• Booze takes its toll on Tkachiev in Kolkata match • Praveen Kumar wins after opponent dozes off

This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

A leading French chess player turned up drunk and dozed off after only 11 moves in an international tournament in Kolkata, losing the round on technical grounds, Indian media reported today.

Grandmaster Vladislav Tkachiev arrived for yesterday's match against India's Praveen Kumar in such a tired and emotional state that he could hardly sit in his chair and soon fell asleep, resting his head on the table, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

Indian papers carried pictures of the world No58 sleeping and the organisers' futile attempts to wake him up.

The game was awarded to the Indian on the technical ground of Tkachiev being unable to complete his moves within the stipulated time of an hour and 30 minutes, the paper said.

The player was reportedly warned and reprimanded by the organisers afterwards but has been allowed to take part in the remainder of the competition.