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Fiji Time: 5:48 AM on Sunday 19 May

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Prasad out to take lead

Arin Kumar
Saturday, October 20, 2012

NATIONAL number one Candidate Master (CM) Calvin Prasad will be out to extend his lead in grand prix points over arch rival CM Manoj Kumar when they compete in the Fiji Bitter Open Chess Championships tomorrow.

Prasad did not compete in the tournament and wants to reclaim the title he has held a few years ago.

The 32-year-old web consultant had won four major title this season including last month's Courts Fiji Open and is out to add another feather to his cap.

He said it would be a tough competition as there were others who were out to dethrone defending champion Kumar.

"This tournament is a chance for me to wrap the grand prix points competition," Prasad said.

"I lead by five points and if I win this then he (Kumar) will not be able to catch up even if he wins the National Championship later in the year," he said.

"But I will have tough competition with the likes of Dr Neel Arora, Goru Arvind, Ronald Terubea, Noel Adricula, Jun Clomera, Christopher Kumar and Manoj."

Prasad and Kumar have played each other six times this season and Prasad has won on four occasions, drawn once and lost once.

"I stand on 116 points and will need to concentrate on my game to try and win to extend my lead in the grand prix points," Prasad said.

Meanwhile, in the womens competition, Hilda Vukikomoala, Gloria Sukhu, Kabrina Terubea, Isabel Terubea, and Amy Bale will battle for supremacy while Jacqueline Masilomani and Eschar Raicker are the top bets in the primary school's category.

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