Xu Jun claims Asian chess title

Top seed Grandmaster Xu Jun of China quickly drew his final round game against Alexie Barsov to clinch the coveted title in the third Asian Individual chess championship at the Gorky Sadan in Calcutta on Friday.

Xu Jun finished with 8.5 points and was awarded a cash prize of $12,000 and a gold medal for his title-winning effort in the 11-round Swiss league meet.

GM Saidali Iuldachev of Uzbekistan took the second position with eight points as he drew his last round match against strong Indian contender IM Surya Sekhar Ganguly, who had to be content with the third place.

Three players tied for the third to sixth positions but Ganguly was placed third on account of a better tie-break, making him richer by $10,000 and earning him a bronze medal.

Three players from India, Surya Sekhar Ganguly, Dibyendu Barua and Pendyala Harikrishna qualified for the World chess championship from this meet by finishing in the top ten.

While Barua was placed seventh, Harikrishna just got in by taking he tenth place.

Harikrishna, who needed to win Friday's game against Esham Ghaem Maghami of Iran to get the GM title, could only manage a draw much to the disappointment of Indian chess lovers. He will now have to start afresh to get his fourth norm for the title.