Thaindian News

Chennai, Nov 8 (IANS) WGM Mary Ann Gomes of the Airports Authority of India drew with International Master Eesha Karavade of Maharashtra to maintain her lead after the tenth and penultimate round in the Velammal 38th women’s National Premier chess championship here Tuesday.

Mary Ann leads the field with 7.5 points and the second place is shared by Karavade (Maharashtra) and WGM Padmini Rout (Orissa) at 7.0 points apiece.

Mary Ann, requiring just a draw to make her third and final International Master Norm, did just that with dynamic play against Karavade.

Mary Ann made Eesha face the Benoni opening, and started rolling her pawns early in the game. By the turn of an hour, Mary Ann had achieved more than equality.

A rook for bishop sacrifice on the 23rd move, to cull out the advantage, showed her deep middle game calculation. Just when the game was poised for a big push, Mary Ann surprised Eesha with a draw offer which the Pune player accepted.

Mary Ann has two International Master Norms to her credit, the first one coming from Paris pen 2009 in France and the second at the Czech Open 2010 in Pardubice. She would now need to fulfil the rating requirement of ELO 2400, after which she would be awarded the title of International Master.

The second and third boards saw higher rated players Padmini Rout and Tania Sachdev escape defeat narrowly.

Padmini was let off by her Orissa State-mate Kiran Manisha Mohanty who had a clear two-pawn advantage in a rook and pawn ending after four hours and 65 moves of play. Padmini’s resilience paid dividends as Kiran misplayed the ending and drew the game after 97 moves.

In a similar situation, Chandika Divyasree let go of a golden opportunity to down top seed International Master Tania Sachdev. The unorthodox Sicilian game saw the Andhra girl gaining ground slowly but surely.

Time pressure that has been troubling Tania right though, played its role. On completion of the first time control, Tania found herself in a clear minus position with two pawns down in a rook and pawn ending.

Rugged play by Divyasree, coupled with never-give-up play of Tania fetched the two-time former champion a crucial half point, after 100 painstaking moves.

Divyasree, despite missing a possible win against Tania, got her maiden Woman International Master thanks her draw.

Results (Round 10): Eesha Karavade (Mah) 7 drew Mary Ann Gomes (AAI) 7.5, Padmini Rout (Ori) 7 drew Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Ori) 6, Chandika Divyasree (AP) 6 drew Tania Sachdev (AI) 6.5, Sai Meera (IB) 6 drew Nisha Mohota (PSPB) 6, Sowmya Swaminathan (PSPB) 5.5 drew P Michelle Catherina (TN) 5.5, Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) 5.5 drew Meenakshi Subbaraman (AI) 5.5, R Bharathi (TN) 5.5 drew Pratyusha Bodda (AP) 5.5, Pon N Krithika (AICF) 5 drew Swathi Ghate (LIC) 5, A G Nimmy (Ker) 5.5 bt Aarthie Ramaswamy (AI) 4.5, P Bala Kannamma (TN) 4.5 drew J Saranya (TN) 4.5, Cholleti Sahajasri (AP) 4.5 drew A Akshaya (TN) 4.5, S Harini (TN) 5 bt M Mahalakshmi (TN) 4, Supriya Joshi (Mah) 2 lost to Swathi Mohota (WB) 4.5, Shweta Gole (Mah) 4 drew Madhurima Shekhar (Del) 2.5, P V Nandhidhaa (TN) 3 - Bye.