SANGLI, May 25: International Master N Sudhakar Babu (6.5 points) of Indian Bank regained the lead with a fighting victory over Chandrasekhar Gokhale (5.5) of Indian Airlines in the seventh round of SK Vaidya Memorial International Rating chess tournament in progress at Arwade High School here.Former Asian sub-junior silver medallist TS Ravi (5) of Indian Oil lost to Atanu Lahiri (6) of West Bengal.
Gokhale had the advantage against Babu's Leningrad Dutch defence.
But he he fell short of time. Babu's pieces developed sudden activity.
The young Gokhale was then thrown back on defence.
Babu won a pawn and then the game with precise play in the ending.
Roktim Bandopadhyay (5.5) of West Bengal continued his good showing by holding second seeded International Master Ravi Hegde (5.5) of Union Bank to a draw. Atanu Lahiri's (6) excelled handling of black side of French defence resulted in TS Ravi's loss of a piece. P Mitrakanth (5.5) scored an easy win against Jayant Gokhale (5) of Bharat Petroleum in45 moves of Sicilian defence.
The Commonwealth champion won a couple of pawns by his queenside play and forced Jayant to surrender.
Sriram Jha (6) checkmated Amjad Ali (5) of Bangladesh with a brilliant attack from the black side of Sicilian defence.
International Master Sekhar Sahu (5.5) of Union Bank scored a neat win against Vedant Goswami (4.5) of Rajasthan.
Nassir Wajih (5.5) of Rajasthan surprised Arun Vaidya (4.5). Wajih employed the Sicilian defence.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
