National Teams 04: the train has arrived?
For quite some time now PSPB has maintained a hegemony at the top, comfortably winning the National Teams title by sending a super-strong team. The 36th edition hasn't attracted the very top members of the PSPB squadron, and they face a tough task now as the Railways-A team is steaming ahead at breakneck speed! In the fourth round, Railways-A hijacked Air India to oblivion. ChessBase India brings you games and more in this pictorial report.
National Teams 04: the train has arrived?
It was a clash of equals but the leaders Air India turned out to be pushovers for the determined Railways-A team -- it was a 3.5-0.5 massacre. The top board game between IM Karthikeyan P. and IM Swayams Mishra ended in a draw, which left the remaining three boards locked in a one sided battle.
PSPB too won their match against Bihar-B, but ended up spilling some oil in the sea. It will be interesting to see how costly it will be in the coming rounds.
Rathnakaran and Deepan displayed tour de force while winning their respective games, quite comfortably.
[Event "Indian National Team Chess Championship-"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Rathnakaran, K."]
[Black "Satyapragyan, Swayangsu"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2463"]
[BlackElo "2445"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Rathnakaran, K."]
[Black "Satyapragyan, Swayangsu"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2463"]
[BlackElo "2445"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. Nbd2 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O Nge7 8. c3
b6 9. Re1 a5 10. exd5 exd5 11. d4 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. cxd4 O-O 14. Nf3 Bf5
15. Bg5 f6 16. Bd2 Be4 17. Rc1 Nf5 18. Bf4 Ra7 19. g4 Ne7 20. Qb3 Kh8 21. h3 g5
22. Bg3 h6 23. h4 Ng6 24. Rc6 Qd7 25. Rd6 Qxg4 26. Nh2 Qh5 27. Bxe4 dxe4 28.
hxg5 hxg5 29. Rxe4 Re7 30. Rxe7 Nxe7 31. Rxb6 Nf5 32. d5 Nd4 33. Qd3 f5 34. Bd6
Re8 35. Rb8 Rxb8 36. Bxb8 Qe8 37. Bc7 Qe1+ 38. Kg2 g4 39. Qe3 Ne2 40. Nf1 Kh7
41. Qe6 f4 42. Qe4+ Kh8 43. Bxf4 Qd1 44. Be5 g3 45. Qh4+ Kg8 46. Qd8+ Bf8 47.
Qg5+ Kf7 48. Qf6+ Ke8 49. Qc6+ 1-0
b6 9. Re1 a5 10. exd5 exd5 11. d4 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. cxd4 O-O 14. Nf3 Bf5
15. Bg5 f6 16. Bd2 Be4 17. Rc1 Nf5 18. Bf4 Ra7 19. g4 Ne7 20. Qb3 Kh8 21. h3 g5
22. Bg3 h6 23. h4 Ng6 24. Rc6 Qd7 25. Rd6 Qxg4 26. Nh2 Qh5 27. Bxe4 dxe4 28.
hxg5 hxg5 29. Rxe4 Re7 30. Rxe7 Nxe7 31. Rxb6 Nf5 32. d5 Nd4 33. Qd3 f5 34. Bd6
Re8 35. Rb8 Rxb8 36. Bxb8 Qe8 37. Bc7 Qe1+ 38. Kg2 g4 39. Qe3 Ne2 40. Nf1 Kh7
41. Qe6 f4 42. Qe4+ Kh8 43. Bxf4 Qd1 44. Be5 g3 45. Qh4+ Kg8 46. Qd8+ Bf8 47.
Qg5+ Kf7 48. Qf6+ Ke8 49. Qc6+ 1-0
Deepan played a fantastic game to thrash GM Tejas Bakre
[Event "Indian National Team Chess Championship-"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bakre, Tejas"]
[Black "Deepan, Chakkravarthy J"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2462"]
[BlackElo "2481"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bakre, Tejas"]
[Black "Deepan, Chakkravarthy J"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2462"]
[BlackElo "2481"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
1. Nf3 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 Bg4 7. Be3 Na6 8. O-O
c5 9. d5 Nc7 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Rb8 12. Be2 a6 13. a4 Nd7 14. Qd2 e6 15. dxe6
Nxe6 16. Qxd6 Nd4 17. Rad1 Be5 18. Qd5 Qc7 19. f4 Rbd8 20. fxe5 Nxe5 21. Rxd4
cxd4 22. Bxd4 Nc6 23. Qg5 Nxd4 24. Bg4 Ne6 25. Qh6 Qxc4 26. Nd5 Rxd5 27. exd5
Qxd5 28. Bxe6 Qxe6 29. Qf4 Rd8 30. Qc7 Rd7 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qc3+ f6 33. Kh1 Qe5
34. Qb4 Qd4 35. Rf4 Qd1+ 36. Kh2 Qd6 37. Qxd6 Rxd6 38. Rb4 b6 39. Rc4 g5 40. b4
h5 41. Rc7+ Kg6 42. Ra7 b5 43. axb5 axb5 44. Rb7 Rd5 45. Kg3 Rf5 46. Kh2 h4 47.
