India A are the Men Champions!

Men

Today, in the penultimate round, India A, unbeaten and with maximum points took on Singapore after having beaten all their main rivals, and romped home to an easy 3.5-0.5 win which ensured that India will be champions one round before the end!

(The Singapore team before their 0-4 defeat to India A.).

(The reliable Deepan Chakkravarthy K was the only India A player not to win this round.).

Instead the attention was really on the fight for second place and it was still very much the status quo after the dust had settled with Vietnam recording a 4-0 win over Indonesia while the other silver medal hopefuls Iran crushed Sri Lanka by the same 4-0 score.

India B also had an easy time against Yemen, winning 3-1, and Nepal lost 1-3 against Bangladesh.


Women

Leaders Vietnam today faced their last strong team - Indonesia - and still easily won 3.5-0.5 to retain their two point advantage over India A which beat Bangladesh 4-0.

(A calm and determined Vietnam team in action against Indonesia whom they beat 3.5-0.5, a result which has all but won them the championship.).

(In fact Vietnam were so confident that the rested a player that had so far scored 3/3 and she was also more interested that round in doing media work that including being interviewed by TV!).

Indian B joined India A in second place, also on nine points with a 4-0 trouncing of Sri Lanka.

And with a 4-0 win over Nepal, Iran moved up to fourth place on seven points as Singapore received the 2-0 bye and fell to fifth place with six points.