Diptayan Ghosh’s easier-than-expected victory over Saptarshi Roy ensured an Indian stayed in contention for the title following the ninth and penultimate round of the Delhi International Open chess tournament here on Sunday.
As things stand, Amonatov is trailed by Ghosh and Uzbek veteran Marat Dzhumaev at 7.5 points. M. Karthikeyan, Mishra, N.R. Visakh and Ukrainian Adam Tukhaev are on seven points.
The results (Indians unless stated): Ninth round: Farrukh Amonatov (Tjk, 8) drew with Swayams Mishra (7); Diptayan Ghosh (7.5) bt Saptarshi Roy (6.5); N.R. Visakh (7) drew with M. Karthikeyan (7); Niranjan Navalgund (6.5) lost to Marat Dzhumaev (Ukr, 7.5); M.R. Lalith Babu (6.5) drew with Andrei Deviatkin (Rus, 6.5); Adam Tukhaev (Ukr, 7) bt S.L. Narayanan (6); Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy (Vie, 6.5) drew with Vitaly Sivuk (Ukr, 6.5); Aradhya Garg (6) lost to Karen Movsziszian (Arm, 6.5); Alberto David (Ita, 6) drew with Akash Thakur (6); S. Ravi Teja (6) drew with Adam Horvath (Hun, 6).
Eighth round: Vitaly Sivuk (Ukr, 6) lost to Farrukh Amonatov (Tjk, 7.5); M. Karthikeyan (6.5) drew with Diptayan Ghosh (6.5); Marat Dzhumaev (Uzb, 6.5) bt Alberto David (Ita, 5.5); S.L. Naryanan (6) drew with Nguyen Hynh Minh Huy (Vie, 6) Adam Horvath (Hun, 5.5) lost to Niranjan Navalgund (6.5); Saptarshi Roy (6.5) bt Attila Czebe (Hun, 5.5); Swayams Mishra (6.5) bt Niaz Murshed (Ban, 5.5); N.R. Visakh (6.5) bt Sahaj Grover (5.5); Rakesh Kumar Jena (5) lost to M.R. Lalith Babu (6); V.A.V. Rajesh (5) lost to Adam Tukhaev (Ukr, 6) .