Kg1 Kh5 48. Rh7+ Kg6 49. Rb7 Kh6 50. Kh2 0-1
c5 9. d5 Nc7 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Rb8 12. Be2 a6 13. a4 Nd7 14. Qd2 e6 15. dxe6
Nxe6 16. Qxd6 Nd4 17. Rad1 Be5 18. Qd5 Qc7 19. f4 Rbd8 20. fxe5 Nxe5 21. Rxd4
cxd4 22. Bxd4 Nc6 23. Qg5 Nxd4 24. Bg4 Ne6 25. Qh6 Qxc4 26. Nd5 Rxd5 27. exd5
Qxd5 28. Bxe6 Qxe6 29. Qf4 Rd8 30. Qc7 Rd7 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qc3+ f6 33. Kh1 Qe5
34. Qb4 Qd4 35. Rf4 Qd1+ 36. Kh2 Qd6 37. Qxd6 Rxd6 38. Rb4 b6 39. Rc4 g5 40. b4
h5 41. Rc7+ Kg6 42. Ra7 b5 43. axb5 axb5 44. Rb7 Rd5 45. Kg3 Rf5 46. Kh2 h4 47.
Kg1 Kh5 48. Rh7+ Kg6 49. Rb7 Kh6 50. Kh2 0-1
Swapnil too faced no issues in smashing Srinath out of the park.
[Event "Indian National Team Chess Championship-"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Narayanan, Srinath"]
[Black "Swapnil, S Dhopade"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2469"]
[BlackElo "2478"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Narayanan, Srinath"]
[Black "Swapnil, S Dhopade"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2469"]
[BlackElo "2478"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Bb5 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 e6 8. Be3
Nge7 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 a6 11. Ba4 O-O-O 12. Bxc6 Nxc6 13. Qxf7 d4 14. Qxe6+
Kb8 15. Bd2 dxc3 16. Bxc3 Qxc5 17. O-O g5 18. Rae1 Bg7 19. Re4 Rhe8 20. Qg4
Bxe5 21. Re3 Bxc3 22. Rxc3 Qe5 23. h4 h6 24. Qh5 gxh4 25. Qxh4 Qg5 26. Qh3 Nd4
27. Kh1 Re4 28. g3 Qd5 29. Kh2 Re5 30. g4 h5 0-1
Nge7 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 a6 11. Ba4 O-O-O 12. Bxc6 Nxc6 13. Qxf7 d4 14. Qxe6+
Kb8 15. Bd2 dxc3 16. Bxc3 Qxc5 17. O-O g5 18. Rae1 Bg7 19. Re4 Rhe8 20. Qg4
Bxe5 21. Re3 Bxc3 22. Rxc3 Qe5 23. h4 h6 24. Qh5 gxh4 25. Qxh4 Qg5 26. Qh3 Nd4
27. Kh1 Re4 28. g3 Qd5 29. Kh2 Re5 30. g4 h5 0-1
There is plenty of back-up for post-game analysis in case the competitors are tired!
PSPB meanwhile faced another blow as they lost crucial match points when GM Arun Prasad could only draw with...
...Bihar-B's Vikesh Nandan Kumar (1825) after landing in a very suspicious position.
