Pranesh and Tanisha clinch MPL National Sub-Junior Open and Girls Chess Championship 2022

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/03/2022

IM Pranesh M (TN) and Tanisha S Boramanikar (MAH) won MPL 47th National Sub-Junior Open and 36th National Sub-Junior Girls Chess Championship 2022. Pranesh broke out of the pack in the seventh round, took sole lead and finished a half point ahead 7.5/9 of the field in the end. Tanisha got into sole lead after her sixth round victory and maintained it till the very end 7.5/9. Both champions faced the remaining podium finishers. Pranesh won the National Sub-Junior for the second consecutive year. Tanisha won her maiden National Sub-Junior Girls title. The total prize fund was ₹450000. Top three won ₹90000, ₹70000 and ₹58000 each respectively in both events. Photo: Delhi Chess Association

Tamil Nadu dominates the Open event

IM Pranav Venkatesh (TN) and FM Harshad S (TN) were second and third in the Open event scoring 7.0/9 each. Mrittika Mallick (WB) and Shubhi Gupta (UP) secured second and third place scoring 7.5/9 each in the Girls event. Tamil Nadu bagged top four places in the Open, five in total among top ten. In the Girls event, West Bengal got two out of top four and Maharashtra secured two among top ten finishers. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana earned a place each among top ten.

Top 3 in Open and Girls (L to R): 3rd FM Harshad S, 2nd IM Pranav V and 1st IM Pranesh M, 1st Tanisha Boramanikar, 2nd Mrittika Mallick and 3rd Shubhi Gupta | Photo: Delhi Chess Association

MPL 46th National Sub-Junior Open 2022 champion - IM Pranesh M 7.5/9 | Photo: Delhi Chess Association

MPL 37th National Sub-Junior Girls 2022 champion - Tanisha S Boramanikar 7.5/9 | Photo: Delhi Chess Association

What is more important than hardwork? National Sub-Junior Champion Tanisha Boramanikar tells us | Video: ChessBase India

Open Round 8: Mahendra - Pranesh: 0.5-0.5

Both Mahendra Teja Mekala (AP) and IM Pranesh M (TN) had their fair share of chances in the endgame. The former had more and the reason behind that is probably time trouble.

Position after 28.Bf2

28...Ra2 drops the pawn. The rook at e4 is precariously placed. It makes things difficult for White combined with the fact of back-rank weakness.

Position after 36...Ke6

First real opportunity White had in the game was after 36...Ke6. Find out what was the best continuation for White here.

Position after 40...Rxh2

White's final opportunity to score a win was 41.Bg3 threatening Be5+. It is easy to spot these during analysis but that much difficult when the clock is ticking and it's the penultimate round against the tournament leader.

The finish was exciting | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Gaurang - Pranav: 0.5-0.5

Gaurang Bagwe (MAH) was completely winning against IM Pranav V (TN) in the major piece endgame.

Position after 48...Rd8

White was presented a gift he was not expecting in the form of 48...Rd8. He found 49.Rc7+ however after 49...Rd7 he was unable to follow through correctly. 50.Rc8 Rh6 51.Rc1 and the game petered out to a draw. Find out the win which White missed.

Gaurang was on the brink of victory against Pranav | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Round 9: Pranesh - Kushal: 0.5-0.5

IM Pranesh M (TN) drew with Kushal R Jani (GUJ) comfortably. It was enough for him to win the championship.

Pranesh defended his National Sub-Junior title successfully | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Pranesh scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 and finished a half point ahead of the field

Pranav - Ritvik: 1-0

IM Pranav Venkatesh (TN) scored a convincing victory over Ritvik Krishnan (MAH) to finish second.

Pranav bounced back well to finish second | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

3rd FM Harshad S 7.0/9 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Girls Round 8: Mrittika - Tanisha: 0.5-0.5

Tanisha Boramanikar (MAH) got into trouble early in the opening against Mrittika Mallick (WB).

Position after 14...Rxc6

15.Ra8+ Rc8 16.Rxc8 Bxc8 17.dxe5 dxe5 and the attack fizzled out. Instead 16.h3 first would have made things difficult for Black. The king stranded in the middle of the board and the lack of good squares for the bishop and the c6-rook would have created a lot of trouble.

Position after 34...Be7

White kept pressing for the majority of the endgame which eventually led to a big mistake 34...Be7. White obviously took the pawn 35.Qxe5 Bf6 but then she did not follow through correctly 36.Qc7 Qxc7 37.Rxc7 and it meandered into a draw. 36.Qf5+ g6 37.Qc5 was the better alternative.

Mrittika pushed Tanisha to her limit | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Anushka Gupta (WB) defeated Vakcheri Mohitha (AP) with ease | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Shubhi Gupta (UP) defeated Keerti Shree Ready (TN) with a slightly not so smooth finish at the end | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Round 9

Tanisha drew with Anushka | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Tanisha scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 and gained 35.2 Elo rating points

Sarayu - Mrittika: 0-1

Knowing that a draw will not be enough to secure a podium finish, Sarayu Velpula (TEL) pushed too hard in the endgame for a win. Mrittika Mallick (WB) overcame a difficult position in the middlegame and waited for her opportunity.

