Ziaul Kader Tuhin of Dhaka Metro poll* caused the biggest upset of the 17th national cheas champion ship yesterday
when he handed the hitherto unstoppable leader MfTal bin Sattar of Bangladesh Btman his first defeat of the meet In the 11th round of the competition at the NSC chess room.
Just when it had appeared the current meet had lost all Its charm after Riffat opened up a seemingly unbridgeable three point lead with just four more rounds to play, Tuhin suddenly chose to play the David to Rifiat's Goliath and tn fused frvah interest tn the title race by narrowing down the points margin between the leader and hl* nearest rival lo a move surmountable two only.
Should Tuhin maintain his lately found form, and should Rifiat falter again. It could In deed become a most absorbing tussle for the national champion's mantle between the two.
Until yesterday's mishap, Riffat had dropped only half a point, way back tn the seventh round when Khandaker Kaye* Hassan of Ansiirs had held him to a draw. Riffat now has 9.5 point* out of 11. still very much clearly tn the lead.
It was a gripping contest
between the two youngsters at the NSC chea* room yesterday afternoon with Tuhin playing with while piece* and former national junior champion RKTat opting for a French defence
Playing with a certain ug grv**tvenca». Tuhin made his moves wisely and forced Riffat to resign alter 42 mover.
The victory look Tuhin » tally to 7.5 points and left him the only undefeated player in the 16-slrong filed which Includes two ladies. Tuhin has now won four and drawn seven of his 11 games against only one draw and a loss for Riflat.
A win for last year s runner up Younus I iasaan, a former national champion, againat international Woman Maater Rant Hamid yesterday boosted the Ansars players position, placing him third in the table with seven points. It was the third consecutive defeat for the former national women's champion whose collection remains at 5.5 points.
Younus. playing black, adopted the Sicilllan defence to force a decision on Rani In the 39th move.
Defending champion Syed Tahmidur shares the fourth . position along with Dhaka Metropolis players Anisur Rahman and Shahlnoor Hossain. Tahmid was held lo a draw by another former na
tlpnal champion Jamilur R*hman while Shahlnoor Hossain, who was tn second place behind Riffat at ihe end of Tuesday’s tenth round with 6.5 points, suffered a costly defeat at the hand, of Sham.ul Kabtr Chowdhury. his metropolitan , teammate. Shamaul Kabir Increased his point* tally to 4.5.
Aniaur Rahman drew with Sheikh Anwar Hoaaaln of Dhaka DSA. Anwar now ha* 4.5 point*.
It Was another barren day for newcomer Sheikh Shahadat Hossain Raina. The promising player from Bogra, who shone so well by topping the qualifiers for this year ■ nationals ahead of many eslab fished players, failed once again to reverse his run of de feats in the competition by going down to Khandaker Kayes Hassan of Ansars. Poor Raina s collection remains a measly one point, accruing from two drawn encounters early in the meet.
Rezaul Haq of Btman yet again ran foul of the clock and forfeited his match against Shahabuddin Ahmed Qurelshl of Sylhct by falling once again to make the necessary number of moves within the stipulated lime. Reza has only three points to Shahabuddin Qurelshl s six.
Faridpur girl Shabuna Parveen Nlpu drew her match against Malnuddin Mamoon of Dhaka Metropolis, leaving both player* on 4.5 points.
Last night s result, while boosting Tuhin s morale and giving him more confidence will also, no doubt, make Rlflat more caultou* and slrcnglhen hia resolve to reach the goal — that of the championship Ulk — which until the eventful eleventh round looked all his for the taking. Unless Riffat panics, the odds against him being pipped to the post are indeed still rather high.
Yet everyone following this year's championship keenly will no doubt want to see morc Qrcworks and a really thrilling run Uli the very final fifteenth round.