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Nabeela makes the most of a Swati blunder

By P. K. Ajith Kumar

Nabeela Farheen of Tamil Nadu (right) waiting for top seed Swati Ghate of LIC to make the next move in the third round of the National women's `B' chess championship at Kozhikode on Sunday. — Photo: Ramesh Kurup

KOZHIKODE JUNE 1. A few weeks after the deadly Sars virus attacked Pune, another virus seems to have developed a liking for the city's residents. This one though apparently targets only female chess players.

Eesha Karvade was its first victim. Just a day later, on Sunday, it was the turn of Swati Ghate. The top seed and one of India's finest in the women's game, blundered a piece--just as Eesha did against N. Sandhya of Kerala on Saturday--and lost to Nabeela Farheen of Tamil Nadu in the third round of the National women's `B' chess championship at Hotel Asma Tower.

Second seed Tania Sachdev of Delhi messed up her chances for the full point against Supriya Maji of Goodricke National Chess Academy, Kolkata, and had to be content with a draw, her second in as many rounds.

Local girl Sandhya scored one of the better wins of her career, shocking seventh seed Y. Pratibha of Tamli Nadu and took her tally to three out of three.

She thus finds herself among the early leaders, with six rounds remaining. The others in the lead are the two Mumbai veterans, Bhagyashree Thipsay of IDBI and Anupama Gokhale of Maharashtra, both five-time National women's `A' champions, and M. Priyadarshini of Emanuel Chess Academy, Chennai.

Fourteen-year-old Soumya Swaminathan of Maharashtra showed no symptoms of the Pune virus, holding sixth seed Saheli Dhar Barua of LIC to a draw. Eighth seed Saimeera Ravi of Banking Sports Board also was forced to share a point with M.R. Sangeetha of Tamil Nadu.

Swati Ghate, who had dropped half-a-point in the first round, played Bishop's Opening and was in no trouble whatsoever against her younger rival, until move No. 43 when she blundered a piece. She resigned a couple of moves later, even as Nabeela, a former National under-14 champion, was finding it difficult to come to terms with her unexpected bonus.

"I think she made a wrong sacrifice," Nabeela said.

It in fact was a day for the wrong sacrifices. Anupama Gokhale, who adopted Benoni Defence on the second board, made good use of a dubious bishop sacrifice by Alka Das of Jharkand for two pawns, and won in 33 moves.

On the top board N. Vinuthna, who employed played Sicilian Pelikan against Bhagyashree, sacrificed a pawn and paid the penalty, losing in 39 moves.

Sandhya, who has scalped two seeds in as many days, had to toil though for her memorable victory against Prathiba in a French Tarrasch variation. In a minor piece ending, with black pieces, she played correctly to win 88 moves, protecting the one pawn that separated the two girls.

"This was my first win against her, " said Sandhya with a broad smile. "And I liked the way I played today."

Saheli played French Defence and sacrificed an exchange on the 16th move--there was nothing wrong with this particular sacrifice--but Saheli could not quite execute her plan and had to settle for a 40-move draw in the end, with Soumya giving perpetual checks.

Tania, whose Queen's Gambit was Declined by Supriya, blundered a pawn on the 26th move and had to settle for a draw 11 moves later.

