Defending champion Gomes tamed top seed Tania

In the most expected clash between the defending champion WGM Mary Ann Gomes of West Bengal and top seeded IM Tania Sachdev of Air India, Mary Ann outplayed Tania in the 3rd round of the UBI 40th Indian Women Premier Chess Championship at Spring Club, Kolkata, today. The event is organised by Dibyendu Baru Chess Academy, headed by India’s second grandmaster Dibyendu Barua and supported by All Sport Management. WGM Swathi Ghate of LIC leads the table with 2.5 points, followed by four others with two points each. Surprisingly, all the six games in the round robin tournament ended with decisive result, forecasting an intensive fight in future rounds.

Mary Ann, declining the Queen’s Gambit by Tania exchanged the queens early, and launched a heavy attack. Her rook in the seventh rank played a havoc, shattering Tania’s pawn structure. Tania gave up the fight after 36 moves.

Swathi adopted Sicilian defence against Tamil Nadu youngster Michelle Catherina and managed to get a superior position after exchanging the queens. Her connected pawns in the end game paved the way for Swathi’s success in 58 moves/

In a Grunfeld defence, WGM Padmini Rout of Odisha opened her king side against Bhakti Kulkarni and her active rook and bishop helped to pocket a point. Bodda Pratyusha of Andhra Pradesh, the overnight leader, failed to make any break through in her French defence against her opponent Kiran Monisha Mohanty of LIC. Kiran grabbed a minor piece and her king side attack resulted in a verdict favourable to her.

In another French defence, fourteen year old Ivana Furtado of Goa, a former Under 8 world champion was subdued by former World Junior Girls’ Champion Soumya Swaminathan of PSPB in 37 moves.

GK Monnisha of Tamil Nadu, the lowest rated playerin the tournament shocked experienced international master Nisha Mohota of West Bengal, sacrificing a minor piece, in a Ruy Lopez opening. She had enough compensation later, winning the exchange and the game.

3rd Round Results:

WGM Michelle Catherina (T.N.) (1/2) lost to Swathi Ghate (LIC) (2.5) ;
Soumya Swaninathan (PSPB) (2) bt Ivana Maria Furtado (Goa) (1);
WGM Tania Sachdev (AI) (1.5) lost to WGM Mary Ann Gomes (W.B.) (2);
G.K. Monnisha (T.N.) (1) bt WGM Nisha Mohta (PSPB) (1);
Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) (1) lost to Padmini Rout (Odisha) (2);
WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty(LIC) (1.5) bt Bodda Pratyusha (A.P.) (2)

R. Anantharam
Chief Arbiter