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Women's Premier 06: Padmini continues to lead but Viji close on the heels

by Priyadarshan Banjan - 09/11/2016

Padmini won a well-played technical game where she nursed her advantage from the opening to victory. Viji was worse and fighting for dear life, but she turned the tables after some sub-par moves by Mary Ann Gomes to win as well. Padmini leads the event with 5.0/6 while Viji is close on the heels with 4.5/6. Nihal Sarin chose Padmini's clinical performance as the game of the day and analyzed it for the readers.

Pictures by Gopakumar Sudhakaran

Women's Premier 06: Padmini continues to lead but Viji close on the heels

Results:

Round 6 on 2016/11/08 at 10:00 am
Bo. No. Rtg   Name Result   Name Rtg No.
1 12 2306 WGM Gomes Mary Ann 0 - 1 IM Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman 2390 9
2 10 2073   Bala Kannamma P 0 - 1 WIM Mahalakshmi M 2185 8
3 11 2374 IM Padmini Rout 1 - 0 IM Mohota Nisha 2262 7
4 1 2425 IM Karavade Eesha 1 - 0 WGM Soumya Swaminathan 2386 6
5 2 2289 WIM Pratyusha Bodda 1 - 0 WGM Swati Ghate 2260 5
6 3 2300 WIM Vaishali R ½ - ½ WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty 2117 4

Padmini was in no mood to relinquish her lead as she gained an advantage in the Advance variation of Caro-Kann, something Nisha had already played once in the first round against Soumya. She eventually converted it into a win despite Nisha's resourceful play.

Young Nihal chose Padmini's performance as the game of the day. His summary: "It was played in the Caro-Kann Advance variation, where white kept an advantage from the opening. Black defended resourcefully, but white showed good endgame technique. After 14.Bd3, things were quite difficult for black. A good technical game by white!"