The results (third round): Bhagyashree Thipsay (IDBI) 3 bt N. Vinuthna (AP) 2; Alka Das (Jha) 2 lost to Anupama Gokhale (BP) 3; Soumya Swaminathan (Mah) 2.5 drew with Saheli Dhar Barua (Ben) 2.5; Y. Prathiba (TN) 2 lost to N. Sandhya (Ker) 3; M.R. Sangeetha (TN) 2.5 drew with Saimeera Ravi (BSB) 2.5; Sreeparna Chakraborty (Alekhine Club, Kolkata) 2.5 drew with Purabi Singha (Asm) 2.5; Nimmy A. George (Ker) 2.5 drew with C. Delphin (Mount Academy, Chennai) 2.5; Aswathy Balagopal (Ker) 2 lost to M. Priyadarshini (Emanuel Academy, Chennai) 3; Tania Sachdev (Del) 2 drew with Supriya Maji (GNCA, Kolkata) 2.5; Swati Ghate (LIC) 1.5 lost to Nabeela Farheen (TN) 2.5; Koneru Chandra Hawsa (Champion Academy, AP) 2.5 bt S.R. Radha (PSCB) 1.5; Kajri Chokshi (Guj) 1.5 lost to P. Priya (TN) 2.5; Kiran Monisha Mohanty (Ori) 1.5 lost to M. Safira Shanaz (TN) 2.5; Ketaki Kulkarni (Ori) 1.5 lost to J.E. Kavitha (Mount) 2.5; Swati Mohota (Ben) 2.5 bt Rupu Moni Dowarah (Asm) 1.5; Amruta Mokal (Mah) 2.5 bt Pushpalata Mangal (BSB) 1.5; Eesha Karavde (Mah) 2 bt Ankta Gupta (MP) 1; Mary Ann Gomes (GNCA) 2 bt Kumari Saswati Panda (Ori) 1; Madhura Deshpande (Nagpur Academy, Maharashtra) 1 lost to Kruttika Nadig (Mah) 2; H. Nilavoli (TN) 2 bt S. Kavitha (Champion) 1; Anuprita Patil (Mah) 2 bt Meenu Rajendran (Ker) 1; Kumari Sasmita Bhoi (Ori) 1 lost to I. Ramya Krishna (AP) 2; K. Nayana Rao (T' Nagar Academy, AP) 1.5 drew with Madhuri M. Patil (Mah) 1.5; C.V. Rajalakshmi (Chromepet Academy, Chennai) 2 bt V. Mrunalini (Kar) 1; N. Raghavi (Capa Academy, Chennai) 2 bt Prasanna Swami (Goa) 1; S.L. Padmaja (AP) 1 lost to M. Rajadarshini (Emanuel) 1; Dolan Champa Bose (Jha) 2 bt K. Prajeesha (Ker) 1; Sunetri Das (Ben) 1 lost to E. Sheena (Ker) 2; P. Malar Selvi (Chromepet) 2 bt Jayashree Sankpal (LIC) 1; P. Sivasnakari (Aaron Academy, Chennai) 2 bt Shah Jabeen (Cht) 1; Anjana N. Sowjanya (Capa) 2 bt Sneha R. Hoble (Goa) 1; Dhyani Dave (Guj) 2 bt Sougaijam Victoria (Man) 1; Shradha Mohanan (Goa) 1 lost to Amita Kashikar (Mah) 2; R. Bhanumati (AICF) 1 lost to P. Sudha (Lak) 2; Veena Mounika (AP) 2 bt Bishnu Priya Bala (Jhar) 1; Suchandra Chatterjee (Alekhine) 0.5 lost to P. Uthara (TN) 2; Baisakhi Das (Jha) 1.5 bt Nitu Moni Gogoi (Asm) 0.5; Rajasurya (TN) 1.5 bt Aneeqha Thahseen (TN) 0.5; Angna Bhatt (Guj) 1 drew with B.K. Srivani (AP) 1; Saba A. Mhate (Mah) 1.5 bt K. Manasa (Kar) 0.5; Mitali M. Patil (Mah) 1 drew with R.K. Shruki (Aaron) 1; Pranali M. Patil (Mah) bt Anila Shah (Guj) 0; Gundala Madanasri (T'Nagar, AP) 1 bt D. Pavithra Jagtap (Kar) 0; Junmoni Gogoi (Asm) 1 bt Pranjali Chandratre (MP) 0; P. Lakshmi Sahithi (Champion) bt Priya P. Insululkar (Goa) 0; D.S. Manasa Priya (Masters Academy, Bangalore) 1; Manisha Gore (Cht) 1 bt Raghunandini (AP) 0; P.D. Mini (Del) 0 lost to Shreyasi Parkhi (Nagpur) 1; Sougaijam Ria (Man) 0 lost to Monika Changmi (Asm) 1; Tejaswini R. Sagar (Mah) 0 lost to K. Niharika (AP) 1; Monika Nishad (MP) 1 bt Suraksha Sridhar (Kar) 0.

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