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MPL 34th National U-14 R5-6: John Veny Akkarakaran and Shreya Hipparagi gain sole lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 12/05/2022

John Veny Akkarakaran (KER) continues his winning streak. He scored a double hat-trick 6.0/6 to gain sole lead at MPL 34th National Under-14 Open Chess Championship 2022. He beat CM Daakshin Arun (TN) and Shaik Sumer Arsh (TEL) convincingly. Top seed CM Om Manish Kadam (MAH) and Ethan Vaz (Goa) are trailing by a half point each. In the Girls section, Shubhi Gupta (UP) survived a scare against Sannidhi Bhat (MAH). Her luck ran out against Shreya G Hipparagi (MAH) who capitalized on her opportunity to beat Shubhi and gain sole lead 5.5/6. Round 6 starts today at 9:30 a.m. IST. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

John Veny Akkarakaran scores a double hat-trick

Five girls are trailing the leader by a half point at 5.0/6 each. They are - top seed Mrittika Mallick (WB), Rajanya Datta (WB), Aanya Roy (MAH), Sneha Halder (WB) and Sannidhi Bhat (MAH). The tournament leaders John and Shreya will face the top seeds of the Open and Girls section, Om Kadam and Mrittika Mallick respectively in Round 7.

John Veny Akkarakaran (KER) is in a terrific form | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Open Round 5: Om - Koustuv: 1-0

Top seed of the tournament, CM Om Manish Kadam (MAH, 2144) got himself a good opportunity against Koustuv Dash (ODI, 1910).

Position after 36...g5

37.Ree3 allowed Black to save the day Rxd5. Can you find out the definitive way for White to win the game in the above position?

Om Manish Kadam (MAH) would hope this half point loss does not turn out to be crucial for him eventually | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

John Veny Akkarakaran (KER) defeated CM Daakshin Arun (TN) comfortably to gain sole lead 5.0/5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 6: Sumer - John: 0-1

Shaikh Sumer Arsh (TEL, 1999) made an incorrect decision to trade queens in a queen, knight and many pawns endgame. John Veny Akkarakaran (KER, 1855) accepted the offer and liquidated the position into a completely winning knight endgame.

Position after 36...Ne8

37.Qg4 Qe5 38.h4 would have been fine. Even if Black offers a knight exchange via f6, White can accept it as the resultant queen ending is still balanced. What White cannot afford here is liquidate the position into a knight or pawn ending. The reason is simple, White's pawns are overstretched which the black king can reach sooner than white's. Hence, 37.Qe2 Qe5 38.Ng3 Qxe2 39.Nxe2 Kf7 is completely winning for Black because the black king can quickly advance towards the center compared to his opponent.

John Veny Akkarakaran (KER) maintained his sole lead with a victory over Shaikh Sumer Arsh (TEL) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

CM Om Manish Kadam won the all Maharashtra battle against Gaurang Bagwe to stay in the hunt 5.5/6 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Ethan Vaz (Goa) completed a hat-trick by winning against Jaidambareesh N R (TN) to move to 5.5/6 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Girls Round 5: Shubhi - Sannidhi: 0.5-0.5

The reigning Maharashtra State Under-14 Girls champion Sannidhi Ramakrishna Bhat (1373) was completely winning in the final moments of the endgame against the reigning National Under-12 Girls champion Shubhi Gupta (UP, 1613).

Position after 58.Ke2

Black decided to repeat moves 58...Ke5 and draw the game. However, White was running out of options to to hold the game. 58...h5 puts White in a zugzwang. 59.Kf2 is met with d3, 59.h4 has Bd8 and 59.N-anywhere allows Kg3 invasion. Sannidhi just needed to find 58...h5 and her winning momentum would have continued.

Shubhi Gupta (UP) escaped with a draw against Sannidhi Ramakrishna Bhat (MAH) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 6: Shreya - Shubhi: 1-0

Shubhi Gupta (UP, 1613) captured a pawn on the wing, ignoring a potential attack on her king. Reigning Maharashtra State Under-12 Girls champion, Shreya G Hipparagi (1548) seized her opportunity.

Position after 37...Nxa4

37...Nxa4 is not a tactic that helps Black. It actually has the opposite effect after 38.Ne5. It all went downhill for Black and White won the game in another eleven moves.

Shreya G Hipparagi (MAH) gained sole lead 5.5/6 by defeating Shubhi Jain (UP) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more Round 5 and Round 6 photos, please click at the respective links.

