MCL 2016 04+05: Checkers and Combatants eliminated

MCL 2016 04+05: Checkers and Combatants eliminated

At the end of three rounds, the Pune Sangli Nok-99 Navigators were still perched atop the table, while Jalgaon Battlers were close on their heels. the top two spots are very important because just as in the Indian Premier League format for Cricket, at the end of the round robin, the top two teams clash in a semifinal match. The winner of this match goes through to the MCL 2016 Final, while the loser gets another chance, against the winner of the second Qualifier which is held between the teams finishing third and fourth. The fifth and sixth teams are eliminated at the league stage, after five rounds.

As you may imagine, a lot was at stake in the fourth and the fifth rounds.

Round 04 Report:

Pune TruMasters vs. Thane Combatants

It must be noted, though, that Aravindh misssed a chance to turn the tables late in the game.

IM Swayams Mishra of TruMasters and IM Abhimanyu Puranik of the Combatants drew, and so did WFM Rucha Pujari and WGM Soumya Swaminathan.

Meanwhile, Aniruddha Deshpande messed up yet another advantagous position to lose to Harshit Raja, who had sacrificed his queen. Thus, Pune TruMasters took this round 4.0-2.0.

Mumbai Movers vs. Ahmednagar Checkers

Mumbai Movers were in a must-win situation of sorts, and so were the Ahmednagar Checkers, and it was only fitting that the two teams faced each other in the fourth round.

Whilte Bhakti Kulkarni just handed Diptayan of Movers the point in a platter, Shashikant Kutwal let go off a clearly better position to love. But the biggest surprise was:

Sasikiran had a handful of winning chances, most notably the following deflection tactic that he missed:

Pune Sangli Nok-99 Navigators vs. Jalgaon Battlers

While GM S.L. Narayanan beat WFM Varshini V, and GM Swapnil Dhopade and GM Abhijit Kunte settled for a draw,...

Surprisingly, Jalgaon's Akanksha Hagawane held Aakash Thakur, where she probably could have fought for more.

Round 05 Report:

Ahmednagar Checkers vs. Pune Sangli Nok-99 Navigators

IM Tania Sachdev drew with Aakash Thakur while GM Abhijit Kunte and GM Shardul Gagare too thought it wise to draw. Sasikiran and Adhiban also settled fro a draw, though Adhiban was probably ahead position-wise for a while.

WFM Varshini V. managed to beat WGM Bhakti Kulkarni, and this resulted in Navigators taking the match 3.5-2.5, knocking Ahmednagar Checkers out of the tournament. The Pune Sangli Navigators finished second in the league stage of the MCL 2016 with 17 points.

Jalgaon Battlers vs. Pune TruMasters

While GM Koneru Humpy held GM Sethuraman of TruMasters to a draw, Battlers' Akanksha Hagawanecreated a another minor upset of sorts when she held Harshit Raja to a draw.

GM S.L. Narayanan did not face many problems in overcoming WFM Rucha Pujari. But Nubairshah Shaikh, who is playing excellent chess, went down to GM Vishnu Prasanna, who pulled one back or Pune TruMasters.

The score did not change the final standings — Jalgaon Battlers still finished at the top of the table.

Thane Combatants vs. Mumbai Movers

The 2015 MCL champions Thane Combatants had to beat Mumbai Movers by at least a four-point margin to force an armageddon. It was not to be as they could only draw with the Movers 3.0-3.0.  GM Abhijeet Gupta expectedly defeated Aniruddha Deshpande.

IM Padmini Rout won against Movers' Vaishali R. and her Combatant team-mate WGM Soumya Swaminathan beat WGM Swati Ghate. But this was not enough as...

Rakesh Kulkarni held GM Aravindh Chithambaram at bay, thus leaving the score tied at 3.0-3.0. This meant that after Battlers, Navigators, TruMasters, Mumbai Movers' became the fooruth team to qualify to the knockout stage.

Final Standings: