Russia handed out another demolition job as they comprehensively beat Turkey in the seventh round at Ahmedabad on Saturday. After a string of indifferent performances in the earlier rounds, India Green made a strong comeback to beat Belarus 3-1 with R Praggnanandhaa, P Iniyan and R Vaishali posting wins.
For Russia, the first board saw a quick draw between IM Sergei Lobanov and FM Deniz Ozen. On the fourth board, too, there was a not so special draw. On the second and the third board, FM Artur Gaifullin and FM Timur Fukhritdinov came out victorious.
The second table saw India’s triumph. However, GM Aryan Chopra slumped to another loss, this time to FM Viachaslau Zarubitski, rated 2330.
Praggnanandhaa had no difficulty in beating Olga Badelka, rated 2388 after she blundered a pawn in the middlegame. Iniyan beat Maksim Ivannikau, rated 2221, after the Indian too won a pawn in the middlgame. Vaishali played on the fourth board and had an equal position but late in the middlegame, her opponent Arseni Kotau, rated 2145, gave away a piece, allowing Vaishali to win. In the third table, Iran thrashed India Red 4-0.