[Event "New Delhi"]
[Site "New Delhi"]
[Date "2016.11.08"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Padmini, Rout"]
[Black "Mohota, Nisha"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2408"]
[BlackElo "2252"]
[Annotator "Nihal Sarin"]
[PlyCount "123"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceTitle "playchess.com"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
1. e4 c6 {The Caro-Kann, which is a solid opening against 1.e4. It is good
especially when your opponent has a must win situation. A big expert of this
line is the great Anatoly Karpov.} 2. d4 {The sharpest and main choice.} (2.
Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 {is an alternative.}) (2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 e5 4. Ngf3 {is another
variation.}) 2... d5 3. e5 {This is played very frequently, and is an
excellent move that takes control of the centre.} (3. Nc3 {is also enjoying
vast popularity.} dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 (4... Nf6 $5) 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7
{is the main line.} (7... e6 $5 {is also very interesting.} 8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3
Bxd3 ({not..} 9... Qxd4 $2 10. Nxf7 Bb4+ 11. c3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Qxc3+ 13. Bd2
Qxd3 14. Nxh8 $18) 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 Be7 (11... Bb4+ {is the main move.} 12.
c3 Be7 13. Bd2 Ngf6 14. O-O-O O-O 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nxe5 17. fxe5 Qd5 18.
Qxd5 cxd5 {Anand,V (2775)-Carlsen,M (2870) World Championship 2013 (2) 1/2-1/2}
) 12. Bd2 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Bxh4 14. O-O-O Bxg3 15. Qxg3 Ne7 16. Qxg7 Rg8 {White
has a choice here.} 17. Qh7 (17. Qxh6 Qd5 18. Kb1 O-O-O 19. Qf6 Rxg2 20. Bc3
Nf5 21. Qxf7 Rg7 22. Qh5 Ng3 23. Qh6 Nf5 24. Qh5 Ng3 $11 {Grandelius,N (2641)
-Lupulescu,C (2618) Baku ol (Men) 42nd 2016 (5.1) 1/2-1/2}) 17... Qd5 18. Kb1
O-O-O 19. Qxf7 Rxg2 20. Ba5 Qxa5 21. Qxe7 Qd5 22. b3 Rd7 23. Qf8+ Kc7 24. Rxh6
c5 $11 {Saric,I (2668)-Mamedyarov,S (2761) Baku ol (Men) 42nd 2016 (7.1) 1/2-1/
2})) 3... Bf5 {It is always useful to get the bishop out before playing e6.} (
3... c5 {is also popular.} 4. dxc5 $1 {This is said to be the best move for
white.} Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. c3 {This move sets I trap and...} Nxe5 $4 {I fell
straight into it in a blitz game.} 7. Nxe5 Bxd1 8. Bb5+ $18) 4. Nf3 {The main
move.} (4. h4 $5) (4. Nc3 e6 5. g4 Bg6 6. Nge2 c5 7. h4 h5 8. Nf4 Bh7 9. Nxh5
Nc6 {Is a deep, interesting pawn sacrifice.}) 4... e6 5. Be2 Ne7 {This is a
very interesting move.} (5... Nd7 6. O-O Bb4 $5 {Adams,M (2738)-Mamedyarov,S
(2761) Baku ol (Men) 42nd 2016 (10.1) 1/2-1/2 with the idea of Ba5, Bc7.} (6...
h6 7. Nbd2 Ne7 8. Nb3 {Transposes.})) 6. O-O h6 7. Nbd2 Nd7 8. Nb3 Qc7 (8... g5
$5 9. Ne1 Qc7 10. Nd3 (10. f4 O-O-O 11. Nd3 Ng6 12. Bg4 Bxd3 13. cxd3 gxf4 14.
Bxf4 Nxf4 15. Rxf4 f5 16. Bh5 Nf6 {Nakamura,H (2798)-Shankland,S (2661) USA-ch
Saint Louis 2015 (6) 1/2-1/2}) 10... Ng6 {I shall give some games with some
ideas.} 11. Bg4 (11. Be3 O-O-O 12. Ndc1 h5 13. Bxg5 f6 14. exf6 Bd6 {Hevia
Alejano,C (2534)-Gurevich,D (2465) Brownsville UT RGV GM 2016 (6) 0-1}) 11...
Bxg4 (11... O-O-O $5 12. f4 Bxg4 13. Qxg4 h5 14. Qxg5 Be7 15. Qg3 Rdg8 16. Qe3
Nh4 17. Rf2 Rg4 18. Bd2 Rhg8 {Yagupov,I (2405)-Gurevich,D (2461) Olomouc GM
19th 2016 (1) 0-1}) 12. Qxg4 c5 13. Nbxc5 (13. f4 cxd4 14. Nxd4 gxf4 15. Bxf4
O-O-O 16. Kh1 h5 17. Qe2 Be7 {Haria,R (2151)-Qiu,T (2289) BCF-chT 1314 (4NCL)
2013 (9.155) 0-1}) 13... Bxc5 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Nxc5 Qxc5 16. Be3 Qc7 {Vachier
