49th National Women 2023 R7: Bhakti Kulkarni gains sole lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/07/2023

IM Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) defeated IM Soumya Swaminathan (PSPB) to emerge sole leader 6.5/7 at 49th National Women Championship 2023. In a battle of former National Women champions, Bhakti made a beautiful staircase pawn break at the center of the board. She might not have correctly capitalized on her advantage. However, her opponent's erroneous play allowed her to regain control and win the game convincingly. WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB) and WIM Mahalakshmi M (RSPB) won their respective games against WIM Mounika Akshaya Bommini (AP) and Rebecca Jesumarian (TN). WIM Tejaswini Sagar (GUJ) handed IM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) her second consecutive loss which means she is virtually out of the race for her title defense. Round 8 starts today at 10 a.m. IST. Photo: Kolhapur Chess Association

Divya loses two in-a-row

The defending champion, IM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) suffered her second consecutive loss of the event. Despite having an advantageous position, she misplayed, then declined a draw by repetition and went on to lose the game. WIM Mrudul Dehankar (MAH), Mrittika Mallick (WB) and Sneha Halder (WB) drew against WGM Varshini V (TN), IM Eesha Karavade (PSPB) and WIM Sakshi Chitlange (MAH) respectively. Sarayu Velpula (TEL) scored an upset over WIM Arpita Mukherjee (WB).

IM Bhakti Kulkarni is currently the sole leader 6.5/7 | Photo: Kolhapur Chess Association

Soumya - Bhakti: 0-1

IM Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa, 2315) has not lost a game against IM Soumya Swaminathan (PSPB, 2293) at a National championship since 2015. Bhakti ensured that remains unchanged.

Position after 19...f6

Having her king safely tucked away at a8 and White's king stranded at the middle of the board on d1, Bhakti found a nice staircase break 19...f6! 20.exf6 e5! 21.dxe5 d4! 22.Ke1 d3. 22...Bc2 was better as d3 allowed White to get back in the game 23.cxd3 cxd3 24.e6 now Black has things to be worried about. 24.Qxa4 Qxe5 25.Nf4 dxe2 26.Nxe2 Rxf6 27.Bf4 Qd5 and Black went on to win the game.

Mary - Mounika

Position after 30...Ra6??

WGM Mary Ann Gomes (2315) could have won her game a lot earlier, if she had spotted her opponent, WIM Mounika Akshaya Bommini (AP, 2094) blundering 30...Ra6?? Find out what White missed in the game.

WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB) is one of the two players at 6/7 | Photo: Kolhapur Chess Association

Rebecca - Mahalakshmi

Position after 32...Rg2+

h4 or h5 which is the safe square for the king move? Rebecca Jesumarian (TN, 1750) blundered and lost her game against WIM Mahalakshmi M (RSPB, 2242).

WIM Mahalakshmi M 6/7 | Photo: FA Lana Afandiyeva

WGM Varshini V (TN) - WIM Mrudul Dehankar (MAH, pictured): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Tejaswini - Divya

Position after 31.Qc3

A simple 31...Nxf2 32.Rxf2 fxg3 33.hxg3 Bxg3 would have kept the decisive advantage for Black. Instead, she went for the flashy 31...Nxh2? which allows White to equalize 32.Qd3 Qe7 33.Kxh2 fxg3+ 34.Bxg3 Rh4+ 35.Kg1 Qxg5 36.Rg2 Rg4 37.Kf2 Qf6+ 38.Kg1 Qg5 39.Kf2 Black should have been with a draw and repeated moves Qf6. Instead, she overpushed 39...Be5, tried her luck and eventually went on to lose.

WIM Tejaswini Sagar (GUJ) handed IM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) her second consecutive loss | Photo: Ankit Dalal

Mrittika Mallick (WB, pictured) - IM Eesha Karavade (PSPB): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Sneha Halder (WB, pictured) - WIM Sakshi Chitlange (MAH): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Sarayu Velpula (TEL, pictured) - WIM Arpita Mukherjee: 1-0 | Photo: Kolhapur Chess Association

A total of 156 players including 6 IMs, 6 WGMs and 10 WIMs are taking part from various states and units across the country in this eleven-day eleven-round Swiss League National Women Rating tournament. The tournament is organized by Gujarat State Chess Association at Rajpath Club in Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 30th June to 10th July 2023. The time control of the event is 90 mins/40 moves + 30 mins/end + 30 seconds increment from move no. 1.

