CONGRATULATIONS
Final IM norm for Sahaj Grover

Former world under-10 champion Sahaj Grover completed his third and final International Master norm in the closed IM tournament of Balatonlelle chess festival. Congratulations from the Delhi Chess Family.

12-year old Sahaj finished clear second in a field of six players in the double round-robin contest and made his third norm after the end of the ninth round that he drew with International Master Petran Pal
of Hungary. Sahaj will be officially awarded the title of Internaitonal Master when he crosses the 2400 ELO rating barrier which is a must for the second highest degree in chess after the Grandmaster title. Currently Sahaj is 2300 and has around 25 points in his bag.

International Master and top seed Zsolt Joseph Szabo of Hungary won the tournament scoring 7 points out of a possible 10. While Sahaj finished second on 6 points after losing the final round game against FIDE master Andreas Mitscherling of Germany. The third place was shared by Petran Pal and Auistrian International Master Walter Weittman who both finished with 5.5 points apiece while Mitscherling and Christian Hess tied for the fifth spot on 3 points each.

SUN group brand Ambassador Sahaj had a rocking start in the tournament as he shot up to 5 points from the first six games including a swift victory over Szabo. However in the 7th round, a loss against Szabo, tweo draws theerafter and a final round loss cost the teenager dearly. Yet the final norm was quite satisfying in his own words.

Sahaj had earlier made his first norm during the Commonwealth chess champiosnhip at New Delhi in December last year and the second norm at the Reykjavik International open tournament at Iceland. The third norm cane in span of seven months from the first norm and the Delhi-based will now be looking forward for his Grandmaster norms.

Results final round: Andreas Mitscherlinb (Ger, 3) beat Sahaj Grover (Ind, 6); Zsolt Joseph Szabo (Hun, 7) drew with Petran Pal (Hun, 5.5); Christian Hess (Ger, 3) drew with Walter Wittman (Aut, 5.5)

Final Standings: 1. Szabo 7; 2. Grover 6; 3-4. Pal, Wittman 5.5 each;
5-6. Mitscherling, Hess 3 each.