1-R2 video / Round 3 video / Round 4 video / Round 5 video / Round 6 video
