Wassin maintains lead with 6 points after 7th round

Margao, Oct 16 (UNI) Sergej Wassin of Ukraine maintained his lead when he drew with Russian challenge Sergey Smirnov on the top table to lead the championship with 6 points after round 7 in the XIth Individual World Chess Championship for the blind in progress at Varca in south Goa.

Yesterday, leader Wassin concentrated all his energies on his queen side agaist the kings Indian defence of the former world champion (1998-2000) Smirnov.

Smirnov also brought similar pressure along the C file with a battery of 2 rooks. After the fall of pawn at d6 for Wassin, the position became trigonometrically equal and both agreed on a satisfying draw.

In the other games, Sergey Krylov (Russia) beat compatriot Vasily Guzynin. It was kings Indian classical defence between the two. Krylov with black pieces handled the middle game so well that Guzynin's resistance started to tremble down, but Krylov's 24th black move was a bombshell for Guzynin and without replying to it he simply resigned and shook hands with Krylov.

Frank Schellmann (Germany) beat Dacian Pribeanu (Romania), Vladimir Berlinsky( Russia) beat Rafal Guanjew( Poland) and Lubov Zsiltzova (Ukraine) beat Jorgen Magnusson (Sweden).

The Indians had a good day when Gautam Gagodia beat Greek Loannis Siromachos. Loannis is blind, deaf and dumb and he tells the moves to the scorer by writing them on the palm of the scorer with his fingers. Interestingly, he could see and hear till he was about 30 years old, but then due to some medical complications lost his sight and power to hear.

Swapnil Shah beat Papadopoulos Cristos (Greece), Rajesh Oza beat Teodor Lapadatu (Romania).

After round 7, Sergey Wassin (Ukraine) leads with 6 points and Sergie Smirnov, Surgei Krylov, Vladimir Berlinsky (all from Russia) and Frank Schellmann (Germany) are joint second with 5.5 points each.

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