Thipsay outwitted Tejas Bakre (6), while IM K Sasikiran, who had emerged title winner in the penultimate round on Friday, drew his last game against IM-elect G B Prakash (11).

IM Abhijit Kunte (11) drew his game against V Saravanan (10) and tied for the third spot with Prakash. On application of Koya system, Kunte was placed third and Prakash fourth. D V Prasad (10.5) beat T S Ravi to gain the fifth placing. Saravanan won the sixth position. The first six have booked their berths in the Indian squad. D Barua, the winner of the Asian zonal, had already found a place in the National team.

Thipsay, after a weak initial run, needed a win today to clinch the clear second spot. Though, he had booked his place among the first six with a round to go, the determinedveteran proved too strong for the young Air-India player Tejas Bakre. His Ruy Lopez system against Bakre's King pawn opening, won a pawn for him. After exchanging the Bishops, in the rook, bishop and pawns ending, Bakre was a pawn down and had doubled pawns in `f-file'. After that, the Grandmaster took no time to seal the young rival's fate.

Kunte had a chance to finish as clear third, but he did not succeed in winning from an advantageous position against V Sarvanan. Though he completely outplayed Sarvanan in the Benoni defence, Kunte won a pawn and simplified the position to reach a winning rook and bishop ending. Kunte was wayward in the ending as he lacked an explicit plan. Sarvanan regrouped his pieces and Kunte offered a draw.

TS Ravi lost the Sicilian Alapin variation game to D V Prasad on the 43rd move. RB Ramesh (white) and P Konguvel played a Sicilian defence game, which ended in favour of Konguvel (10) on the 72nd move. The winner, however, lost his place in the National team to V Saravananafter the tie-break. RB Ramesh (10) was pushed to the seventh place.

Local player Anup Deshmukh (6.5) ended his campaign with a loss to Neelotpal Das (8.5). SK Rathore lost to N K Mishra, while S Saha and R G Hegde split the point. IM V Koshy alos shared the point with Shankar Roy.

The final round results: K Sasikiran (13) drew with G B Prakash (11), Tejas Bakre (6) lost to P M Thipsay (12), Abhijit Kunte (11) drew with V Saravanan (10), T S Ravi (7) lost to D V Prasad (10.5), R B Ramesh (10) lost to P Konguvel (10), Neelotpal Das (8.5) beat Anup Deshmukh (6.5), Suvrajit Saha (7), drew with R G Hegde (6.5), S K Rathore (5) lost to N K Mishra (7), V Koshy (6) drew with Shankar Roy (6).

First six placings: (1) K Sasikiran, (2) P M Thipsay, (3) Abhijit Kunte, (4) G B Prakash, (5) D V Prasad, (6) V Sarvanan

Other placing: (7) P Konguvel, (8) R B Ramesh, (9) N Das, (10) T S Ravi, (11) S Saha, (12) N K Mishra (13) Anup Deshmukh, (14) R G Hegde, (15) Tejas Bakre, (16) V Koshy, (17)Shankar Roy and (18) S K Rathore.