Padmini Rout Leads Table With 7.5 Points In Women National Chess
22 November, Kolkata
Odisha’s Padmini Rout defending her tile moved close to the championship as the top seed extended lead by beating Swati Ghate of LIC in the 9th round of the RamRatna Women’s National Premier Chess Championship at ICCR here Sunday.
Padmini , now atop the table with 7.5 points, while Swati who was in joint lead till yesterday, now shared the second spot with Pratyusha Bodda of Andhra Pradesh with 6.5 points apiece.
A point behind on 5.5 points are Soumya Swaminathan of PSCB and Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa.In a crucial match between Padmini and Swati, fireworks were expected to fly, as both were sharing the top slot. But Swati unexpectedly ,went down rather tamely, as she lost the exchange of rook for bishop on the 21st move and despite her best efforts, could not prevent Padmini from dominating the board with her two rooks.
In an already superior position, Padmini delivered the coup de grace by sacrificing her queen to set up mate with her rook and knight. Pratyusha Bodda of Andhra Pradesh made good use of her extra pawn against world U-14 girl’s champion R. Vaishali of Tamil Nadu in a Benko Gambit. Vaishali could not stop the advance of her opponent’s a-pawn and resigned on the 43rd move. Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa , playing white, against Priyanka Nutakki of andhra Pradesh won the exchange and later a piece after which her opponent resigned.
Former world junior champion, Soumya Swaminathan was held to a draw by V. Varshini of Tamil Nadu in a Sicilian Dragon. Varshini playing white, was content with exchang of pieces and though she won a pawn in the rook ending, it did not offer her any chance of a win and a draw was finally agreed upon on the 73rd move. Michelle Catherina of Tamil Nadu held Tania Sachdev of Air india to a draw in a knight versus bishop ending.
Neha Singh of Bihar lost a piece against K Priyanka of Tamil Nadu in a Centre Counter defence but continued for some time before finally throwing in the towel on the 77th move.Results: WGM Padmini Rout (ODI) (7.5) beat Swati Ghate (LIC) (6.5),WIM Pratyusha Bodda (AP) (6.5) beat WFM R Vaishali (TN) (4.5),WFM V Varshini (TN) (4) drew WGM Soumya Swaminathan (PSCB) (5.5),WGM Bhakti Kulkarni (GOA) (5.5) beat Priyanka Nutakki (AP) (3.5),WIM Michelle Catherina P (TN) (4) drew IM Tania Sachdev (AI) (4),Neha Singh (BIH) (1) lost to K Priyanka (TN) (1.5).