By IANS
Moscow : Little-known 18-year-old G.N. Gopal of India held former world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan to a surprise draw with white pieces in the first game of the first round of the World Cup Chess tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk.
Each mini match comprises two games, one each with white and black. The winner proceeds to the next round and the loser is eliminated. The tournament runs till Dec 18.
In freezing cold weather with temperatures down to minus 10 degrees Centigrade, four of the five Indians drew their first games in the first round.
In another opening round clash, playing with black pieces 32nd seed Harikrishna (2668) was held to a draw by lower rated China’s Zhao Jun. Hari is the second highest rated player in India and the highest Indian here in the absence of Viswanathan Anand.
The 35th seed Sasikiran (2,661), with white managed only a draw with runs with Serge Zhiglako of Belarus (2,562) and Abhijit Kunte (2,547) held Russian 30th seed Vadim Zvjaginsev, to a draw. Kunte also played with white.
The only Indian to lose to was Surya Sekhar Ganguly (2,585) who with black pieces went down to Sergei Tiviakov of Netherlands (2,643).
Gopal, the first Grandmaster from Kerala and rated only 2,520 as compared to his rival’s 2,690, played superbly and looked to be headed for a win. However he was unable to convert it in the endgame.
Kasimdzhanov, who succeeded Viswanathan Anand as the World Chess Federation (FIDE) champion, used his experience to keep Gopal at bay and manage a draw. The second game will be played Sunday.
It was a tough clash starting from the Ruy Lopez. The queens went off the board on the 35th move. The endgame was interestingly poised as Kasimdzhanov had a rook and two knights to Gopal’s twin rooks and an extra pawn on e6. The Uzbek attacked that pawn and finally got it, but had to give one of his knights.
Then with a rook and knight against two rooks, Kasimdzhanov held on for a draw in 68 moves.
There were a lot of upsets in the first game of the first round. World No. 17, American Gata Kamsky, rated 2714, could only draw with the white pieces against Junior World Champion Ahmed Adly (Egypt), who is rated 220 points below him. Similarly Michael Adams, rated 2729, drew against Canadian Igor Zugic, who is 252 points below him. Anur Ismagambetov of Kazakhstan, rated 2480, shocked Russian GM Evgeny Alekseev, rated 2716.
Former FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, rated 2705, lost to Egyptian Essam El Gindy, 202 points weaker and US GM Alexander Shabalov, 2626, lost with white to Slovenian Dusko Pavasovic, 2597.
The top seeds Ivanchuk, Mamedyarov, Radjabov, Aronian, Shirov, Svidler, Grischuk and Carlsen all won their first games from round one. No big surprises there.
The event is a knock out format in Khanty-Mansiysk, a town is located about 1400 miles east of Moscow, just north of Kazakhstan.