India wins five bronze medals at the Asian Indoors 2017

India wins Bronze in 5th Asian Indoor Games 2017

After Sasikiran won Bronze in the classical section of the tournament, it inspired other Indians to do well. And we were able to bring in four more medals in the rapid and blitz section. Diptayan and Karthikeyan won Bronze medal in men under 23 team event whereas Padmini and Tania won Bronze mendal in women team event in the Rapid format of the game.

Murali, Diptayan, Padmini and Tania proudly showing off their Bronze medals | Photo: Vishal Sareen

Diptayan faces untitled Yakubboev Nodirbek of Uzbekistan in Round 3 | Photo: Vishal Sareen

Diptayan Ghosh scored 3.5 points out of 5 rounds before drawing against untitled Xu Yinglun of China. Ghosh missed a winning opportunity after Xu made some bad decisions and allowed the West Bengal youngster to sacrifice his exchange and gain a tremendous amount of attack on his kingside. 30...Be6 was completely winning for Black when Diptayan played Re8 instead.

Karthikeyan Murali also scored 3.5 points like his teammate before losing in the Semi-final against Chinese GM Wei Yi. Karthikeyan's best game of the rapid tournament was in the first round against untitled Vietnamese IM Le Tuan Minh. In a Queen's Gambit Declined opening, Murali launched an attack with his pawns on the queenside, which his opponent could never stop until both his pawns reached on b2 and c2 and the b-pawn finally promoted.

Among the women, Padmini scored 3.5 points out 5 rounds before losing against Indonesian IM Irine Kharisma Sukandar in the Semi final. Padmini got a couple of opportunity to have a clear advantage against current Women's World Champion, GM Tan Zhongyi of China in Round 3. She should have played 21. b3 and gone for f4-Rhf1 idea instead of f3 that she played in the game. After a few moves she missed another opportunity and exchanged rooks early by playing 27.Rxd8+ when she should have delayed the exchange and played R1d2 instead.

Tania scored 3 points out of 5 rounds before losing against Indonesian WGM Aulia Medina Warda in the Semi-final. Tania defeated WIM Shamima Akter of Bangladesh in a Nimzo Indian Defence where the Delhi girl dominated the game throughout and launched an attack on kingside which Shamima was unable to defend.

Indian Men team did not do well. In spite of being third seeded, they finished at 9th position as they had only 5.5 Match points out of 10.

Ganguly and Gopal gets ready before whitewashing their opponents from Thailand | Photo: Vishal Sareen

India Women under 23 team did well and finished fifth, considering their starting rank was 9th.

India Women under 23 team Monnisha G.K and Aakanksha Hagawane are poised to do well | Photo: Vishal Sareen

Blitz section:

Indian Team of Men Under 23 and Men's team won Bronze medal in Ashgabat 2017 blitz. Diptayan Ghosh and Vaibhav Suri 's team lost against Iran in the Semi-final and they secured 3rd position and won Bronze medal for the country. Among Men, Surya Sekhar Ganguly and Krishnan Sasikiran's team lost against Vietnam in the Semi-final and they managed to finish third. They also won the bronze medal for the country. Indian women's team finished ninth in Blitz and Women's Under 23 team performed better relatively, still they managed to finish only 5th.

Final Standings of Top 3 in Men Rapid

Final Standings of Top 3 in Men Under 23 Rapid

Final Standings of Top 3 in Women Rapid

Final Standings of Top 3 in Women Under 23 Rapid

Final Standings of Top 3 in Men Under 23 Blitz

Final Standings of Top 3 in Women Blitz