Chess: GM Amonatov emerges champion in Mayor Club tournament

 GM Farrukh Amonatov (Elo 2624) from Tajikistan emerged champion in A category of the 12th Mumbai Mayor Club International Chess tournament that concluded here late Sunday night.

Amonatov pipped the overnight leader, GM Manuel Petrosian (Elo 2573) from Armenia, at the post, to clinch the title.

Both GMs ended up with the same aggregate (8.0 points) but GM Amonatov was declared the champion on the basis of a better tie-break score.

In his final round game, GM Amonatov, playing on the second board, defeated GM Vasquez Rodrigo (Elo 2476) from Chile in 49 moves.

On the first board, GM Petrosian, who had a slender half-point lead over his compatriots, was held to a draw by GM Paichadze Luka (Elo 2557) of Georgia in 59 moves.

Only one Indian player, GM R R Laxman (Elo 2437) of Tamil Nadu, managed to figure in the top 10.

The champion went home richer by Rs 3.30 lakh.

Meanwhile, in a fairly strong field comprising players from 20 foreign federations, including 55 rated players and 25 FIDE titled holders (IMs, WGMs and GMs),six Indians were successful in achieving FIDE title norms.

Koustav Chatterjee (Elo 2404) and FM Mitrabha Guha (Elo 2341), both from West Bengal, were in with a chance of achieving Grandmaster norms, had they won their last round games.

But they lost and drew respectively, and had to settle for an International Master (IM) norm each, which they would have obtained even in the event of a loss in the last round.

WIM Srija Seshadri (Elo 2174) won her last round game and achieved an IM norm.

Balkishan A (Elo 2074), from Karnataka, needed at least a draw his final round game, which he successfully managed, to obtain his maiden and well-deserved IM norm.