MUMBAI, May 2: Bankmen Sharad Tilak and Shamsul Hasan were in the joint lead at the end of the eighth and penultimate round of the LIC-sponsored international rating invitation chess tournament at the Andheri Sports Complex today.

Top-seeded International Master Tilak (Union Bank), with an ELO rating of 2360, agreed to a quick draw in only nine moves with Reserve Bank's Deepak Andurkar (ELO 2230) on the top board in the Bombay Chess Association-conducted event.

Veteran Hasan joined him in the lead with 6.5 points by outwitting Vinayak Ghate of Reserve Bank, who employed French Defence-Winawer variation, in 27 moves on the second board.

Hasan took full advantage of his rival's weak moves in the initial phase by launching a three-pronged attack on the black King with his queen, rook and bishop to force a resignation after sacrificing his queen in a strategic move.

Andurkar and Amardeep Bartakke (ELO 2210) of Satara shared the third spot with six points each. Bartakke beat Ravi Bhave with white pieces in an English opening in 39 moves.

Tilak is to meet Baratakke and Hasan faces Andurkar in the last round tomorrow.

In joint-fifth spot were junior Rashmin Pulekar (ELO 2150), who beat Ravi Dongre in 32 moves, V N Ghate, L P Khadilkar (ELO 2150) and D Ravishankar with 5.5 points each.

Results and points position after 13th round: Pravin Thipsay (BSB-8) drew with P Konguvel (PSCB-9.5); Abhijit Kunte (PSCB-9) bt T S Ravi (PSCB-6.5); K Murugan (NLC-8) drew with Lanka Ravi (NLC-7); R G Hegde (BSB-7.5) drew with D V Prasad (PSCB-7.5); Sudhakar Babu (BSB-4.5) drew with R B Ramesh (PSCB-7); P D S Girinath (Railways-5) bt V Koshy (PSCB-6); G B Joshi (IA-3.5) drew with T N Parameswaran (AI-5.5); V Saravanan (PSCB-5) lost to M B Muralidharan (4.5)

THANE CARROM: The Thane District Carrom Ranking tournament organised by Oswal social group under the auspices of the Thane District Carrom Association will be held from May 16-18 at Navbharat High School, opp Ganpath Mandir, Brahman Aali, Bhiwandi, District Thane.

Entries for the tournament which offers prize money totalling Rs 15,000 , will be accepted until 9.00 p.m. on May 11.

Entries may be handed in to: Vijay Koli, secretary, Thane Dist. Carrom Association, Balliwala Bldg, Chendani Koliwada, Thane (E); or Deepak Sports, Brahman Aali, Opp old post office, Bhiwandi, Thane; or Gupta Sports, Mukund Apartments, Manpada Rd, Dombivli (E).

BIPIN LECTURE: Former National and current Mahindras coach Deryck D'Souza addressed the trainees of the five centres of the 10th Bipin Memorial Football Association's free summer vacation camp for boys under-16 on Thursday.

The former international striker, speaking at a lecturer-cum-demonstration clinic organised by the Karnataka Sporting Association, Churchgate advised trainees to listen attentively to their coaches, note down all they remember on reaching home and follow instructions obediently.

Olympian SS Narayan and Fifa referee and AIFF referee's instructor Floriniano Sanches spoke on the laws of the game, explaining various aspects of the rules and their interpretations.

BARIA HAT-TRICK: A hat-trick by D Baria enabled relegated Super Division outfit Mumbai Customs blank Muslims 3-0 in the Mohammed Hussain Memorial football knock-out tournament for Senior Division teams at the Cooperage today.

NAVY FLOTILLA: The finals of the Flotilla Pulling Regatta will be held on May 3 at Barrack Wharf, Naval Dockyard.

A 7.30 a.m. start will set six squadrons representing 29 ships into action in this annual event.

ESPN LIVE TELECASTS: Sports network ESPN would telecast live all three one-day cricket internationals between arch-foes England and Australia and the men's and women's singles finals of the 44th World Table Tennis Championships later this month.

The three England-Australia Texaco one-day internationals are scheduled on May 22, 24 & 25 and the `live' telecast would commence at 1510 hours (IST), a release stated today.

The men's and women's singles finals, along with the doubles and mixed doubles finals, are scheduled to be telecast on May 5 from 1330 hours (IST).

The Sudirman Cup World Mixed Badminton Team Championship semi-finals are also to be beamed `live' on the network from 2330 hours (IST) on May 23. The World Cup qualifier between Slovakia and the Czech Republic and the UEFA Champions League football final at Munich would also be brought `live' to Asian viewers on May 22 (2400 hours, IST) and May 28 (2355 hours, IST).

The network is also to telecast `live' the French Open Tennis Championship from Roland Garros in Paris from May 26 onwards, the release added.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.