Negi scores thumping win but settles for 7th in Sigeman and Co Che

Malmo, Sweden, Apr 27 (UNI) Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi scored a thumping win over local star Emil Hermansson in the final round but had to settle for a seventh-place finish in the Sigeman and Co Chess tournament here.

In another Round Nine tie, Grandmaster Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria drew with defending champion Jan Timman of the Netherlands but the result had no bearing on the 10-player Category-13 tournament as Cheparinov (7 out of 9) had already taken an unassailable lead for the title bofore the match.

Timman, Emanuel Berg (Sweden) and Tiger Hillarp Persson (Sweden) finished joint second at 5.5 points, while another Swede Pontus Carlsson (5.0) and Vassilios Kotronias (4.5) of Greece were fifth and sixth.

With three wins, two draws and four losses, Negi shares joint seventh with Erwin l'Ami of the Netherlands at four points, while Jonny Hector (Sweden) and Hermansson brought up the rear with two points.

Round 9 Results: Emanuel Berg drew Tiger Hillarp Persson Jan Timman drew Ivan Cheparinov Parimarjan Negi beat Emil Hermansson Erwin l'Ami beat Jonny Hector Pontus Carlsson beat Vassilios Kotronias Final Standings: 1. Ivan Cheparinov (7.0) 2-4. Jan Timman, Emanuel Berg, Tiger Hillarp Persson (5.5) 5. Pontus Carlsson (5.0) 6. Vassilios Kotronias (4.5) 7-8. Erwin l'Ami, Parimarjan Negi (4.0) 9-10. Jonny Hector, Emil Hermansson (2.0) UNI