Chanda closes in on second GM norm

Seventeen-year-old Sandipan Chanda continued his good showing to hold sole leader Swiss GM Joseph Gallagher to a draw and inch towards his second GM norm after the eighth round in the 12th Goodricke International Open chess tournament in Calcutta on Tuesday.

Chanda, who earned his maiden norm in the tournament last year, is now placed second with 6 points, 0.5 points behind Gallagher.

The Goodricke National Chess Academy product, who won four games at a stretch till Monday, now needs only a draw on Wednesday to collect his second norm.

The Chanda-Gallagher tie was drawn after 20 moves in the Alapin variation of the Sicilian defence. After the exchange of queens, Galagher proposed a draw which was accepted by Chanda.

There was more good news for the Indian camp as Nasir Wajih of Railways upset Uzbek GM Alexie Barsov with black pieces to assure himself of his maiden GM norm even in the event of a reverse on Wednesday.

Teenage sensation P Harikrishna, on the lookout for his final GM norm, made things difficult for himself by finishing with a draw against R B Ramesh in a Slav defence.

The 14-year old boy from Andhra Pradesh now needs to win all his games against highly rated players to achieve his norm.

IM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh also shared the point with Philipino GM Buenavent Villamayor to take his tally to 5.5 points. Rahman will also strive for an all-win record in the remaining three rounds to pick up his second GM norm.