School boy Aditya scores creditable win over Tajikh rival

India's 12-year-old Candidate Master Aditya Mittal (ELO 2251) defeated yet another higher rated player, IM Muhammad Khusenkhojaev of Tajikistan (2455), in the sixth round of the EKA IIFWL Investment Mangers 4th Mumbai International GM Chess Tournament on Saturday.

The Mumbai school boy has till now managed to remain unbeaten having defeated a Grandmaster (GM Deviatkin Andrei (2464) of Russia) and drawn with four IM-titled players.

Aditya's efforts have earned him a performance rating of 2500 and an increase of 93 rating points. At present he is in seventh position.

Meanwhile, Indian Grandmaster Sandipan Chanda (2555) finally suffered a defeat as he lost to Vietnamese GM Tran Tuan Minh (2524) in the sixth round.

The fourth ranked Sandipan, who had four wins and a draw in the previous five rounds, was unable to sustain his fine form against the Vietnam Grandmaster and lost in the 38 moves with black pieces on the top board.

Indian title contender, IM Visakh N R (2491) remained unconquered as he defeated compatriot GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J (2550) on the second board to stay in the race for the title.

GM Tran and IM Visakh, both with 5.5 points apiece, are currently in first and second place respectively, while Sandipan with 4.5 points has slipped to fifth position.

IM Rishi Sardana (Australia) and India's IM Muthaiah Al, both with a tally of 5 points each, are placed third and fourth respectively.

Top seed GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (2590) of Belarus, with 4.5, has clawed back up the rankings to sixth place with his win coming after three consecutive draws. He tamed Indian IM, Raghunandan Kaumandur Srihari (2378), on the sixth board.

Results (Round 6 - top 12 boards): GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE, 2524) 5.5 beat GM Chanda Sandipan (IND, 2555) 4.5; IM Visakh N.R. (IND, 2491) 5.5 beat GM Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (IND, 2550) 4; IM Sardana Rishi (AUS, 2398) 5 beat IM Shyaamnikhil P (IND, 2448) 4; IM Muthaiah Al (IND, 2408) 5 beat IM Rathnakaran K (IND, 2366) 4; GM Rozum Ivan (RUS, 2589) 4.5 beat Ritviz Parab (IND, 2338) 4; GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (BLR,2590) 4.5 beat IM Raghunandan Kaumandur Srihari (IND, 2378) 3.5; GM Puranik Abhimanyu (IND, 2544) 4.5 beat GM Manik Mikulas (SVK, 2410) 3.5; IM Rajesh V.A.V. (IND, 2402) 4 drew IM Gajek Radoslaw (AUT, 2475) 4; GM Rahman Ziaur (BAN, 2468) 4.5 beat IMTran Minh Thang (VIE, 2342) 3.5; Sammed Jaykumar Shete (IND, 2378) 3.5 lost IM Gukesh D. (IND, 2466) 4.5.

Standings after round 6: 1. GM Tran Tuan Minh (VIE) 5.5 pts, 2. IM Visakh N.R. (IND) 5.5, 3. IM Sardana Rishi (AUS) 5, 4.IM Muthaiah Al (IND) 5, 5. GM Chanda Sandipan (IND) 4.5, 6. GM Aleksandrov Aleksej (BLR) 4.5, 7. CM Aditya Mittal (IND) 4.5, 8. GM Rahman Ziaur (BAN) 4.5, 9. IM Gukesh D. (IND) 4.5, 10. GM Lugovskoy Maxim (RUS) 4.5, 11. GM Rozum Ivan (RUS) 4.5, 12.GM Puranik Abhimanyu (IND) 4.5.