Zia chose Caro-Kan Defense while Enamul continued with Classical Variation
Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman emerged as the unbeaten champion of the 40th Berger Paints National ‘A’ Chess after drawing his last-round game with GM Enamul Hossain Razib at the media center of the Bangladesh Olympic Association yesterday.
Playing with black pieces, Zia chose Caro-Kan Defense while Enamul continued with Classical Variation. Following the 11th move Enamul offered a draw and Zia accepted it. Zia earned 11 points and reclaimed the title after a three-year gap. This was Zia’s 13th national chess title.
GM Niaz Murshed was the runners-up and earned 10 points. In the last round Niaz drew with IM Minhazuddin Ahmed. GM Enamul Hossain and last year’s champion GM Abdullah al Rakib both earned 9.5 points each. They will contest playoff matches for the third and fourth positions.
In the final round Rakib beat FM Rezaul Haque to join Razib in third position. IM Minhazuddin Ahmed and FM Sheikh Nasir Ahmed were tied with 8.5 points each and will play playoff matches for the fifth and sixth positions. Uten became seventh with 7.5 points. Masum Hossain finished eighth with 5.5 points. FM Amin and FM Debaraj Chatterjee will go through the playoff match for the ninth and 10th positions. CM Sohel Chowdhury with 3.5 points, FM Rezaul Haque with three points, Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan with 2.5 points and CM Mahtabuddin Ahmed with two points finished 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th respectively.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
