Sport

Preethi and Mahima share lead

Arvind Aaron

CHENNAI: Madurai girls R. Preethi and R. Mahima defeated Sai Meera Ravi (Bank Sports Board) and Lakshmi Sahithi (ONGC) respectively to share the top spot with 6.5 points each after round eight of the 33rd St. Joseph's National women's `B' chess championship here on Sunday.

Saheli Nath (Bengal), J.E. Kavitha, P. Priya, N. Raghavi, R. Sanggeetha (all TN), Lakshmi Sahithi (AP), Sai Meera, Padmini Rout (Ori) and Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) have six points each.

Three rounds remain and the top 20 will advance to the next stage.

Preethi's win came with plenty of luck. Sai Meera won a pawn and was coasting towards victory with black when Preethi fought back in the rook ending.

In the end, Sai Meera froze for a few seconds and overstepped the time limit and arbiter Vijaykumar declared her `lost on time'.

"If she had offered a draw before losing on time in the same position, I would have agreed," Preethi revealed later.

Familiar rival

Mahima scored her second victory over Lakshmi Sahithi in as many months. She won with a strong opening preparation and a passed pawn with the black pieces on the 32nd turn.

Defending champion Supriya Maji (Ben) lost again and is on 3.5 points.

Important results:

Round eight: R. Preethi (TN) 6.5 bt Sai Meera (BSB) 6; Lakshmi Sahithi (AP) 6 lost to R. Mahima (TN) 6.5; Nimmy A.G. (Ker) 5.5 lost to P. Priya (TN) 6; Pon N. Krithikha (TN) 5 lost to Saheli Nath (Ben) 6; J.E. Kavitha (TN) 6 bt Ketaki K. (Mah) 5; Mohana Priya (AICF) 5 lost to R. Sanggeetha (TN) 6; Kanuri Tejaswi (AP) 5 lost to N. Raghavi (TN) 6; Padmini Rout (Ori) 6 bt Rajasurya (TN) 5; Jennitha Anto (TN) 5 lost to Bhakti K. (Goa) 6; Kiran Mohanty (Ori) 5 drew Pallabi Roy (Ben) 5; Priya Sandhya (TN) 5 drew Sathya Priya (TN) 5; H. Nilavoli (TN) 5 drew Baisakhi Das (Jha) 5; P. Uthra (TN) 5.5 bt Tejaswini Reddy (AP) 4.5; S. Harini (TN) 5.5 bt Alka Das (Jha) 4.5; Prachi Thite (Mah) 4.5 lost to Iswarya Shobana (TN) 5.

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