Akshat Khamparia Wins Sydney Open!

Indian FM Akshat Khamparia won the Sydney International Open 2011 which was held from 27th April to 1st May at the Parramatta Town Hall in Sydney, Australia. With an amaizing five straight wins and four draws in a strong field, he claimed the clear first place with a total of 7 points. He also fulfilled requirements for an IM norm, his second within only a week in Australia. Previously he shared the 4th place at the 2011 Doeberl Cup.

A group of seven players, including 3 GMs, shared the second place with 6.5 points a piece. Among them are FM Christopher Wallis of Australia, who also won an IM norm, GM David Arutinian of Georgia and Doeberl Cup winner GM Andrei Deviatkin of Russia.

The Sydney International Open was held from 27th April to 1st May at the Parramatta Town Hall in Sydney, Australia. The New South Wales Chess Association managed two 9-round tournaments, the Open which allowed all players to enter and the Sydney International Challengers which was designed for players rated under 2000.

The excellent performance from FM Akshat Khamparia clearly shows the strength of Indian Chess Players, who with the inspiration drawn from the World Champion from India GM Vishy Anand, go any length to upgrade their game & perform well at the national & international level.It is a proof of the present day system in place in India which propells even lesser known players like FM Akshat Khamparia to perform excellently in an international tournament & win it!

Open Group Final Standings (top 15):

1 FM Akshat Khamparia IND 2328 - 7
2 GM David Arutinian GEO 2575 - 6.5
3 GM Andrei Deviatkin RUS 2566 - 6.5
4 IM Kevin Goh Wei Ming SIN 2382 - 6.5
5 FM Christopher Wallis AUS 2305 - 6.5
6 IM Stephen J Solomon AUS 2398 - 6.5
7 GM Zhao Zong-Yuan AUS 2579 - 6.5
8 FM Michael Steadman NZL 2217 - 6.5
9 GM Dejan Bojkov BUL 2523 - 6
10 FM Vladimir Smirnov RUS 2395 - 6
11 FM Junta Ikeda AUS 2296 - 6
12 FM Moulthun Ly AUS 2381 - 6
13 FM Max Illingworth AUS 2345 - 6
14 GM Darryl K Johansen AUS 2419 - 5.5
15 FM Gregory Canfell AUS 2313 - 5.5
16 GM Hansen Sune Berg DEN 2603 - 5.5
17 Samar Raul AUS 2236 - 5.5
18 Jason Hu AUS 2190 - 5.5

Final Round Game Of The Winner!
White : GM Zong Yuan Zhao (2579) Australia
Black : FM Akshat Khamparia (2328) INDIA
Round 9 ; Sydney International Open 2011
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Be2 Bg4 7.Be3 Nfd7 8.0-0 c5 9.d5 Nb6 10.Nd2 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 e6 12.f4 exd5 13.cxd5 f5 14.Nf3 fxe4 15.Ng5 Qe7 16.Rad1 Na6 17.Ne6 Nb4 Draw 0.5-0.5