Gukesh eyes title, Sasikiran triumphs

La Roda International Open: D. Gukesh defeats Nahun Gavarrete join Haik Martirosyan in the lead with one round to go.

FILE PHOTO: India’s D. Gukesh has seven points after eight rounds.

Raunak Sadhwani held Haik Martirosyan and helped D. Gukesh catch up with the Armenian in the lead with seven points after the eighth and penultimate round of the 48th La Roda International Open chess tournament at Castella de Mancha, Spain, on Sunday.

REPORT - ROUND SIX

Following the 13-move draw by repetition of moves, Gukesh defeated Nahun Gavarrete (Honduras) to share the lead. In the final round, Gukesh plays with white pieces Israel’s Victor Mikhalevski and Martirosyan will sit behind the black pieces against R. Praggnanandhaa (6.5).

Sasikiran pips Aryan to title

Meanwhile, in the Fagernes Chess International, in Fagernes (Norway), K. Sasikiran scored a ninth-round victory to tie for the title with Aryan Chopra before taking the winner’s trophy on superior tiebreak score.

Leader after eight rounds, Aryan drew with Frode Olav Olsen Ukdedal (Norway) in 37 moves to finish with seven points. On the second board, Sasikiran played black against Alexander Donchenko (Germany) and won in 55 moves to match Aryan’s tally. Sasikiran’s victory pushed Aryan to the second spot.

In two other interesting battles, Nihal Sarin (6) held Arjun Erigaisi (6) and S. P. Sethuraman (6) settled for a draw against Estonia’s Kaido Kulaots (6).

Arjun finished fifth, Sarin sixth and Sethuraman, eighth.