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Sangeetha storms into lead

By P. K. Ajith Kumar

A thoughtful M.R. Sangeetha of Tamil Nadu (right) studying her options during her sixth round encounter against Andhra's N. Vinuthna in the National women's `B' chess championship at Kozhikode on Tuesday. — Photo: Ramesh Kurup

KOZHIKODE JUNE 3. On a calm day, she stormed into the lead alone.

As five of the top six boards ended in draws, M.R. Sangeetha's victory on the third, against N. Vinuthna, helped her move ahead of the crowd. At the end of the sixth round of the 30th National women's `B' chess championship on Tuesday, the Chennai lass has a very creditable 5.5 points, half-a-point ahead of Bhagyashree Thipsay of IDBI, Anupama Gokhale of Bharat Petroleum, Koneru Chandra Hawsa of Champion Chess Academy, Andhra, and Sreeparna Chakraborty of Alekhine Chess Club, Kolkata. Three rounds remain.

The top seed Swati Ghate, badly out of form here, was held to a draw by Nimmy A. George of the host. Sixth seed Saheli Dhar Barua, another former champion who's having a terrible time, lost to little-known Kiran Monisha Mohanty of Assam.

In the seventh round on Wednesday, Sangeetha meets Anupama Gokhale of Bharat Petroleum, Sreeparna takes on Chandra Hawsa, Bhagyashree plays M. Safira Shanaz of Tamil Nadu and second seed Tania Sachdev of Delhi, who finally posted a victory, faces local girl N. Sandhya.

Sangeetha, a shy 21-year-old, played Centre Counter against N. Vinuthna of Andhra, doing exactly what her younger brother, M.R. Venkatesh, a former World under-10 bronze medallist who's helping her here in her preparations, asked her to. Her position was to be better after the opening, but a weak move from her helped Vinuthna equalise.

The Andhra girl, however, slipped into time trouble, of which Black took full advantage. Vinuthna blundered a piece on the 36th move, and resigned a couple of moves later.

Bhagyashree went Dutch (Defence) with Chandra on the top board. After the queens were exchanged on the 34th move, the game reached a minor piece ending. The peace treaty was signed after 39 moves. "I didn't want to take any risk with this new time control,'' said Bhagyashree, who last won this tournament two years ago.

Anupama Gokhale faced semi-Slav Defence from Sreeparna on the second board and though she won a pawn in a rook-pawn ending it wasn't enough to press for a victory. So they decided to share the point after 50 moves.

On the third board, P. Sivasankari of Aaron Academy, Chennai, adopted Sicilian Defence against Sandhya, who enjoyed an edge in the middle-game. But, following the exchange of queens on the 21st move, an opposite colour bishop ending arose, and the game was drawn after 39 moves.

It was an opposite colour bishop ending on the very next board too, as Nimmy and Swati drew their Two Knights Game in 43 moves. Swati's pawn gambit did give her some chances to attack. But there never was any real threat for Nimmy, who made no obvious mistake to take a honourable half-a-point.

Relief was writ large on Tania's face today, after beating P. Sudha of Lakshadweep. She played Reti Opening and won in 39 moves, with Black blundering an exchange in time pressure. "Yes, a victory at last,'' smiled the 16-year-old. She had drawn her last three games with lesser rated opponents.

The results (sixth round):

