Venkatesh ensures title

Kozhikode, Sep 8 (UNI) Top seed M R Venkatesh ensured title with eight points beating Linda Rangarajan (6.5) of Puducherry in the ninth and penultimate round of the S K Pottekkat FIDE-rated All India Open Chess Tournament-2008 here today.

Though there was one more round to go, Venkatesh would be crowned champion on his better progressive score even if he was defeated tomorrow.

Chasing closely at the second spot were Santu Mondal of West Bengal and Praveen Kumar C of Tamil Nadu with seven points each.

Results: Londa Rangarajan (Pud) 6.5 lost to Venkatesh M R (TN) 8, Phoovalan P (TN) 6.5 drew with Santu Mondal (WB) 7, Joy Lazar M A (Ker) 6 lost to Praveen Kumar C (TN) 7, Nirmal E P (Ker) 6.5 drew with Mohanan U C (Ker) 6.5, Debasis Mukherjee (WB) 6.5 drew with Anil Kumar O T (Ker) 6.5, Nitin S (TN) 6.5 bt Satya Narayanan P (AP) 5.5, Ram S Krishnan (TN) 6 drew with Madhusoodanan K R (Ker) 6, Abdul Majeed N (Ker) 6 drew Sanjit Saha (Ker) 6, Bindu Sarita K (Ker) 6 drew with Sankar Majumdar (WB) 6, Laxmi Narayanan M V (TN) 6 bt Saket Kumar (Dli) 5.

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