Sharing first place at the World Open is Panchanathan's best career result. He can play sharply, as a local Virginia master, Stanley Fink Jr., found out in a messy line of the Trompowsky Opening.
Fink–Panchanathan1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 (This old line of the Trompowsky opening has been resurrected by Spanish grandmaster Juan Bellon Lopez.)3...g5!? (Leading to a sharp double-edged position. Black can avoid it with the solid 3...d5.) 4.f3 gxh4 5.fxe4 c5 6.e3 Bh6 (White can't oppose this strong bishop.) 7.Nd2!? (Bellon's discovery. He first tried 7.d5 and only after 7...Bxe3 8.Nd2. Another promising try is 7.Bc4. Protecting the pawn on e3 with 7.Kf2 can be met with 7...d5!) 7...Bxe3 8.Ngf3?! (Allowing black to reign on the dark squares. Bellon prefers to close the position with 8.d5.) 8...cxd4 9.Nc4 Nc6 10.c3 (Now 10.Nxe3 dxe3 11.Qe2 Qb6 12.0-0-0 d6 is better for black.) 10...d6 11.cxd4 Bf4 12.d5 (Conceding the dark squares, but holding the center was difficult. White's position collapses quickly after 12.Nxh4 d5! 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Nf3 Bg4.) 12...Ne5 13.Ncxe5? (White might have missed black's next move; otherwise he would play 13.Nfxe5 dxe5 14.Qb3.) 13...Qa5+! 14.Nd2 dxe5 15.a3 (Losing more time trying to get out of black's grip.) 15...Bd7 16.b4 Qb6 17.Nc4 Qg6 18.Be2? (A blunder, but white has difficulties even after 18.Qf3 Rc8!, for example 19.Be2 h5! 20.h3 Bg3+ 21.Kf1 f5.) 18...Bxh2!? (Winning a pawn immediately, but even stronger was 18...b5!, for example 19.Nb2 Qxg2 20.Rf1 Bxh2; or 19.Na5 Qxg2 20.Bf3 Qb2 and black should win.) 19.Bf3 (On 19.Rxh2 Qg3+ nets the rook.) 19...Bg3+ 20.Ke2 Rc8 21.Rc1 Bb5 22.Qb3 Qa6 (The pin together with the dominance on dark squares decides, for example: 23.Kd3 Qb6 24.Qb2 Bf2 threatening 25...Qe3+.) White resigns.