KATHMANDU, Sept 12: Kshitiz Bhandari earned the title of Candidate Master in the ongoing 42th Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, as the men's team overcame Jamaica in the ninth round on Monday.
Kshitiz has earned four points at end of ninth round. He was one among the two players to win their boards against Jamaica in the penultimate rounds.
Nepal overcame Jamaica 2.5-1.5 with one win each from Bilam Lal Shrestha and Kshitiz and a draw from Keshav Shrestha.
Bilam rated 2017 overcame 2074 rated Wilson Brandon to earn his sixth win out of eight matches and has collected six personal points. Kshitiz rated 2013 overcame 2161 rated Lorne Malaku. In the same event, 2099 rated Keshav Shrestha played draw with 2238 rated Elliott Warren.
However another Nepali player Sajin Maharjan with 2034 rating faced defeat at the hands of 2117 rated Damion Davy.
Nepal's men's team which is in group D of the Olympiad along with 10 countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Cyprus stands second position after round nine. A win over the Chinese Taipei in the last round will guarantee medal for Nepal, according to Nepal Chess Association General Secretary Herakaji Maharjan.
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Meanwhile, women's team was held to a 2-2 draw with Pakistan. Sindira Joshi and Sujana Lohani won their respective boards while Ashmita Adhikari and Shanta Thapa faced defeats.
Sindira overcame 1688 rated Begum Ghazala while Sujana beat Nameeqa tun nabi Ulummi. Ashmita was beaten by 1566 rated Wasif Zenobia and Shanta faced defeat at the hands of Mehak Gul.
Nepal will face Chinese Taipei and Lesotho in the men's and women's sections respectively in the tenth round.
