India swept to a 3-0 win over Turkmenistan after Pentala Harikrishna overcame Mesgan Amanov with the usually defensive black pieces, after a marathon 90 moves spanning four-and-half hours.

"Seven rounds to go," smiled team mate Krishnan Sasikiran, the strongest player in the fray.

Chess players are normally moody and lost in their own world, but Sasikiran is delighted to mingle.

"It is nice, we met the footballers yesterday and the table tennis players today at the village," he said.

"I hope inclusion in the Games leads to another chess boom."

His only peeve? There are no rest days until the end to cool the overworked brain.

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