Koneru Chandra Hawsa (Champion Academy, AP) 5 drew with Bhagyashree Thipsay (IDBI) 5; Anupama Gokhale (BP) 5 drew with Sreeparna Chakraborty (Alekhine Club, Kolkata) 5; N. Vinuthna (AP) 4 lost to M.R. Sangeetha (TN) 5.5; N. Sandhya (Ker) 4.5 drew with P. Sivasankari (Aaron Academy, Chennai) 4.5; Nimmy A. George (Ker) 4 drew with Swati Ghate (LIC) 4; P. Sudha (Lak) 3.5 lost to Tania Sachdev (Del) 4.5; Saimeera Ravi (BSB) 3.5 lost to C.V. Rajalakshmi (Chromepet Academy, Chennai) 4.5; Kruttika Nadig (Mah) 4.5 bt Soumya Swaminathan (Mah) 3.5; M. Safira Shanaz (TN) 4.5 bt Saheli Nath (Ben) 3.5; C. Delphin (Mount Academy, Chennai) 4 drew with Baisakhi Das (Jhar) 4; M. Priyadarshini (Emanuel Academy, Chennai) 4 drew with Swati Mohota (Ben) 4; Purabi Singha (Asm) 3.5 lost to Anuprita Patil (Mah) 4.5; Supriya Maji (GNCA, Kolkata) 4.5 bt Amruta Mokal (Mah) 3.5; Nabeela Farheen (TN) 3 lost to Eesha Karvade (Mah) 4; Saheli Dhar Barua (Ben) 3 lost to Kiran Monisha Mohanty (Ori) 4; E. Sheena (Ker) 3 lost to Y. Prathiba (TN) 4; P. Malar Selvi (Chromepet) 4 bt Mary Ann Gomes (GNCA) 3; Anjana N. Sowjanya (Capa Academy, Chennai) 3 lost to H. Nilavoli (TN) 4; D.S. Manasa Priya (Masters Academy, Bangalore) 3.5 drew with Alka Das (Jha) 3.5; Madhuri M. Patil (Mah) 4 bt Dhyani Dave (Guj) 3; Shah Jabeen (Cht) 3 lost to N. Raghavi (Capa) 4; M. Rajadarshini (Emanuel) 4 bt Gundala Madanasri (T'Nagar Academy, AP) 3; Pushpalata Mangal (BSB) 3.5 drew with Sunetri Das (Ben) 3.5; P. Priya (TN) 3.5 bt R. Bhanumati (AICF) 2.5; Bishnu Priya Bala (Jha) 2.5 lost to Ketaki Kulkarni (Mah) 3.5; I. Ramya Krishna (AP) 3.5 w/o P. Lakshmi Sahithi (Champion) 2.5; Aneeqha Thahseen (T'Nagar Academy, Chennai) 2.5 lost to Dolan Champa Bose (Jha) 3.5; Sougaijam Victoria (Man) 2.5 lost to Kajri Chokshi (Guj) 3.5; Rupu Moni Dowarah (Asm) 2.5 lost to J.E. Kavitha (Mount) 3.5; Ayushi Ray Choudhury (Ori) 3 drew with K. Prajeesha (Ker) 3; Amita Kashikar (Mah) 3.5 bt Rajasurya (TN) 2.5; Aswathy Balagopal (Ker) 2 lost to Shradha Mohanan (Goa) 3.5; Pranjali Chandratre (MP) 3 bt Anila Shah (Guj) 2; Ankita Gupta (MP) 2.5 drew with Pranali M. Patil (Mah) 2.5; R.K. Shruki (Aaron) 3 bt Junmoni Gogoi (Asm) 2; S. Kavitha (Goa) 3 bt S.L. Padmaja (AP) 2; Prasanna Swami (Goa) 2 lost to Madhura Deshpande (Nagpur) 3; Meenu Rajendran (Ker) 2.5 drew with Saba A. Mhate (Mah) 2.5; Jayashree Sankpal (LIC) 2 lost to Mitali M. Patil (Mah) 3; V. Mrunalini (Kar) 3 bt Veena Mounika (AP) 2; P. Uthara (T'Nagar, Chennai) 2.5 drew with S.R. Radha (PSCB) 2; Monika Changmai (Asm) 1.5 lost to Suchendra Chatterjee (Alekhine) 2.5; K. Manasa (Kar) 2.5 bt K. Nayana Rao (T'Nagar, AP) 1.5; P.D. Mini (Del) 2.5 bt B.K. Srivani (AP) 1.5; Shreyasi Parkhi (Nagpur) 2.5 bt Kumari Sasmita Bhoi (Ori) 1; Raghunandini (AP) 1 lost to Angna Bhatt (Guj) 2; Kumari Saswati Panda (Ori) 1 lost to Monika Nishad (MP) 2; D. Pavithra Jagtap (Kar) 1.5 drew with Manisha Gore (Cht) 1.5; Sneha P. Hoble (Goa) 2 bt K. Niharika (AP) 1; Priya P. Insulkar (Goa) 1 lost to Sapnita Shinde (Cht) 2; Suraksha Sridhar (Kar) 1.5 bt Nitu Moin Gogoi (Asm) 0.5; Tejaswini R. Sagar (Mah) 0 lost to Sougaijam Ria (Man) 1.

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