Indian Oil 51st National Women 2025 R7: Nandhidhaa overpowers Shubhi Gupta to become the new sole leader
The reigning and defending champion, WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN) defeated the sole leader WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP) to move to the top at Indian Oil 51st National Women's Chess Championship 2025. Shubhi misplaced her queen while maneuvering and it eventually moved far away from the action point. Nandhidhaa is the only player now at 6.5/7. Ananya Raman (TN) drew a rollercoaster battle against WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB) which could have gone either player's way. The top seed, WIM Arpita Mukherjee (WB) made a narrow escape against Shivamshika G (TEL) after the latter's knight sacrifice almost worked in her favor. WGM Sarayu Velpula (TEL) won a complex rook and double bishop endgame against IM Nisha Mohota (PSPB). Shubhi is the only player at 6/7. Round 8 starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed
Ananya Raman and Mary Ann play a rollercoaster draw
Despite suffering a loss, WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP) is the only player at 6/7. Eight players - WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB), WIM Kalyani Sirin (KER), WFM Sneha Halder (WB), WFM Nivedita V C (TN), Ananya Raman (TN), WGM Sarayu Velpula (TEL), WFM Arshiya Das (TRI) and Shivamshika G (TEL) are at 5.5/7 each. The longest game of the tournament so far, went on for nearly six hours, only a few seconds shy. It was between WGM Swati Ghate (LIC) and WIM Srishti Pandey (MAH). It ended in a draw after 118 moves.
Nandhidhaa - Shubhi: 1-0
The sole leader, WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP, 2257) made an incorrect maneuver with her queen against the defending champion, WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN, 2257).
20...Qh7 was a slow and passive manuever White started launching an attack of her own on the queenside 21.a4 g5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Nd2 a4 24.c4 dxc4 25.Nxc4 Ne7 eventually Black's queen got stuck at h3 while trying to create some chances. White created a passed pawn on the b-file which played a crucial role in White winning the game.
Ananya - Mary Ann
Ananya Raman (TN, 2005) made the first mistake 36.Rfg1? which created a winning chance for her opponent WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB, 2243). 36...Rcc7 37.Rf1 f4 38.Rf3 Rc2 39.Rg4 Rxa2 40.Rfxf4 Rxf4 41.Rxf4 a4??
41...a4?? turned the tables and White correctly found 42.h6!+- gxh6 43.Rf6+ Kd7 44.Rxb6? White made another mistake. Instead, 44.bxa4 Rxa4+ 45.Kxd5 Ra5+ 46.Ke4 would have been winning for White. 44...Kc7 White's final opportunity was shut and the game meandered into a draw.
Arpita - Shivamshika
Shivamshika G (TEL, 1881) made a nice sacrifice 20...Nf4! 21.Bxf4 needed to be played to minimize the damage. 21.gxf4?? invited trouble exf4! would have caused serious trouble for White. Instead, Black went 21...Bxg2?? 22.Kxg2 Qc4 23.fxe5 Qg4+ 24.Kh1 Qf3+ 25.Kg1 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qf3+ and the game ended in a draw via perpetual check.
Nisha - Sarayu
35.a6?? allowed Black to wrap things up faster Rc8!-+ 36.Ba5 Ke5 would have been the correct continuation. 36...b6? delayed the win for Black.
Sachi - Arshiya
27...Rhe8-+ 28.Qf5 Qg2 29.Be5 Rxe5 and it's over.
For more Round 7 photos, please click here.
Replay Round 7 games
Round 7 results
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | 2257 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 6 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | 2259 | 5 | PGN |
| 2 | 26 | Ananya, Raman | 2005 | 5 | ½ - ½ | 5 | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | 2243 | 8 | PGN | |
| 3 | 12 | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | 2182 | 5 | ½ - ½ | 5 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | 2003 | 28 | PGN |
| 4 | 1 | WIM | Arpita, Mukherjee | 2301 | 4½ | ½ - ½ | 5 | Shivamshika, G | 1881 | 49 | PGN | |
| 5 | 16 | IM | Mohota, Nisha | 2144 | 4½ | 0 - 1 | 4½ | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | 2296 | 2 | PGN |
| 6 | 18 | WFM | Sachi, Jain | 2080 | 4½ | 0 - 1 | 4½ | WFM | Arshiya, Das | 2232 | 9 | PGN |
| 7 | 20 | WGM | Swati, Ghate | 2036 | 4½ | ½ - ½ | 4½ | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | 2219 | 10 | PGN |
| 8 | 25 | WFM | Bristy, Mukherjee | 2008 | 4½ | ½ - ½ | 4½ | WFM | Kheerthi, Ganta | 2177 | 13 | PGN |
| 9 | 15 | WFM | Sneha, Halder | 2160 | 4½ | 1 - 0 | 4½ | WCM | Akshaya, Sathi | 1956 | 37 | |
| 10 | 14 | WGM | Varshini, V | 2170 | 4 | 1 - 0 | 4½ | Sagar, Siya | 1904 | 45 |
Standings after Round 7
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | IND | 2257 | Tamil Nadu | 6,5 | 28,5 | 31,5 | 29,25 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | IND | 2259 | Uttar Pradesh | 6 | 30,5 | 34 | 27,5 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | 8 | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | IND | 2243 | Petroleum Sports Promotion Board | 5,5 | 28 | 31,5 | 22,75 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | 12 | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | IND | 2182 | Kerala | 5,5 | 27,5 | 31,5 | 24,25 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | 15 | WFM | Sneha, Halder | IND | 2160 | West Bengal | 5,5 | 27,5 | 30,5 | 22,5 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | IND | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 5,5 | 27,5 | 30 | 21,25 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | 26 | Ananya, Raman | IND | 2005 | Tamil Nadu | 5,5 | 26,5 | 29,5 | 22,5 | 0 | 4 | |
| 8 | 2 | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | IND | 2296 | Telangana | 5,5 | 26 | 29,5 | 22,25 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | 9 | WFM | Arshiya, Das | IND | 2232 | Tripura | 5,5 | 23,5 | 25,5 | 21,25 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | 49 | Shivamshika, G | IND | 1881 | Telangana | 5,5 | 23 | 25 | 18 | 0 | 5 |
Round 8 pairings
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | 2296 | 5½ | 6½ | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | 2257 | 6 | |
| 2 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | 2259 | 6 | 5½ | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | 2182 | 12 | |
| 3 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | 2003 | 5½ | 5½ | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | 2243 | 8 | |
| 4 | 9 | WFM | Arshiya, Das | 2232 | 5½ | 5½ | Ananya, Raman | 2005 | 26 | ||
| 5 | 49 | Shivamshika, G | 1881 | 5½ | 5½ | WFM | Sneha, Halder | 2160 | 15 | ||
| 6 | 20 | WGM | Swati, Ghate | 2036 | 5 | 5 | WIM | Arpita, Mukherjee | 2301 | 1 | |
| 7 | 33 | Bhat, Sannidhi Ramakrishna | 1978 | 5 | 5 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | 2219 | 10 | ||
| 8 | 11 | WIM | Chitlange, Sakshi | 2193 | 5 | 5 | WFM | Bristy, Mukherjee | 2008 | 25 | |
| 9 | 13 | WFM | Kheerthi, Ganta | 2177 | 5 | 5 | WCM | Rajanya, Datta | 1926 | 41 | |
| 10 | 55 | WFM | Potluri, Supreetha | 1850 | 5 | 5 | WGM | Varshini, V | 2170 | 14 |
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