Ghate improves chances of second WGM norm

Swati Ghate brightened her chances of a second Woman Grandmaster norm after settling for a friendly draw with compatriot Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly in the fourth round of the Smith and Williamson British chess championship in Edinburg, Scotland.

Draws were the order of the day on top boards yesterday and that enabled GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh and Daniel Gormally of England to join overnight English leaders Adam Hunt and Aaron Summerscale in the lead on 3.5 points.

As many as 16 players remained on the heels of the four leaders with three points each in their kitty. The pack includes top seed Vassilos Kotronias of Cyprus, former champion Joe Gallagher of England, Indian GMs Pendyala Harikrishna, Abhijit Kunte, Ganguly, S Kidambi, Swati and Gurpreet Pal Singh, who sprang a major surprise, beating IM Enamul Hossain of Bangladesh.

The Indian contingent, barring Neelotpal, Das who crashed to another defeat against Ameet Ghasi, and off-form Commonwealth champion Dibyendu Barua, who drew with Matthew Anderton, had a reasonable day yesterday.

Tejas Bakre was also held to a draw by Nasir Ahmed in a keenly-contested battle while Abhijit used his experience to beat Nisha Mohota.

Swati and Ganguly settled for a draw very quickly. The Pune-based Swati now has excellent chances of making a WGM norm. In the next five rounds, provided she meets the right opposition, even two points will be enough for what would be her second norm. Swati had made her maiden norm at the Czech Open last year.

Important results (Round 4) (Indians unless specified): Aaron Summerscale (3.5, Eng) drew Adam Hunt (3.5, Eng); P Harikrishna (3) drew Joseph Gallagher (3, Sui); S Kidambi (3) drew Jonathan Rowson (3, Sco); Surya Shekhar Ganguly (3) drew Swati Ghate (3); Arakhamia-Grant Ketevan (3, Geo) drew Paul Motwani (3, Sco); Ziaur Rahman (3.5, Ban) beat Jack Rudd (2.5, Eng); Daniel Gormally (3.5, Eng) beat Simon Williams (2, Eng); Peter Sowray (2, Eng) lost to Vassilos Kotronias (3, Cyp); Matthew Turner (2.5, Eng) drew Robert Gwaze (2.5, Zim); Nisha Mohota (2) lost to Abhijit Kunte (2); Craig Pritchett (2, Sco) lost to Nicholas Pert (3, Eng); Peter Wells (3, Eng) beat Andrew Greet (2, Eng); Gurpreet Pal Singh (3) beat Enamul Hossain (2, Ban); Timothy Woodward (2.5, Eng) drew S Vijayalaskshmi (2.5); Tejas Bakre (2.5) drew Sk. Nasir Ahmed (2.5, Eng); Aarthie Ramsawamy (1.5) lost to Simon Ansell (3, Eng); Neelotpal Das (1.5) lost to Ameet K Ghasi (2.5, Eng); Dibyendu Barua (1.5) drew Matthew Anderton (1.5, Eng); Eesha Karavade (1) lost to Reefat Bin Sattar (2, Ban); Jessie Gilbert (0.5, Eng) lost to S Meenakshi (1.5).