S.L. Narayanan (7 points) finished runner-up after a draw with Israel’s Ilia Smirin in the ninth and final round of the RTU Open chess tournament in Riga, Latvia, on Sunday. Germany’s Alexander Donchenko won with 7.5 points from nine rounds.
The results (involving Indians): Ninth round: Ilia Smirin (Isr, 6.5) drew with S.L. Narayanan (7); M. Karthikeyan (7) bt Nikita Meshkovs (Lat, 6); Tomas Laurusas (Ltu, 7) bt Arjun Erigaisi (6); Gergley Kantor (Hun, 7) bt D. Gukesh (6); Nihal Sarin (6) drew with Arjun Kalyan (6.5); S. P. Sethuraman (6.5) bt Raja Harshit (5.5); Luka Budisavljevic (Srb, 6) drew with Aravindh Chithambaram (6); Kirill Chukavin (Est, 5.5) lost to R. Praggnanandhaa (6.5).
Eighth round: Narayanan drew with Igor Kovalenko (Lat); Arjun Erigaisi drew with Gergely Kantor (Hun); Arjun Kalyan drew with Ivic Velimir (Srb); Luka Budisavljevic (Srb) drew with Nihal Sarin; Aravindh Chithambaram drew with Cem Kan Gokerkan (Tur); Victor Dmitrenko (Ukr) lost to M. Karthikeyan; D. Gukesh bt Martin Stukan (Rus).
Final standings (including leading Indians): 1. Alexander Donchenko (Ger, 7.5), 2. S. L. Narayanan (7), 5. Murali Karthikeyan (7), 8. Arjun Kalyan (6.5), 11. Pranav Anand (6.5), 13. Praggnanandhaa (6.5). 16-18. S. P. Sethuraman, Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin (6 each).
Mendonca fares better
Leon Mendonca came up with an improved showing, scoring two points from four rounds, to occupy the 14th spot after 12 rounds of Kramnik Challenge online rapid chess tournament on Saturday.
With three rounds to go, USA’s Awonder Liang headed the table with 9.5 points. The winner qualifies to play an event of the elite Meltwaters Champions Chess Tour.
The results (involving Indian): 12th round: Volodar Murzin (Rus) drew with Leon Mendonca; 11th round: Mendonca lost to Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb); 10th round: Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Iri) lost to Mendonca; Ninth round: Mendonca drew with Marc Adnria Maurizzi (Fra).
Leading standings (after 12 rounds): 1. Awonder Liang (USA, 9.5 points); 2. Vincent Keymer (Ger, 9); 3-4. Christopher Yoo (USA), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) (8.5 each); 14. Leon Mendonca (4.5).
