HOVE (ENGLAND), Aug 11: Ketki Kulkarni, who won the under-8 title in the on-going British Championships, added the under-9 girls crown to her booty here, on Sunday night. Eight-year-old Varun Dattani stood runners up in the under-9 boys championship at the same venue.

Ketki (4 points) would have won the title alone had she not blundered her 7th and last round game. This unfortunate loss allowed Katheryn Barnes of England to catch up with Ketki. Both Katheryn and Ketaki were declared joint winners.

Varun (5.5), the current Maharashtra state champion in the under-8 category, finished runners-up to Jonathan Zoubaida (6) of England after letting the champion escape with a draw in the last round. Varun, who had missed a win and thus the chance to become British under-8 champion, two days back, by losing the last round thus improved his performance in the higher age group.

Varun conceded three draws to remain unbeaten in the championship.

Varun, a student of Cathedral and John Connon, Bandra, is coached by former National `B' player Parag Varde.

Both Ketaki and Varun are planning to compete in the British under 10 Championship before returning home. Ketaki is in high spirit but her mother Radhika was worried about the stress and strain of the higher group championship.

Another Indian boy, ten-year-old Omkar Kulkarni, who participated in the under-11 section, finished joint third. Omkar will also be participating in the under-10 category.

Kumardeep shares lead: India's Kumardeep Chakraborty was in the lead with three points after the third round in the under-12 age group of the british Chess Championship at Brighton today.

Kumardeep's Sicilian Najdorf defence outmanoeuvred England's Rennie John at the 57th move, reports Press Trust of India (PTI) from Calcutta.

The Indian chess prodigy was now sharing the top spot with four others.

He would also be taking part in the London Chess Olympiad commencing from August 18.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.