Ramesh achieves GM norm

International Master R B Ramesh achieved his maiden Grandmaster norm after playing a draw with GM Robert Kempinski of Poland in the ninth round of the Biel Masters chess tournament in Switzerland,

Ramesh moved into the semi-finals and assured himself at least a fourth spot by virtue of his best tie-break score of 6.5 points.

He will take on GM Boris Avrukh of Israel, who he beat earlier in the tournament.

The second semi-final will be played between GM Vadim Milos of Switzerland and GM Mihail Kobalija of Russia. The rest of the participants, including GM Abhijit Kunte, will battle it out for the remaining places in the same Swiss format.

The golden moment for Ramesh came on the 19th move, with black pieces. The high point of the tournament has clearly been his opening preparation that stood by him on all occasions. Mikhalevski was tempted to play the ultra sharp plan of opposite side castling against the Semi Slav defence but Ramesh denied him any advantage.

The middlgemae arrived with Ramesh having a slight advantage but the Indian was naturally content with the draw with an eye on the norm. The truce was signed on Kempinsk's proposal after the exchange of queens.

GM Kunte played another brilliant game to oust IM Arizmendi Martinez of Spain from the white side of an English opening game.

Arizmendi, wanting to win at all cost, went for a rather dubious attack against the king early in the opening but found his queenside weakened in the process by timely pawn advances by Kunte.

The middlegame was intensly fought with both trying to penetrate in the opposition territory and Kunte was the first to succeed with an excellent sacrifice that netted him two pawns and a rook in exchange for two minor pieces.

The endgame was again dealt in masterly fashion by the Indian stalwart who recorded a well-deserved victory in 51 moves.

IM D V Prasad's chances of making his final GM norm ended after he went down to GM Alik Greshon of Israel.

Needing a couple of victories to make the title, Prasad started with the Grunfeld defence with black pieces and got a dynamically balanced position in the ensuing middlegame.

Greshon went for the kingside attack after attaining a pawn majority and Prasad used most of his time in trying to find the right defensive moves. Prasad could have saved himself had he played the correct 39th move but with barely 40 seconds remaining it was a daunting task. Greshon won on the 43rd move.

IM P Konguvel went down fighting to IM Bojan Vuckovic of Yugoslavia in a French defence game with white pieces.

Konguvel opted for a variation, popularised by Anand, but did not get the desired advantage in the middlegame. Bojan came up with a thematic exchange sacrifice on the 19th move and Konguvel's king came under mortal danger.

The queens got traded as a result and the endgame turned out in favour of the Yugoslavian who romped home after 58 moves.

Double Women Grandmaster norm holder Aarthie Ramaswamy drew with WGM Tatiana Roschina of Russia in an exciting game arising out of Sicilian Nazdorf with white pieces.

Important results -- Round 9:
M Kobalija (7) drew B Avrukh (7); V Milos (7) beat G Sarhan (6); R Kempinski (6.5) drew R B Ramesh (6.5); V Mikhalevski (6) lost to T Markowski (6.5); A Kunte (6.5) beat A Martinez (5.5); N Rashkovski (6) drew O Cvitan (6); G Fish (6) drew Solak Dragon (6); M Pavlovic (6) drew Z Efimenko (6); V Tukamakov (6) beat I Yagupov (5.5); A Greshon (6) beat D V Prasad (5); P Konguvel (4.5) lost to B Vuckovic (5.5); A Ramaswamy (4.5) drew T Roschina (4.5).