Top-seed Soumya Swaminathan, C. Lakshmi and Bhakti Kulkarni share the lead with 6.5 points from eight rounds of the 44th National Women’s Challenger chess championship at the Kanteerava Sports Club’s premises on Wednesday.
Five players, Kiran Manisha Mohanty, Mary Ann Gomes, P.V. Nandhidhaa, Meenakshi Subbaraman and Arpita Mukharjee have six points each and are placed from fourth to eighth.
Playing white on the top board, Soumya Swaminathan was involved in a interesting tussle for supremacy against C. Lakshmi, who held on for a fighting 67-move draw.
Fifth seed Bhakti Kulkarni, playing with white pieces on the third board, scored a well-earned victory over fourth seed Nisha Mohota, who faltered with her ending game to go down in in 51 moves. The upset of the day played out on the 10th board as G. Sandhya shocked Michelle Catherina in 57 moves.
Important results: Eighth round: Soumya Swaminathan (6.5) drew with Lakshmi C (6.5); Meenakshi Subbaraman (6) drew with Mary Ann Gomes (6); Bhakti Kulkarni (6.5) bt Nisha Mohota (5.5); Swati Ghate (5.5) drew with Kiran Manisha Mohanty (6); P.V. Nandhidhaa (6) bt G. Lasya (5); Arpita Mukherjee (6) bt Srija Seshadri (5).
G. Harshitha 5.5) drew with Arathie Ramaswamy (5.5); Mahalakshmi M (5.5) drew with Bala Kannamma (5.5); Pranali S. Dharia (5.5) drew with L. Jyotsna (5.5); Sandhya (5.5) bt Michelle Catherina (4.5).
Priyanka Kumari (5) drew with A.G. Nimmy (5); Meenu Rajendran (4.5) lost Chitlange Sakshi (5.5); K. Priyanka (4.5) lost Shetye Siddhali (5.5).
K. Sai Nirupama (4.5) lost Sanskriti Goyal (5.5); Makhija Aashana (5.5) bt Andria L. D'souza (4.5) .