Lagrave,M (2788)-Rodshtein,M (2689) FRA-chT Top 12 2016 (10.1) 1-0}) 9. a4 $5 {
interesting. White expands his queenside.} g5 {Black expands on the opposite
flank.} 10. Bd2 a5 {I have a feeling that this is dubious.} (10... Bg7 $5 {
intending f6.} 11. a5 f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. a6 b6 14. c4 O-O-O 15. cxd5 exd5 16.
Rc1 Kb8 $11 {Black should be OK here.}) 11. Ne1 {Bringing the knight to d3.} c5
(11... Bg7 12. Nd3 O-O (12... b6 13. Be3 Bg6 14. f4 Nf5 15. Bd2 O-O-O 16. Rc1
gxf4 17. Nxf4 $14) 13. f4 gxf4 14. Bxf4 Ng6 15. Bg3 $14) 12. Nxc5 Nxc5 13. dxc5
Nc6 (13... Ng6 $2 14. g4 $1 {White wins a piece!}) (13... Bg7 $5 14. Nd3 Bxd3
15. Bxd3 Bxe5 16. Bb5+ Nc6 {is OK for black again.}) 14. Bd3 $1 {This move is
creating some difficulties for black.} O-O-O (14... Bxd3 15. Nxd3 Bg7 (15...
Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Bc3 $18) 16. f4 gxf4 17. Bxf4 Bxe5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. Qd4
f6 20. Rae1 $16) 15. Bxf5 exf5 16. Nd3 f4 17. b4 {I believe it is a good move,
opening the b-file against the black king.} (17. Qg4+ Kb8 18. Qf5 Nd4 19. Qf6
Rg8 {Does not look good for white, as she is facing the threat of Nxc2 and the
main one Rg6.}) (17. Re1 Bg7) 17... Nxe5 18. bxa5 Bxc5 19. Rb1 $14 {The pawns
are equal in number, but the king's safety is an important factor here.} Bd6
20. Rb5 (20. a6 {Engine's suggestion!} bxa6 21. Nxe5 Bxe5 22. Qe2 $18) 20...
Rhe8 21. Nb4 (21. Qh5 $5 f3 (21... Re6 22. Rfb1 {With some unpleasant threats
like Nxe5 and Rxb7.}) 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 23. gxf3 {And white is just a pawn up.})
21... Bxb4 22. Bxb4 Nc6 {Trying to reduce the harmful effect of Bc5 -b6.} 23.
Bc5 Rd7 24. f3 (24. c3 $5 {Stopping d4 and preparing something like Qd3 or Qb3
and Rfb1 with an attack along the b-file.}) 24... d4 $1 {Black tries her best
chance. Black is trying to gain some space, and the e3 square.} 25. Bb6 Qd6 26.
Qd3 Qe6 27. h3 Qe3+ 28. Kh2 Qxd3 29. cxd3 {The queens are removed from the
board, but white is still clearly better.} Re2 $5 (29... Re3 $5 30. Rc1 (30.
Rb3 $1 $14 {I suppose that this is the best move.}) 30... Rxd3 31. a6 Kb8 {
Very surprisingly, I did not see anything forced for white!} 32. Rbc5 Rc3 (
32... Rb3 $1) 33. R1xc3 dxc3 34. Rxc3 Rd6 $14 {Black can fight for a draw.})
30. Rc1 Kb8 31. Rbc5 {intending a6.} Rde7 32. a6 Rb2 33. a5 $6 (33. Rb5 Ree2
34. Rxb2 Rxb2 35. a7+ Nxa7 36. Bxd4 Rb3 37. Be5+ Ka8 38. Rc7 Nc6 39. Bg7 h5 40.
Rxf7 Rxd3 41. Rf5 g4 42. fxg4 hxg4 43. Rxf4 (43. hxg4 $1 $18) 43... gxh3 44.
gxh3 $16 {White can try to win.}) 33... Ree2 34. Rg1 Rbc2 (34... Re6 $5 35.
axb7 (35. Rgc1 Ree2 36. Rg1 Re6 $11) 35... Kxb7 {leads to an unclear position.}
) 35. a7+ Nxa7 36. Rxc2 Rxc2 37. Re1 {A strong decision. White gives up a pawn,
but now can attack the enemy pawns.} Nc8 38. Re8 {The knight and the king are
knocked out from the game.} Rd2 39. Bxd4 Kc7 40. Bg7 Rxd3 41. Bxh6 Rd5 42. Rg8
f6 (42... Rxa5 43. Rxg5 Rxg5 44. Bxg5 {The rest is just an example, what if
black is trying to push his pawn forward.} b5 45. Bxf4+ Kb6 46. h4 b4 47. h5 b3
48. Be5 Ne7 49. h6 Ng6 50. Bb2 Nf8 51. Kg3 Kc5 52. Kf4 Kd6 53. Kf5 Ke7 54. Ba3+
Ke8 55. Kf6 $18) 43. Rf8 Ne7 44. Rxf6 Rxa5 45. h4 $1 {The game is somewhat
decided.} gxh4 46. Bxf4+ Kc8 47. Kh3 Ra2 48. Bg5 Nd5 49. Rf5 Nc7 50. Bxh4 Ne6
51. Bf6 b5 52. g4 b4 53. Kg3 Ra3 54. Rb5 Rb3 55. Rb6 Kd7 56. g5 Rb1 57. Kg4 Nc7
58. Be5 Ne6 59. Kf5 Nc5 60. g6 Ke8 61. Rb8+ Ke7 62. g7 {It was played in the Caro-Kann Advance variation, where white kept an advantage from the opening. Black defended resourcefully, but white showed good endgame technique.After 14.Bd3, the things were quite difficult for black.
A good technical game!} 1-0

