The lone Indian woman in the fray, IWM Anupama Gokhale, went down to the highest-rated junior girl in the world, Corina Peptan of Romania.

GM Thipsay adopted advance variation against French defence to score an easy win over untitled F Hindermann of Switzerland.

Former National champion Prasad employed Nimzo-Indian defence against Fran Reinemer of Germany.

Prasad saddled Reinmer with a weak isolated pawn and steered the game into an won ending. Reinemer resigned when Prasad's pawn was queening forcely.

IM Saravanan played an attacking game from white side of close Sicilian defence, against S Mohamad of UAE. Mohamad gave up when heavy loss of material was inevitable. Lowly-rated Lueber Roger of Switzerland was no match for Indian rising star Kidambt who won a pawn and the gamein a nice style from the black side of Caro-Kann defence.

Grandmaster norm holder Abhijit Kunte was held to a draw by Heedt Thurste (0.5) of Germany. Playing black side of Sicilian Paulsen game, Kunte won a pawn to obtain a winning position. Heedt defended stubbornly and took advantage of Kunte's few careless moves to secure half point.

Anupama made an interesting pawn sacrificed in the queen's Indian defence against highly-rated Corina Peptan of Romania. Anupama, however, wrongly exchaned the white squared bishop which freed Corina's position. Peptan won the game after the mutual time scramble was over.

Top-seeded Vadim Milov of Russia eastly outplayed his opponent J Schmidt of Germany in a field consisting of 21 Grandmasters and 15 International Masters.

IM K Sasikiran scored a marathon victory in a well played end game over Ermeni Avni (Rom) black side of Slav defence game.

IMPORTANT RESULTS (1ST ROUND)

Vadim Milov (1) bt J Schmidt (0), Boris Gutkin (.5) drew with Z Sturva (.5),Shariyazdanov (1) bt N Giertz (0), Balfonovic (0) lost to A Grischuk (1), A Greenfeld (1) bt Bozinovic (0), J Sylvian (.5) drew with Kalinitschew (.5), Svitan (1) bt Iwjin (0), P Thipsay (1) bt Hindermann (0), Reinemer F (0) lost to DV Prasad (1), V Saravanan (1) bt S Mohamed (0), A Gokhale (0) lost to C Peptan (1), Heedt T (.5) drew with A Kunte (.5), R Lueber (0) lost to S Kidambi (1), Ermeni (0) lost to Sasikiran (1)