Replay Round 7 games

Round 7 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	6	IM	Soumya, Swaminathan	2293	PSPB	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Kulkarni, Bhakti	2315	GOA	3
2	4	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	2315	PSPB	5	1 - 0	5	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	2094	AP	19
3	40		Rebecca, Jesumarian	1750	TN	5	0 - 1	5	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	2242	RSPB	9
4	18	WGM	Varshini, V	2120	TN	5	½ - ½	5	WIM	Mrudul, Dehankar	2030	MAH	23
5	28	WIM	Tejaswini, Sagar	1931	GUJ	4½	1 - 0	4½	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	2389	MAH	1
6	30	WFM	Kotepalli, Sai Nirupama	1899	AP	4½	0 - 1	4½	IM	Padmini, Rout	2353	PSPB	2
7	27		Mrittika, Mallick	1948	WB	4½	½ - ½	4½	IM	Karavade, Eesha	2293	PSPB	5
8	10	WGM	Srija, Seshadri	2226	TN	4½	1 - 0	4½	WFM	Nimmy, A.G.	2151	KER	17
9	36		Sneha, Halder	1807	WB	4½	½ - ½	4½	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	2225	MAH	11
10	12	WIM	Salonika, Saina	2223	ODI	4½	0 - 1	4½	WGM	Kiran, Manisha Mohanty	2049	LIC	21

Details

Standings after Round 7

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Gr	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	3	IM	Kulkarni, Bhakti		w	N	IND	2315	GOA	6,5	30	33	30,25	0	6
2	9	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M		w	N	IND	2242	RSPB	6	29	32,5	27,00	0	5
3	4	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann		w	N	IND	2315	PSPB	6	29	31,5	26,25	0	5
4	10	WGM	Srija, Seshadri		w	N	IND	2226	TN	5,5	29	32	23,25	0	5
5	6	IM	Soumya, Swaminathan		w	N	IND	2293	PSPB	5,5	28,5	32,5	23,75	0	5
6	34		Velpula, Sarayu	U18	w	S	IND	1845	TEL	5,5	28	31,5	24,25	0	4
7	18	WGM	Varshini, V		w	N	IND	2120	TN	5,5	28	30,5	22,00	0	4
8	23	WIM	Mrudul, Dehankar	U20	w	N	IND	2030	MAH	5,5	27	30	21,75	0	5
9	2	IM	Padmini, Rout		w	N	IND	2353	PSPB	5,5	26,5	30	22,50	0	5
10	28	WIM	Tejaswini, Sagar		w	N	IND	1931	GUJ	5,5	26	28,5	19,75	0	5
11	21	WGM	Kiran, Manisha Mohanty		w	N	IND	2049	LIC	5,5	25	27,5	21,75	0	5
12	19	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	U20	w	N	IND	2094	AP	5	30	33,5	22,00	0	4
13	11	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi		w	N	IND	2225	MAH	5	29	32,5	21,25	0	4
14	5	IM	Karavade, Eesha		w	N	IND	2293	PSPB	5	28,5	32	22,00	0	3
15	27		Mrittika, Mallick	U16	w	S	IND	1948	WB	5	28,5	31,5	21,25	0	4
16	8	WGM	Pratyusha, Bodda		w	N	IND	2250	AP	5	26,5	29,5	19,50	0	5
17	7	WIM	Sharma, Isha		w	N	IND	2267	KAR	5	25,5	28,5	19,25	0	4
18	40		Rebecca, Jesumarian	U18	w	N	IND	1750	TN	5	25,5	27	17,00	0	5
19	69	ACM	Nivedita, V C	U12	w	N	IND	1529	TN	5	24	25,5	15,00	0	5
20	36		Sneha, Halder	U14	w	S	IND	1807	WB	5	23	25,5	18,50	0	4

Details

Round 8 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	3	IM	Kulkarni, Bhakti	2315	GOA	6½		6	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	2315	PSPB	4
2	9	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	2242	RSPB	6		5½	IM	Soumya, Swaminathan	2293	PSPB	6
3	2	IM	Padmini, Rout	2353	PSPB	5½		5½	WGM	Varshini, V	2120	TN	18
4	21	WGM	Kiran, Manisha Mohanty	2049	LIC	5½		5½	WGM	Srija, Seshadri	2226	TN	10
5	23	WIM	Mrudul, Dehankar	2030	MAH	5½		5½	WIM	Tejaswini, Sagar	1931	GUJ	28
6	19	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	2094	AP	5		5½		Velpula, Sarayu	1845	TEL	34
7	5	IM	Karavade, Eesha	2293	PSPB	5		5		Sneha, Halder	1807	WB	36
8	7	WIM	Sharma, Isha	2267	KAR	5		5		Mrittika, Mallick	1948	WB	27
9	39		Rindhiya, V	1764	TN	5		5	WGM	Pratyusha, Bodda	2250	AP	8
10	11	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	2225	MAH	5		5		Rebecca, Jesumarian	1750	TN	40

Details

Links

Tournament Details

Gujarat State Chess Association: Official site

Related news:

	Padmini Rout becomes five times National Women champion by convincingly clinching the 49th edition @ 11/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 is poised for an exciting finish @ 10/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R9: Mary escapes against Mrudul @ 09/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R8: Bhakti Kulkarni still in sole lead @ 08/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R6: Divya and Srija implode against Soumya and Bhakti @ 06/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R5: Seven in the lead @ 05/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R4: Mounika Akshaya mauls Padmini Rout @ 04/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R3: Divya Deshmukh averts a disaster against Mrittika Mallick @ 03/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R2: Kalyani Sirin stuns Pratyusha Bodda @ 02/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	49th National Women 2023 R1: Suryanshi denies Isha a full point @ 01/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)