Defending champion Gomes and former champion Soumya

Untitled Pratyusha Boddha of Andhra Pradesh emerged an early leader with 2 points after the 2nd round of the Umited Bank of India 40th National women Chess Championship, organised by Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy & All Sport Management at Spring Club, Kolkata on Tuesday. In the 12 player round robin championship,Partyusha won the exchange of rook for bishop on move 42 against Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa, a bronze medallist in the recent Asian Indoor Games in Korea. Later, she exploited a pin on her opponent’s bishop to get the full point. In the meeting between the two international masters of the tournament, top seed, Tania Sachdev of Air India missed some winning chances against former national champion, Kolkata based Nisha Mohota with the black pieces in a Catalan opening. After exchanging the queens, Tania grabbed a pawn on 51st move and had a better position, but she let Nisha off the hook on the opposite wing and was forced to agree to a draw in 62 moves. Defending Champion Mary Ann Gomes of West Bengal drew her second game on the trot, as her opponent, former world junior champion Soumya Swaminathan failed to capitalise Mary’s, slightly inferior position in the opening. Though Gomes had an active knight in the ending, against dormant bishop od Soumya, her attempts to squeeze out a win failed.

Pratusha Boddha took an early lead beating Bhakti Kulkarni

In the combat between two women from LIC, WGM Swathi Ghate built up an excellent attack against WGM Kiran Monisha Mohanty. She sacrificed her light coloured bishop to obtain a good position but faltered at the crucial moment. The win slipped from her hands allowing Mohanty to draw the game. 14 year old National junior Champion Ivana Furtado sacrificed her knight in a complicated position on the 20th move to break open Michelle Catherina’s kingside after which she had little difficulty in wrapping up the game in 30 moves. WGM Padmini Rout of Odisha routed the debutant GK Monnisha of Tamil Nadu in a Ruy Lopez opening.

2nd Round Results:WGM Swathi Ghate (LIC) (1.5) drew with WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Odisha) (0.5); Bodda Pratyusha (A.P.) (2) beat WGM Bhakti Kulkarni (1); Padmini Rout (1) beat G.K. Monnisha (T.N.) (0);WGM Nisha Mohta (PSPB) (1) drew with WGM Tania Sachdev (AI) (1.5); WGM Mary Ann Gomes (W.B.) (1) drew with Soumya Swaninathan (PSPB) (1); Ivana Maria Furtado (Goa) (1) beat Michelle Catherina (T.N.) (1/2).