[Event "Indian National Team Chess Championship-"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Vikesh, Nandan Kumar"]
[Black "Arun, Prasad S"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1825"]
[BlackElo "2519"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Vikesh, Nandan Kumar"]
[Black "Arun, Prasad S"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1825"]
[BlackElo "2519"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Nge2 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O e5 7. h3 Nge7 8. d3
O-O 9. f4 f5 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Qd2 Be6 12. Nd5 fxe4 13. dxe4 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nxe2+
15. Qxe2 Nf5 16. Kh2 Qb6 17. fxe5 Qxb2 18. Bf4 Nd4 19. Qe4 dxe5 20. Bg5 Nf5 21.
d6 Qc3 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. g4 Qg3+ 24. Kh1 1/2-1/2
O-O 9. f4 f5 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Qd2 Be6 12. Nd5 fxe4 13. dxe4 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nxe2+
15. Qxe2 Nf5 16. Kh2 Qb6 17. fxe5 Qxb2 18. Bf4 Nd4 19. Qe4 dxe5 20. Bg5 Nf5 21.
d6 Qc3 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. g4 Qg3+ 24. Kh1 1/2-1/2
In the end, Bihar-B lost the match 2.5-1.5, but they went home smiling as they had caused a major upset on Board 03 when Debashis Das lost to...
...young Saurabh Anand (2060) who held his nerves to earn the first GM-scalp of his career.
[Event "Indian National Team Chess Championship-"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Saurabh, Anand"]
[Black "Debashis, Das"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2060"]
[BlackElo "2487"]
[PlyCount "171"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[Site "Bhubaneswar"]
[Date "2016.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Saurabh, Anand"]
[Black "Debashis, Das"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2060"]
[BlackElo "2487"]
[PlyCount "171"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. d4 Bg4 10. d5 Na5 11. Bc2 c6 12. b4 Nc4 13. dxc6 Qc7 14. Nbd2 Nb6 15. h3
