GM Ziaur Rahman clinched the title of the Berger Six Seasons Grandmasters Chess that concluded on Sunday. GM Niaz Murshed finished runner-up while FM Abu Sufian Shakil and FM Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar both failed to earn their third IM norms from the meet.
In the last round, Shakil needed a draw against Zia to earn his norm but lost the match. Sagar, who required a win against Sahaj Grover, could only manage a draw. However, both the players, who will be representing Bangladesh in the Asian Games chess, termed the meet as a useful one. Zia
and Niaz are also in the Asian games chess squad.
Zia earned six points from the nine matches of the tournament while Niaz got 5.5 points. Three players earned 5 points each and in tie-
breaking system IM Sahaj Grover of India was placed third, FM Minhazuddin Ahmed
Sagar fourth and FM Abu Sufian Shakil became fifth.
GM Vakhidov Tair of Uzbekistan was sixth with 4.5 points, Indian FM Sayatan Das also earned 4.5 points but was placed seventh, Bitan Bannerjee of India was eighth on 4 points, Yee Soon Wei of Brunei Darussalam was ninth with 3.5 point and FM Mehdi Hasan Parag, who earned 2 points, was placed 10th.
