Chess: Laxman scores upset win over Levon in GM International Open

Chennai: Former Commonwealth Champion and Indian Grandmaster R R Laxman stunned GM Babujian Levon of Armenia in the third round of the Chennai Grand Master International Open Chess tournament, here today.

Laxman, who defeated top seed GM Popov in the previous round, scored an exciting 46 move victory over Levon, taking his tally to 3 points from as many rounds.

Sharing the lead at 3 points with Laxman were GMs Lalith Babu, Vishnu Prasanna (both India) and Ter Sahakyan Samvel of Armenia among others.

In another upset FIDE Master Aravindh Chithambaram defeated GM Drazic Sinisa of Serbia in the event, held in celebration of the FIDE World Championship Match.

Results after Round 3 (Indians unless specified): Swapnil S Dhopade (2.5) drew with Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (2.5); M R Lalith Babu (3) bt Gagare Shardul (2); Udeshi Aditya (2) lost to Ter-Sahakyan Samvel (ARM, 3); Babujian Levon (ARM, 2) lost to R R Laxman (3); B S Shivananda (2.5) drew with Mozharov Mikhail (RUS, 2.5); V Vishnu Prasanna (3) bt S Ravi Teja (2); Aravindh Chithambaram V R (3) bt Drazic Sinisa (SRB, 2); N R Vignesh (2.5) drew with Rzayev Bahruz (AZE, 2.5); Mirzoev Azer (AZE, 2.5) bt Ravichandran Siddharth (1.5); Papin Vasily (RUS, 2) drew with Sardana Rishi (2).