Russians lead table with 3 pts after 3rd round in World Blind Chess

Margao, Oct 12 (UNI) Two former world champions from Russia Sergey Kirlov (WC 1978)(2393) and Alexy Smirmov (WC 1998) with three points each lead the pack at the XIth Individual World Chess Championship for the blind in progress at Varca Margao in south Goa.

Sergey Kirlov playing with black pieces defeated Rasim Nizam of Bulgaria. In the Kan variation of the Sicilian defence Kirlov tactfully avoided castling on either side and launched a devastating attack along the G5. ABH2+ followed by 30,Qf4 was a telling blow to Razim for which he had no answer.

In another crulial game between Serbia's Sretko and former world champion Alexy Smirnov from Russia, both the players opened with a symmetrical four knight opening and fianchettoed the bishop on the king side and waited for an opening. But with Smirnov making use of the position by opening his bishop at E 2 supported by the three passer got Sretko in a flash, who had no answer to this, after seeing 35 Qg6 Sretko simply resigned to Simirnov.

India's National Blind Champion Srikrishna Udapa (2057) caused a big upset on his birthday when he defeated Alexy Nikitin (2318) of Russia in the third round. This birthday boy who is also a lawyer from Shimoga, was in a punishing mood after he had squandered an advantageous position against top seeded I M Sergei Krylov in the very first round. From the white side of King's Indian Defence, Udapa tied down all of Nikitin's pieces and checkmated him in just 25 moves. It is first victory of an Indian Blind player over Russian seeded player. After three rounds Udapa has two points.

India's Shrish Patil also won his game against Paul Eros-Hungary from Russia.

After the first round on the 10th October, the Russian's, German's, Polish, Serbian and Swedish players were in the lead with two points. But now after the 3rd round the Russian's led the pack with three points each for Sergey Krylov and Alexy Smirnov.

Nine players - Pribenu (Romania), Popov (Russia), Magnusson (Sweden), Suder (Poland), Carlos (Cuba), Berlinsky (Russia), Wasim (Ukraine), four times World woman champion Zsiltzova (Ukraine) and Gunajev (Russia) have 2.5 points each are in the second position.

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