Sheikh Russel GM R4: Srinath scores a crushing victory to take sole lead 4.0/4

by Shahid Ahmed - 23/10/2021

GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR) imploded against GM Srinath Narayanan in the fourth round of Sheikh Russel International GM 2021. Thus, Srinath emerged as the sole leader with a 100% score 4.0/4. Six players are at a half point behind him 3.5/5, including only two Indian players - GM Shyam Sundar M and IM Mitrabha Guha. GM Debashis Das drew with top seed GM Sergei Tiviakov (NED). Mitrabha scored the biggest victory of the round against GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (UKR). Srinath will face second seeded GM Vugar Asadli (AZE) in the fifth round, which starts today at 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Bangladesh Chess Federation

Shyam Sundar and Mitrabha in pursuit

IMs Neelash Saha, Pranav Venkatesh and WGM Nandhidhaa P V held GMs Stany G A, Laxman R R and Evgeny Gleizerov (RUS) respectively. Untitled Sourath Biswas was completely winning against IM Harikrishnan A Ra, the latter missed his chance and the game ended in a draw.

IM Neelash Saha played an instructive game against GM Deepan Chakkravarthy | Photo: Bangladesh Chess Federation

Srinath - Bernadskiy: 1-0

GM Srinath Narayanan scored a crushing victory against GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR) as the latter went all out but for nothing.

Position after 25...Qg6

25...Qg6 does not yield anything for Black as 26.Nxa8 fxe3 27.Rxe3 Bf5 and now White has 28.Nxb6. White is happy to return the rook because the connected b and c-passed pawns are much stronger than Black's bishop for it.

Mitrabha - Solodovnichenko: 1-0

IM Mitrabha Guha showcased good technique as his opponent GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (UKR) made a positional mistake.

Position after 16.Bxf3

Shall Black take the exchange on a1? If your answer is yes, you need to check out the rest of the game. 16...Bxa1 17.Qxa1 Nxb3 18.Qb2 Nxd2 19.Qxd2 and White went on to win the game eventually.

IM Mitrabha Guha 3.5/4 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Neelash - Stany: 0.5-0.5

IM Neelash Saha had a hard-fought draw with GM Stany G A, although the former got decisive advantage in the final moments of the endgame.

Position after 51...Re8

One of the best opportunity White had was in the above position after 51...Re8. 52.Rexd2 cxd2 53.Qd1 Rd8 54.b5 would have given White winning chances. It would not have been an easy one for White to convert.

IM Neelash Saha 3.0/4 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Shyam Sundar - Koustav: 1-0

Rook endings are always tricky. GM Shyam Sundar M got the better of IM Koustav Chatterjee as the latter misplayed in the end.

Position after 56.Rb7

Black can still save the game here. Find out how. The game continued 56...Rh8 and the blunder cost Black the game.

GM Shyam Sundar M 3.5/4 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Debashis Das drew with GM Sergei Tiviakov (NED) | Photo: Bangladesh Chess Federation

Highlights

A few interesting finishes from Round 4

GM Srinath Narayanan defeated GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR)

GM Vugar Asadli (AZE) defeated GM Vadim Malakhatko (BEL)

GM Laxman R R drew with IM Pranav V

GM Vugar Rasulov (AZE) defeated GM Alexey Kislinsky (CZE)

IM Harikrishnan A Ra drew with Sourath Biswas

IM Abdimalik Abdisalimov (UZB) defeated FM Aminul Islam (BAN)

Replay Round 4 games

The tournament is taking place at Hotel Purbani International, Dhaka in Bangladesh from 19th to 27th October 2021. Time control is 90'/40 + 30' + 30" per move. Round 1-8 starts at 3 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. IST). Round 9 will start at 11:00 a.m. local time (10:30 a.m. IST).

Round 4 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Gr	Typ	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Gr	Typ	FED	Rtg	No.
1	7	GM	Narayanan Srinath			IND	2540	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy			UKR	2580	3
2	14	GM	Debashis Das			IND	2501	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Tiviakov Sergei			NED	2600	1
3	2	GM	Asadli Vugar		U20	AZE	2585	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Malakhatko Vadim			BEL	2444	25
4	4	GM	Krasenkow Michal		S50	POL	2578	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	Mosadeghpour Masoud			IRI	2486	17
5	18	IM	Mitrabha Guha		U20	IND	2479	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Solodovnichenko Yuri			UKR	2577	5
6	6	GM	Iskandarov Misratdin			AZE	2552	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Sammed Jaykumar Shete			IND	2413	37
7	36	IM	Neelash Saha		U20	IND	2421	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Stany G.A.			IND	2522	9
8	10	GM	Shyam Sundar M.			IND	2518	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Koustav Chatterjee		U18	IND	2431	33
9	26	IM	Das Sayantan			IND	2444	2½	0 - 1	2½	IM	Mousavi Seyed Khalil			IRI	2510	13
10	38	GM	Laxman R.R.			IND	2411	2½	½ - ½	2		Pranav V		U16	IND	2489	16
11	44	GM	Zubarev Alexander			UKR	2395	2	0 - 1	2	GM	Sumets Andrey			UKR	2497	15
12	20	GM	Rios Cristhian Camilo			COL	2457	2	0 - 1	2	GM	Himanshu Sharma			IND	2394	45
13	22	GM	Rasulov Vugar			AZE	2452	2	1 - 0	2	GM	Kislinsky Alexey			CZE	2335	47
14	56	CM	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan		U18	SRI	2273	2	0 - 1	2	IM	Aditya Mittal		U16	IND	2447	23
15	24	IM	Aronyak Ghosh		U18	IND	2445	2	½ - ½	2	IM	Srijit Paul		U20	IND	2332	49

Details

Round 5 pairings

Bo.

No.

Name

Typ

FED

Rtg

Pts.

Result