Position after 53.Qg6

It is well-known that the combination of queen and knight is better than queen and bishop. Since the position is closed and White's king is more vulnerable, it was time for Black to seize her chance.

Mrittika Mallick defeated Sarayu Velpula to secure second position | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

Fatima - Shubhi: 0-1

Shubhi Gupta (UP) defeated Marium Fatima (BIH) with a nice checkmate combination.

Position after 47.Rd2

Find out the beautiful checkmate combination for Black.

Shubhi Gupta defeated Marium Fatima to secure third position | Photo: IA Jitendra Choudhary

For more Round 8 and Round 9 photos, please click on the respective links.

A total of 175 players including 2 IMs in the Open and 113 players in the Girls tournament are taking part. It is organized by Delhi Chess Association. Both tournaments are taking place at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi from 4th to 8th March 2022. The nine-round Swiss league tournament has a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1

Replay Open Round 8-9 games

Replay Girls Round 8-9 games

Open Round 9 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	2	IM	Pranesh M	2455	Tamil Nadu	7	½ - ½	6½		Jani Kushal R	1746	Gujarat	25
2	4		Rohit S	2276	Tamil Nadu	6	1 - 0	6½		Mahendra Teja Mekala	1875	Andhra Pradesh	12
3	1	IM	Pranav V	2493	Tamil Nadu	6	1 - 0	6		Krishnan Ritvik	1761	Maharashtra	23
4	28		Daksh Goyal	1735	Delhi	6	0 - 1	6	FM	Harshad S	2328	Tamil Nadu	3
5	6	CM	Mayank Chakraborty	2164	Assam	6	1 - 0	6		Agarwal Mukund H	1611	Gujarat	44
6	48		Jai Sankar Subramanian	1570	Tamil Nadu	6	1 - 0	6		Ankit Ray	1895	West Bengal	11
7	54		Goutham Krishna H	1541	Kerala	6	1 - 0	6		Bagwe Gaurang	1874	Maharashtra	13
8	62		Dishank Sachin Bajaj	1477	Maharashtra	6	1 - 0	6		Shaik Sumer Arsh	1852	Telangana	15
9	16		Nagare Kaivalya Sandip	1845	Maharashtra	6	½ - ½	6		Samyak Dharewa	1542	West Bengal	53
10	83	AIM	Vaz Ethan	1384	Goa	6	1 - 0	6		Hari R Chandran	1791	Kerala	18

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Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5	K	rtg+/-
1	2	IM	Pranesh M	U16		IND	2455	Tamil Nadu	7,5	51,0	56,0	45,75	0,0	6	10	-0,6
2	1	IM	Pranav V	U16		IND	2493	Tamil Nadu	7,0	50,0	55,0	42,00	0,0	6	10	-9,1
3	3	FM	Harshad S	U16		IND	2328	Tamil Nadu	7,0	49,5	53,5	39,75	0,0	6	20	-13,8
4	4		Rohit S	U16		IND	2276	Tamil Nadu	7,0	47,5	52,0	39,50	0,0	6	40	-51,2
5	83	AIM	Vaz Ethan	U16		IND	1384	Goa	7,0	47,5	50,0	36,50	0,0	6	40	208,4
6	6	CM	Mayank Chakraborty	U16		IND	2164	Assam	7,0	47,0	51,5	39,75	0,0	5	40	-49,6
7	25		Jani Kushal R	U16		IND	1746	Gujarat	7,0	44,0	48,5	37,25	0,0	6	40	51,2
8	62		Dishank Sachin Bajaj	U16		IND	1477	Maharashtra	7,0	43,0	46,5	35,50	0,0	7	40	156,0
9	54		Goutham Krishna H	U16		IND	1541	Kerala	7,0	38,5	41,5	30,00	0,0	7	40	72,4
10	48		Jai Sankar Subramanian	U16		IND	1570	Tamil Nadu	7,0	38,5	41,5	30,00	0,0	6	40	38,4
11	38		Colaco Reuben	U16		IND	1627	Goa	6,5	47,0	50,5	35,00	0,0	6	40	117,2
12	10	AFM	Pawar Harshit	U16		IND	1921	Delhi	6,5	46,0	51,0	35,50	0,0	6	40	-49,2
13	12		Mahendra Teja Mekala	U16		IND	1875	Andhra Pradesh	6,5	46,0	50,0	34,75	0,0	5	40	35,6
14	16		Nagare Kaivalya Sandip	U16		IND	1845	Maharashtra	6,5	45,0	48,5	32,75	0,0	4	40	-6,8
15	53		Samyak Dharewa	U16		IND	1542	West Bengal	6,5	44,0	46,5	30,75	0,0	6	40	58,4
16	23		Krishnan Ritvik	U16		IND	1761	Maharashtra	6,0	51,0	55,5	34,75	0,0	5	40	-2,8
17	15		Shaik Sumer Arsh	U16		IND	1852	Telangana	6,0	50,0	55,0	33,75	0,0	5	40	8,0
18	43		Arpith S Bijoy	U16		IND	1613	Kerala	6,0	47,0	50,5	31,50	0,0	4	40	97,6
19	11		Ankit Ray	U16		IND	1895	West Bengal	6,0	45,5	49,5	31,50	0,0	4	40	-68,4
20	13		Bagwe Gaurang	U16		IND	1874	Maharashtra	6,0	45,0	49,0	31,25	0,0	5	40	-41,2

