(Sports news) An interesting turn of events has taken place after the 6th round of the AICFB National Chess Championship for the Visually Impaired, presented by Onward Technologies. Kishan Gangolli and Soundarya Kumar Pradhan jointly led the race with 5.5 points at the completion of six rounds, while Somender BL followed the leaders with 5 points.
On the top board, Kishan Gangolli of Karnataka played Queen’s pawn gambit with white pieces against Sai Krishna S T of Tamil Nadu. Sai Krishna participated in this championship after 10 years, in the opening he made a mistake and gave up a pawn. Thereafter he tried hard to bounce back. Kishan Gangolli played very carefully after an exchange of Queens on the board forced his opponent to surrender.
On the second board, Marimuthu K of Tamil Nadu opted London system opening with white pieces against Soundarya Kumar Pradhan of Odisha. Marimuthu had a better position in the opening while exchanging the pieces in the middle game he allowed his opponent to get the attacking position. Thereafter defending champion played very aggressively in a combination of moves and won the piece. On the 37th move, Marumuthu accepted the defeat.
In this championship, 57-year-old senior most player Abdul Samad S of Kerala played Guico piano opening with white pieces against national women champion Rathi Himanshi of Gujarat. Abdul Samad was playing a safe game but in the middle game, he lost pawns. Himanshi played carefully and smiled with victory on the 43rd move.
The 16th edition of the “AICFB National Chess Championship for the Visually Challenged” presented by Onward Technologies commenced on 13th March and will continue until 18th March at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini Keshav Srushti, Bhayandar West, Mumbai.
A total of 56 players (all visually challenged) have been selected to take part in this prestigious tournament on the basis of their performance at the state and zonal chess tournaments conducted all over India.
There will be a selection of the Indian team of four players for the forthcoming World Individual Chess Championship in the month of October in Greece. Twelve players in the categories of totally blind (B1) and partially blind (B2 & B3) will be selected for the upcoming Asian Para Games that will be held in October in Hangzhou, China.
