Grandmasters Chess: Surya Sekhar Ganguly wins title

Kolkata, March 24 : City-based Grandmaster Surya Sekhar Ganguly emerged as the eventual winner with 7.5 points, in the battle of nerves on the final day of the 2nd LIC International Grandmasters Chess Tournament here on Tuesday. With three players - Nigel Short of England and Lu Shanlei of China apart from Ganguly - vying for the top honours at 6.5 points, it was expected that the overnight leaders would play energetically and go for a win at the ICCR. Much to the local chess connoisseurs delight, Ganguly opened up the kingside in a Sicilian defence and his two bishops ensured an attack which fetched him a pawn after which it was a matter of technique for the Indian grandmaster. For his triumphant efforts, Ganguly was richer by Rs.2 lakhs. Four players - Short, Lu, Deep Sengupta and Sandipan Chanda - tied for the second place with seven points apiece. However, Short took the second place on better Buchole tie breaking points and was awaded Rs.1.6 lakh prize money. Lu finished one run down the ladder, to win Rs.1.3 lakh ,while Sengupta and Chanda had to be content with the with the fourth and fifth positions respectively. Sengupta pocketed Rs.80,000 and Chanda got Rs.50,000. On the top board, the Short-lu duel was a quiet affair, with both players content to manoeuvre their pieces in a Catalan set up. With neither side getting any breakthrough, a peace treaty was signed on the 41st move where both had a rook and knight and four pawns left on the board.