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Girls Round 9 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	8		Boramanikar Tanisha S	U16	1670	Maharashtra	7	½ - ½	6½		Anushka Gupta	U16	1661	West Bengal	9
2	1		Velpula Sarayu	U16	1875	Telangana	6	0 - 1	6½		Mrittika Mallick	U16	1848	West Bengal	2
3	16		Marium Fatima	U16	1511	Bihar	6	0 - 1	6½	AFM	Shubhi Gupta	U16	1434	Uttar Pradesh	21
4	20		Khairmode Dhanashree	U16	1438	Maharashtra	6	1 - 0	6		Anupam M Sreekumar	U16	1724	Kerala	5
5	18		Vakcheri Mohitha	U16	1459	Andhra Pradesh	6	1 - 0	6		Dakshita Kumawat	U16	1395	Rajasthan	26
6	27		Pournami S	U16	1390	Kerala	6	0 - 1	6		Sachi Jain	U16	1401	Delhi	25
7	6		Keerti Shree Reddy	U16	1721	Tamil Nadu	5½	1 - 0	5½		Cera Dagaria	U16	1557	Madhya Pradesh	14
8	13	WCM	Wankhade Sanskruti	U16	1576	Maharashtra	5½	0 - 1	5½		Swara Lakshmi S Nair	U16	1383	Karnataka	28
9	24		Arshiya Das	U16	1407	Tripura	5½	0 - 1	5		Meenatchi Rajam V	U16	1692	Tamil Nadu	7
10	10		Sneha Halder	U16	1647	West Bengal	5	1 - 0	5		Kalyani Sirin	U16	1243	Kerala	41

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Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	sex	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5	K	rtg+/-
1	8		Boramanikar Tanisha S	w	IND	1670	Maharashtra	7,5	50,5	54,0	43,00	0,0	6	40	35,2
2	2		Mrittika Mallick	w	IND	1848	West Bengal	7,5	49,5	54,5	44,75	0,0	6	40	-5,2
3	21	AFM	Shubhi Gupta	w	IND	1434	Uttar Pradesh	7,5	47,0	50,5	39,25	0,0	7	40	110,8
4	9		Anushka Gupta	w	IND	1661	West Bengal	7,0	46,5	50,5	38,00	0,0	6	40	-16,0
5	18		Vakcheri Mohitha	w	IND	1459	Andhra Pradesh	7,0	46,0	50,5	36,00	0,0	7	40	73,2
6	25		Sachi Jain	w	IND	1401	Delhi	7,0	45,0	49,0	37,00	0,0	6	40	110,8
7	20		Khairmode Dhanashree	w	IND	1438	Maharashtra	7,0	42,0	45,5	33,50	0,0	7	40	37,6
8	6		Keerti Shree Reddy	w	IND	1721	Tamil Nadu	6,5	44,0	48,0	33,00	0,0	6	40	-58,0
9	28		Swara Lakshmi S Nair	w	IND	1383	Karnataka	6,5	41,0	43,0	29,25	0,0	5	40	79,2
10	1		Velpula Sarayu	w	IND	1875	Telangana	6,0	50,0	54,5	34,75	0,0	4	40	-76,0
11	26		Dakshita Kumawat	w	IND	1395	Rajasthan	6,0	49,5	52,5	32,25	0,0	5	40	115,6
12	15		Kanishka S	w	IND	1528	Tamil Nadu	6,0	48,0	52,5	33,50	0,0	5	40	-23,6
13	27		Pournami S	w	IND	1390	Kerala	6,0	47,5	50,0	28,75	0,0	5	40	66,8
14	5		Anupam M Sreekumar	w	IND	1724	Kerala	6,0	47,0	51,5	33,25	0,0	4	40	-82,4
15	34		Debapriya Manna	w	IND	1305	West Bengal	6,0	45,5	49,0	30,25	0,0	5	40	109,2
16	37		Yuvika Sehgal	w	IND	1263	Delhi	6,0	41,5	45,0	27,50	0,0	4	40	84,4
17	22		Tejaswi R	w	IND	1416	Tamil Nadu	6,0	41,0	44,5	27,50	0,0	5	40	-14,0
18	16		Marium Fatima	w	IND	1511	Bihar	6,0	40,5	44,5	27,50	0,0	6	40	-66,4
19	10		Sneha Halder	w	IND	1647	West Bengal	6,0	40,5	42,5	26,50	0,0	6	40	-86,4
20	7		Meenatchi Rajam V	w	IND	1692	Tamil Nadu	6,0	39,5	43,0	27,50	0,0	5	40	-90,8

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