Clean Sweep By Iran Men and Women Team in Kolkata

Clean sweep by Iran men and women team.
Kolkata, 22nd December, 2009

The Iranian Men’s and Women’s team got off to a flying start by winning all their games on the opening day of Tata Steel Asian Team Chess Championship at the Town Hall in Kolkata on Tuesday. The seven round Swiss league championship is organized by Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy and All Sport Management and will continue till December 28.

According to the new rules of Fide a team gets 2 points for winning and 1 point for drawing. Top seeds, India A teams won by the narrowest margin of 2.5-1.5 against their less fancied opponents Bangladesh and Indonesia in both the Men’s and women’s section.

Parimarjan Negi of India A was the only player from India A to win his game while the rest drew their games including the highest rated player of the meet GM P Harikrishna who was held to a draw by GM Ziaur Rahman. In the women’s section, Esha Karwade of India A was upset by low rated Baiq Vina Lestari of Indonesia.

The India B team started their campaign in style by winning all their games. After the 1st round India A , India B, Iran, Vietnam and Indonesia lead the field jointly with 2 points each in the men’s section. In the women’s section, India A, Vietnam and Iran share the op spot with 2 points each.

The Asian Chess Team Championship scheduled to start on December 21, had been postponed by a day due to the late arrival of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka teams. The Bangladesh captain, Niaz Murshed, however, arrived in the city earlier in the evening  and attended the captains meeting. In the captains meeting held late in the evening it was agreed by all the teams that the tournament would  start from Tuesday, December 22.

It was also decided in the captains meeting that no player can agree to a draw before 30 moves. The games will start from 2 p.m everyday.The time limit for each game will be 40 moves in the first one and half hours followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game. In addition there would be 30 seconds increment for each move.

India A teams start as the favourite in both the men’s and women’s sections in this 7 round Swiss league championship which will continue till December 28. As the host country, India will be fielding 2 teams in each category.

(source: http://www.asianteamchess09.com/news.asp, Asian Chess Team 2009, Kolkata, India)