CHESS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand drew four more games in the Professional Chess Assn. world championship last week in New York. Anand made little headway as White against Kasparov’s Scheveningen Sicilian in Games 5 and 7, but Kasparov’s tries as White in Games 6 and 8 produced livelier play. The score is 4-4 in the best-of-20-game match.

Personally, I was relieved to see a real fight in Friday’s game. In too many of the others, Kasparov has offered a draw prematurely, and Anand has hurried to accept a half-point. Both players have commented on the string of draws, almost apologizing for the lack of blood. With three weeks to go, the match could still become memorable for wins, not draws.

The Women’s Interzonal tournament, a 52-player event with 25 WGMs, finished last weekend in Kishinev, Moldova. Two women from the republic of Georgia led the standings. Ketevan Arakhamia took first prize with a score of 9 1/2-3 1/2. Ketevan Kakhiani-Gersinska, who gave birth to a baby boy only two weeks before the tournament, finished second at 9-4.

Next, at 8 1/2-4 1/2, were Nana Ioseliani (Georgia), Alisa Galliamova-Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Alisa Marich (Yugoslavia) and Zhaoqin Peng (formerly of China, now representing Yugoslavia). The top seven scorers qualified for the Women’s Candidates tournament, which will select the official challenger for the women’s world championship. On tiebreak, Vesna Misanovich (Bosnia) edged Nino Gurielli (Georgia) and Svetlana Matveeva (Russia) for the seventh spot.

LOCAL NEWS

The Continental Chess Assn. will run the fourth annual Los Angeles Open next weekend at the Holiday Inn, 7000 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. The five-round tournament will pay a minimum of $12,000 in prizes, including substantial class prizes in all seven sections. Entrants have the option of playing the first round at 8:00 p.m. Friday or at 10 a.m. Saturday. Call (914) 496-7469 for full details.

The Warner Fall tournament takes place Sept. 30 at Warner School, 615 Holmby Ave. in Westwood. Players may choose the Booster (grades K-7) or Advanced (grades K-9) section. For more information, call Vicki Feldman or Robert Schlecht at (310) 470-1868.