KATHMANDU, March 20: Sumit Panta of Nepal stunned IM Abu Sufian Shakil of Bangladesh in the Asian Zonal 3.2 Chess Championship that kicked off on Sunday in the capital.
Sumit, rated 1935, overcame 2343-rated Abu to collect full points in the event. All other top-rated players registered wins in the opening round.
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Top-rated Bangladeshi GMs Rahman Ziaur (rated 2520), Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib (2492), Hossain Emamul (2474) and Murshed Niaz (2422) registered wins. Rahman overcame former national champion of Nepal Badrilal Nepali (2009), Rakib edged past Sajin Maharjan (2002), Enamuel beat Bhupendra Niraula (1979), Naiz beat Nabin Tandukar (1979).
Similarly, Bangladeshi FIDE Master Hasan Mehdi saw off Ranjan Kunwar. Meanwhile, Nepali player Madan Krishna Shrestha overcame Milan Lama, Himal Lama beat Rajendra Parajuli and Keshav Shrestha beat Suman Rai. Similarly, FIDE Master Manish Hamal, CM Kshitiz Bhandari among others also emerged victorious.
Earlier, former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal inaugurated the event. The event to conclude on March 28 features 42 players from four countries including host Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
