World junior chess: Kerala schoolboy Narayanan upsets GM Adhiban

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Kerala schoolboy S.L. Narayanan delivered a stunning defeat to local favourite and Grandmaster Adhiban Baskaran in the second round of the SDAT-RAMCO 50th World Junior and 29th Junior Girls Chess Championships on Wednesday.

In a well-fought match that started off in a Sicilian Najdorf, the 13-year-old Narayanan, a student of St. Thomas Residential School, Trivandrum, managed to obtain equality out of the opening.

In the Queen, Rook and minor piece ending, Adhiban overlooked an enterprising sacrifice from the Kerala boy. The 31st move of sacrificing a rook for the knight came as a positional blow for the Grandmaster as the game wound up in favour of Narayanan 15 moves later.

With 1.5 points from two rounds facing the Grandmasters, Narayanan has made a dream start, and is poised for another high rated opponent in the next round.

Another boy who made the big news was Mumbai youngster Aditya Udeshi, who defeated Russian Grandmaster Shimanov Aleksandr (Elo 2586).

Tuesday's hero V.A.V. Rajesh of India, who drew with the top seed Russian Grandmaster Matlakov, split a point with Armenian Grandmaster Robert Hovhannisyan in 60 moves.

In the girls' section, India's Woman Grandmaster Padmini Rout along with Andhra's G. Lasya led the pack with two points.

Results (Round 2, Open, Indians unless specified): Getz Nicolai (Norway) 2 bt Sanan Sjugirov (Russia) 1, Salgado Lopez Ivan (Spain) 2 bt Swayams Mishra (1), Udeshi Aditya (2) bt Shimanov Aleksandr (Russia) 1, Nabaty Tamir (Israel) 2 bt K Priyadharshan (1), Grandelius Nils (Sweden) 2 bt Ikeda Junta (Australia) 1, S Nitin (1.5) drew Sasha Martinovic (Croatia) 1.5, Niclas Huschenbeth (Germany) 2 bt C R G Krishna (1), Maxim Matlakov (Russia) 1.5 bt S Prasannaa 0.5, Robert Hovhannisyan (Armenia) 1 drew V A V Rajesh (1), S L Narayanan (2) bt B Adhiban 0.5, R A Pradeep Kumar 0.5 lost to S P Sethuraman (1.5), Cori Jorge (Peru) 1.5 bt Das Sayantan 0.5.

Girls: Fataliyeava Ulviyya Hsaill Qizi (Azerbaijan) 1 lost to Paikidze Nazi (Georgia) 2, Savoma Anastasia (Russia) 1 lost to Forestier Carole (France) 2, P V Nandhidhaa (1) lost to Cori T Deysi (Peru) 2, Girya Olga (Russia) 2 bt Imeeva Aisa (Russia) 1, Pon N Krithika 1 lost to Padmini Rout 2, Bulmaga Irina (Romania) 2 bt Heredia Serrano Carla (Ecuador) 1, Bala Kannamma P (1) lost to Kazimova Narmin Nizami Qizi (Azerbaijan) 2, Eric Jovana (Serbia) 1 lost to G Lasya (2), Ozturk Kubra (Turkey) 2 bt Hema Priya N (1), J Sahari (1) lost to Elena Semenova (Russia) 2.0