Be6 16. Nf1 Qxc6 17. Bd2 h6 18. Ng3 a5 19. Bb3 Nc4 20. Qe2 Rfc8 21. Bxc4 Bxc4
22. Qe3 axb4 23. cxb4 Rxa2 24. Rxa2 Bxa2 25. Qa7 Bd5 26. exd5 Nxd5 27. Rc1 Qe8
28. Qb7 Rxc1+ 29. Bxc1 Nxb4 30. Nf5 Bf8 31. Ba3 Qe6 32. Ne3 Qb3 33. Bxb4 Qxb4
34. Nd5 Qc4 35. Kh2 b4 36. Nxb4 Qb3 37. Qe4 f5 38. Qd5+ Qxd5 39. Nxd5 Kf7 40.
Nh4 Ke6 41. Nc7+ Kf6 42. g4 f4 43. f3 Kf7 44. Kg2 g6 45. Nd5 Bg7 46. Kf1 Ke6
47. Nc3 Bf6 48. Ng2 d5 49. Ke2 g5 50. Kd3 Bd8 (50... e4+ 51. fxe4 Bxc3 52. Kxc3
(52. exd5+ Kxd5 53. Kxc3 Ke4 $11) 52... dxe4 53. Kd4 $16) 51. Ne1 Ba5 52. Nc2
Kd6 53. Na1 Bxc3 54. Kxc3 Kc5 55. Nb3+ Kb5 56. Kd3 Kb4 57. Nc1 Kc5 58. Nb3+ Kb4
59. Nc1 Kc5 60. Kc3 Kc6 61. Nd3 Kd6 62. Ne1 Kc5 63. Kd3 Kd6 64. Ng2 Kc5 65. h4
Kd6 66. hxg5 hxg5 67. Ne1 Kc5 68. Nc2 Kd6 69. Nb4 Kc5 70. Na2 Kd6 71. Nc3 Ke6
72. Nd1 Ke7 73. Nf2 Ke6 74. Nh3 Kf6 75. Kc3 Kg6 76. Kb4 e4 77. fxe4 dxe4 78.
Kc4 Kf6 79. Kd4 e3 80. Kd3 Kg6 81. Ng1 Kf7 82. Nf3 Kf6 83. Ke4 Kg6 84. Ke5 Kh6
85. Kf6 e2 86. Kf5 1-0
O-O 9. d4 Bg4 10. d5 Na5 11. Bc2 c6 12. b4 Nc4 13. dxc6 Qc7 14. Nbd2 Nb6 15. h3
Be6 16. Nf1 Qxc6 17. Bd2 h6 18. Ng3 a5 19. Bb3 Nc4 20. Qe2 Rfc8 21. Bxc4 Bxc4
22. Qe3 axb4 23. cxb4 Rxa2 24. Rxa2 Bxa2 25. Qa7 Bd5 26. exd5 Nxd5 27. Rc1 Qe8
28. Qb7 Rxc1+ 29. Bxc1 Nxb4 30. Nf5 Bf8 31. Ba3 Qe6 32. Ne3 Qb3 33. Bxb4 Qxb4
34. Nd5 Qc4 35. Kh2 b4 36. Nxb4 Qb3 37. Qe4 f5 38. Qd5+ Qxd5 39. Nxd5 Kf7 40.
Nh4 Ke6 41. Nc7+ Kf6 42. g4 f4 43. f3 Kf7 44. Kg2 g6 45. Nd5 Bg7 46. Kf1 Ke6
47. Nc3 Bf6 48. Ng2 d5 49. Ke2 g5 50. Kd3 Bd8 (50... e4+ 51. fxe4 Bxc3 52. Kxc3
(52. exd5+ Kxd5 53. Kxc3 Ke4 $11) 52... dxe4 53. Kd4 $16) 51. Ne1 Ba5 52. Nc2
Kd6 53. Na1 Bxc3 54. Kxc3 Kc5 55. Nb3+ Kb5 56. Kd3 Kb4 57. Nc1 Kc5 58. Nb3+ Kb4
59. Nc1 Kc5 60. Kc3 Kc6 61. Nd3 Kd6 62. Ne1 Kc5 63. Kd3 Kd6 64. Ng2 Kc5 65. h4
Kd6 66. hxg5 hxg5 67. Ne1 Kc5 68. Nc2 Kd6 69. Nb4 Kc5 70. Na2 Kd6 71. Nc3 Ke6
72. Nd1 Ke7 73. Nf2 Ke6 74. Nh3 Kf6 75. Kc3 Kg6 76. Kb4 e4 77. fxe4 dxe4 78.
Kc4 Kf6 79. Kd4 e3 80. Kd3 Kg6 81. Ng1 Kf7 82. Nf3 Kf6 83. Ke4 Kg6 84. Ke5 Kh6
85. Kf6 e2 86. Kf5 1-0
The Bihar Women's team wasn't as successful, as they went down in flames against Air India.
Some lip-smackking clashes are in the offing in Round 05 in the Open and Round 04 in the Women's section. In the former, PSPB takes on the leaders Railways-A while their women's team takes on Air India, and you can watch the games live here.
Open Rank after Round 4
| Rk. | SNo | Team | Games | + | = | - | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 |
| 1 | 5 | Railway Sports Promotion Board - B | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 13,5 | 0 | 29,0 | 35,5 |
| 2 | 2 | Railway Sports Promotion Board - A | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12,5 | 0 | 33,0 | 42,0 |
| 3 | 4 | Airport Authority of India | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12,5 | 0 | 28,5 | 35,0 |
| 4 | 1 | Petroleum Sports Promotion Board | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 11,0 | 0 | 35,0 | 41,5 |
| 5 | 10 | West Bengal | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 12,0 | 0 | 29,0 | 35,0 |
| 6 | 8 | Tamil Nadu - B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11,0 | 0 | 25,5 | 31,0 |
| 7 | 3 | Air India | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10,0 | 0 | 30,5 | 38,5 |
| 8 | 11 | Gujarat | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9,5 | 0 | 30,5 | 35,5 |
| 9 | 9 | Delhi | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11,5 | 0 | 30,0 | 36,5 |
| 10 | 7 | Tamil Nadu - A | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10,5 | 0 | 33,5 | 40,5 |
Rank after Round 3
| Rk. | SNo | Team | Games | + | = | - | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 |
| 1 | 1 | Petroleum Sports Promotion Board | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12,0 | 0 | 14,5 | 19,5 |
| 2 | 2 | Air India | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11,0 | 0 | 12,0 | 16,0 |
| 3 | 6 | Life Insurance Corporation | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7,5 | 0 | 15,5 | 18,5 |
| 4 | 4 | Odisha - KIIT University | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7,0 | 0 | 16,0 | 19,5 |
| 5 | 5 | Bihar | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7,0 | 0 | 14,0 | 17,0 |
| 6 | 3 | Tamil Nadu | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5,0 | 0 | 23,0 | 26,0 |
| 7 | 7 | Odisha | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4,0 | 0 | 18,0 | 21,0 |
| 8 | 9 | Andhra Pradesh | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3,5 | 0 | 14,5 | 17,5 |
| 9 | 10 | Goa | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3,0 | 0 | 14,5 | 19,5 |
| 10 | 11 | Telengana | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3,0 | 0 | 13,0 | 16,5 |
| 11 | 8 | Gujarat | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3,0 | 0 | 9,0 | 12,0 |
View the Pairings for Open Round 05 here.
View the Pairings for Women Round 04 here.
Photos by ChessBase India