Chanda registers fine victory

Pardubice, Czech Republic:

On a day when draws were the norm, Sandipan Chanda strengthened his chances for a final GM norm with a finely crafted victory over FIDE Master Erik Hedman of Sweden in the fifth round of the Czech Open Grandmaster tournament here. Czech GM Jiri Stocek outwitted International Master Vladimir Belov of Russia in the lone decisive games on the top nine boards and joined overnight leader Vladislav Borovikov of Ukraine atop the tables on 4.5 points. Top seed GM K Sasikiran, GM P Harikrishna, GM Abhijit Kunte, IM S S Ganguly and Sandipan are among the 27 players, closely following the two leaders with 4 points each to their credit. Hedman entered where even the best fear to tread against Sandipan. Going for unwarranted complications from the black side of a Reti opening, the Swedish was out-classed by Sandipan in the middlegame. To wriggle out of his difficulties Hedman was forced to part with a pawn and got the Bishops of opposite colour. Undeterred by the exchange of pieces at regular intervals, Sandipan cashed in on another mistake by his opponent and exchanged the queens on the 27th move to arrive at a winning endgame. The technicalities were handled in copybook fashion thereon by Sandipan and he notched the full point in 42 moves. (PTI)