It's okay to give up a Rook | Ethan Vaz vs Daaevik Wadhawan, Round 5 | Video: ChessBase India
When offense is the only option | Ilamparthi A vs Gaurang Bagwe, Round 5 | Video: ChessBase India
IM FST Sekhar Chandra Sahu takes on a challenger for a friendly blitz game | Video: ChessBase India

A total of 214 players in the Open and 107 players in the Girls tournament are taking part. It is organized by Gujarat State Chess Association. Both tournaments are taking place at Rajpath Club, Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 9th to 14th May 2022. The eleven-round Swiss league tournament has a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Replay Open Round 5-6 games

Replay Girls Round 5-6 games

Open Round 6 results

Bo.No.NameRtgClub/CityPts.ResultPts.NameRtgClub/CityNo.
16Shaik Sumer Arsh1999Telangana0 - 15John Veny Akkarakaran1855Kerala13
222Bagwe Gaurang1789Maharashtra0 - 1CMKadam Om Manish2144Maharashtra1
326Arpith S Bijoy1713Kerala½ - ½Bharadia Yash1924Rajasthan9
411Koustuv Dash1910Odisha½ - ½Anubhav Rawat1329Delhi96
546Jaidambareesh N R1521Tamil Nadu0 - 1AIMVaz Ethan1792Goa21
62AIMMd Imran2122Andhra Pradesh41 - 04Pranav K P1548Tamil Nadu41
74CMDaakshin Arun2016Tamil Nadu40 - 14Aswath S1694Tamil Nadu29
8110Medhvansh Madeti1302Karnataka40 - 14CMMayank Chakraborty2015Assam5
98Ankit Ray1932West Bengal4½ - ½4Kavin Oviyan R1299Kerala112
1048Sparsh Bisht1515Haryana½ - ½Ilamparthi A R2121Tamil Nadu3

Details

Round 7 pairings

Bo.No.NameRtgClub/CityPts.ResultPts.NameRtgClub/CityNo.
113John Veny Akkarakaran1855Kerala6CMKadam Om Manish2144Maharashtra1
221AIMVaz Ethan1792Goa5AIMMd Imran2122Andhra Pradesh2
35CMMayank Chakraborty2015Assam55Arpith S Bijoy1713Kerala26
49Bharadia Yash1924Rajasthan55Anubhav Rawat1329Delhi96
529Aswath S1694Tamil Nadu55Koustuv Dash1910Odisha11
627Jval Saurin Patel1712GujaratShaik Sumer Arsh1999Telangana6
77AGMSahib Singh1991DelhiAgarwal Mukund H1696Gujarat28
835Reyan Md.1590BiharAnkit Ray1932West Bengal8
9109Divesh G1303Tamil NaduAbhash Roimya Saikia1794Assam20
10112Kavin Oviyan R1299KeralaBagwe Gaurang1789Maharashtra22

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Girls Round 6 results

Bo.No.NameRtgClub/CityPts.ResultPts.NameRtgClub/CityNo.
111Shreya G Hipparagi1548Maharashtra1 - 0AFMShubhi Gupta1613Uttar Pradesh5
224Bhat Sannidhi Ramakrishna1373Maharashtra½ - ½Roy Aanya1560Maharashtra9
312Charvi Patidar1501Rajasthan40 - 14Mrittika Mallick1982West Bengal1
42Sachi Jain1768Delhi40 - 14Sneha Halder1557West Bengal10
514Chaarvi Choudhury1456Assam40 - 14Rajanya Datta1589West Bengal7
620AFMSanikommu Manasvi1399Karnataka4½ - ½Arshiya Das1456Tripura13
718Aswinika Mani R1408Tamil Nadu½ - ½Rout Yashita1718Odisha3
84Anupam M Sreekumar1673Kerala1 - 0Tejasvee Naresh Singh1351Rajasthan27
96Pragnya H G1605Tamil Nadu1 - 0Shivani Senthilkumar1303Tamil Nadu35
108Dakshita Kumawat1575Rajasthan0 - 1Falak Joni Naik1349Gujarat28

Details

Round 7 pairings

Bo.No.NameRtgClub/CityPts.ResultPts.NameRtgClub/CityNo.
11Mrittika Mallick1982West Bengal5Shreya G Hipparagi1548Maharashtra11
27Rajanya Datta1589West Bengal55Bhat Sannidhi Ramakrishna1373Maharashtra24
310Sneha Halder1557West Bengal55Roy Aanya1560Maharashtra9
428Falak Joni Naik1349GujaratAnupam M Sreekumar1673Kerala4
55AFMShubhi Gupta1613Uttar PradeshJeevika S1433Puducherry16
620AFMSanikommu Manasvi1399KarnatakaPragnya H G1605Tamil Nadu6
72Sachi Jain1768Delhi4Debapriya Manna1384West Bengal22
83Rout Yashita1718Odisha44WCMShriyana S Mallya1353Karnataka26
931WCMShefali A N1322Karnataka44Charvi Patidar1501Rajasthan12
1013Arshiya Das1456Tripura44Ananya Raman1305Tamil Nadu34

Details