 

But Viji is close on the heels of Padmini as she won with the black pieces against the solid Mary Ann Gomes who remains winless but was also lossless until this game.

Mary had an edge in the middlegame, but then she lost a pawn. It was still equal as Mary's double bishops were quite active. It all turned in Viji's favour when white chose to exchange queens despite being a pawn behind.

[Event "National Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.08"]
[Round "6.1"]
[White "Gomes, Mary Ann"]
[Black "Vijayalakshmi, Subbaraman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2306"]
[BlackElo "2390"]
[PlyCount "134"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:22:31"]
[BlackClock "0:05:41"]
1. e4 e5 {26} 2. Nf3 {14} Nc6 {7} 3. Bb5 {6} a6 {6} 4. Ba4 {10} Nf6 {7} 5. O-O
{6} Be7 {6} 6. Re1 {15} b5 {9} 7. Bb3 {6} d6 {13} 8. a4 {29} Bg4 {288} 9. c3 {
11} O-O {543} 10. h3 {6} Bxf3 {232} 11. Qxf3 {7} Na5 {178} 12. Bc2 {596} c5 {
179} 13. d3 {7} b4 {174} 14. Nd2 {21} Rb8 {377} 15. Nc4 {256} bxc3 {513} 16.
bxc3 {14} Nxc4 {34} 17. dxc4 {6} a5 {233} 18. Qd3 {12} Ne8 {115} 19. f4 {69}
exf4 {533} 20. Bxf4 {56} g6 {208} 21. Rad1 {472} Bg5 {592} 22. Bh2 {503} Qc8 {
453} 23. e5 {504} dxe5 {27} 24. Rxe5 {7} Bf6 {29} 25. Re2 {102} Rb6 {113} 26.
Qf3 {242} Re6 {296} 27. Be4 {386} Qa6 {222} 28. Bd5 {254} Rxe2 {54} 29. Qxe2 {5
} Bxc3 {61} 30. Qe7 {475} Bd4+ {29} 31. Kh1 {6} Qf6 {172} 32. Qxf6 $2 {204} (
32. Qa7 Qf2 33. Qxa5 Qc2 34. Rf1 Nf6 $11) 32... Nxf6 {81} 33. Bc7 {113} Bc3 {73
} 34. Rf1 {183} Rc8 {90} 35. Bg3 {555} Nxd5 {232} 36. cxd5 {6} Rd8 {14} 37. d6
{38} Kg7 {52} 38. Rc1 {158} Bb4 {23} 39. Bf2 {106} Ba3 {70} 40. Rc3 {0} Bb4 {0}
41. Rc1 {0} c4 {0} 42. Bd4+ {0} f6 {0} 43. Rxc4 {0} Rxd6 {0} 44. g4 {0} Kf7 {0}
45. Bf2 {0} Ke6 {0} 46. Kg2 {0} Rd2 {0} 47. Kf3 {0} Rd3+ {0} 48. Kg2 {0} Rc3 {0
} 49. Re4+ {0} Kd5 {0} 50. Rd4+ {0} Ke6 {0} 51. Re4+ {0} Kf7 {0} 52. Rf4 {0}
Ra3 {0} 53. Bd4 {0} Rxa4 {0} 54. Rxf6+ {0} Ke8 {0} 55. Ra6 {0} Ra2+ {0} 56. Kf3
{0} a4 {15} 57. Ke4 {0} a3 {51} 58. Kd5 {0} Rd2 {77} 59. Ra8+ {0} Kf7 {145} 60.
Ra7+ {0} Be7 {47} 61. Kc4 {0} Ke6 {60} 62. Ra6+ {0} Kf7 {115} 63. Ra7 {0} a2 {
70} 64. Bc3 {55} Rc2 {24} 65. g5 {30} Ke6 {52} 66. Ra6+ {215} Bd6 {21} 67. Kb3
{293} Rxc3+ {28} 0-1

Eesha Karavade (2425) made quick amends to her loss in the fifth round by beating Soumya Swaminathan (2386).

 Kiran Manisha Mohanty held Vaishali R. in the only draw of the round.

 

While Bala Kannamma was beaten by Mahalakshmi...

...Swati Ghate lost yet again, this time to Pratyusha. 

 

But all rivalry was forgotten at the party before the rest day!

The players assemble for a group photograph.  

Veteran journo Rakesh Rao who writes for the Hindu (blue) with the organizing team — Gopakumar Sudhakaran, Ajeet Verma, and Vasant BH.

 One of the world's youngest grandmaster Aryan Chopra with his mother and Tajik GM Farrukh Amonatov.

Round 7 on 2016/11/10 at 10:00 am
Bo. No. Rtg   Name Result   Name Rtg No.
1 4 2117 WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty   WGM Gomes Mary Ann 2306 12
2 5 2260 WGM Swati Ghate   WIM Vaishali R 2300 3
3 6 2386 WGM Soumya Swaminathan   WIM Pratyusha Bodda 2289 2
4 7 2262 IM Mohota Nisha   IM Karavade Eesha 2425 1
5 8 2185 WIM Mahalakshmi M   IM Padmini Rout 2374 11
6 9 2390 IM Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman     Bala Kannamma P 2073 10

Related:

  1. Women's Premier 01: Dark tragicomedies
  2. Women's Premier 02: Favourites have a ball
  3. Women's Premier 03: Nisha wins on a draw day
  4. Women's Premier 04: Viji and Padmini lead
  5. Women's Premier 05: Padmini leads as Viji loses

 

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