CHENNAI: Axel Rombaldoni has been the revelation in the first half of the World Junior Chess Championship here. The 28th seed from Italy has taken the open event by storm with six straight victories, which includes upset wins over GMs Ivan Salgado Lopez, Tamir Nabaty, and Nils Grandelius. His performance rating is a staggering 3218. When the second half of the tournament resumes on Tuesday after a day’s rest, Rombaldoni will face Samvel Ter-Sahakyan of Armenia in the seventh round. With seven more rounds still left it remains to be seen whether he can maintain the tempo.
Top seed Maxim Matlakov (4) of Russia, who has struggled in the first six rounds, will be looking for a turnaround after the break. India’s best performer has been Girish Koushik, who occupies joint second spot with five points. He has scalped two GMs (Vasif Durarbeyli Vasif & SP Sethuraman) in a row. Koushik faces Sanan Sjugirov next and will be hoping to continue his dream run. Another Indian who has been impressive is Swayams Mishra (4.5). He upset Sasa Martinovic and held last-year’s bronze medallist Darius Swiercz to a draw in the last two rounds. India’s top two juniors Baskaran Adhiban and SP Sethuraman (both 4) will be looking for an improved show in the next seven rounds.
In the girls section, Russia’s Olga Girya leads with 5.5 points. J Saranya (4.5) has been the standout performer for India. India’s No 1 junior Padmini Rout will look to improve after having already lost two games.
Standings after Round 6: (Open): 1. A Rombaldoni (Ita) 6 points, 2-5: N Huschenbeth (Ger), Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (Arm), Girish Koushik (Ind), R Hovhannisyan (Arm) 5, 6-12: K Piorun (Pol), S Sjugirov (Rus), Swayams Mishra (Ind), Ray Robson (US), D Swiercz (Pol), O Rasulov (Aze), N Grandelius (Swe) 4.5.
Girls: 1. O Girya (Rus) 5.5, 2-4: I Bulmaga (Rom), Cori Deysi (Per), E Semenova (Rus) 5, 5-8: Q Kazimova (Aze), K Kulon (Pol), Q Mammadova (Aze), J Saranya (Ind) 4.5, 9-16: N Paikidze (Rus), G Nakhbayeva (Kaz), K Ozturk (Tur), H Tokhirjanova (Uzb), J Dogodkina, A Savina (both Rus), I Agrest (Swe), Phung Vo (Vie) Pairings (Round 7, Open): Rombaldoni vs Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, Huschenbeth vs Hovhannisyan, Sjugirov vs Girish, Robson vs Rasulov, Swiercz vs Piorun, Grandelius vs Swayams Mishra, Lalith Babu vs Matlakov, Goganov vs Salgado, Shimanov vs Vidit, Stany vs Nabaty. Girls: Bulmaga vs Girya, Cori vs Saranya, Qizi Mammadova vs Semenova, Kulon vs Qizi Kazimova, Paikidze vs Phung Vo, Agrest vs Savina, Tokhirjanova vs Ozturk, Dogodkina vs Nakhbayeva, Padmini vs Qizi Ulviyya, Tsatsalashvili vs Nandhidhaa.
