Women's Premier 01: Dark tragicomedies
And we are back for a tournament in Delhi. Honestly, this city is always on a chess overdrive with a tournament being celebrated almost every other month. The big open is coming in January, but before that, we have the Women's Premier taking place at Punjab Bhawan. The top seed Karavade settled for a draw with Gomes, and so did Nisha and Soumya. But the Delhi evening was painted black by the black pieces as tragicomic games left many jubilant and many in tears. We have pictures and games in our not so boring report.
Photos by Jitendra Choudhary
Women's Premier 01: Dark tragicomedies
Residential Commissioner Shiv Prasad was the chief guest at the inauguration.
The games begin, being flagged off by chief arbiter Vasanth B.H.
Karavade (2425) is the top seed, but she settled for a draw with Mary Ann Gomes (2306) in a London System.
Soumya faced a Caro-Kann from Nisha where Black really played a heavy-duty theoretical game which ended in a pseudo-exciting draw.
The first new move occurred on move 19. It looked exciting but we all know how such games end.
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.6"]
[White "Soumya, Swaminathan"]
[Black "Mohota, Nisha"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B18"]
[WhiteElo "2386"]
[BlackElo "2262"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:36:49"]
[BlackClock "1:03:18"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.6"]
[White "Soumya, Swaminathan"]
[Black "Mohota, Nisha"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B18"]
[WhiteElo "2386"]
[BlackElo "2262"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:36:49"]
[BlackClock "1:03:18"]
1. e4 {0} c6 {0} 2. d4 {269} d5 {0} 3. Nc3 {82} dxe4 {11} 4. Nxe4 {2} Bf5 {17}
5. Ng3 {5} Bg6 {10} 6. h4 {62} h6 {14} 7. Nf3 {4} e6 {39} 8. Ne5 {11} Bh7 {19}
9. Bd3 {13} Bxd3 {41} 10. Qxd3 {4} Nd7 {63} 11. f4 {75} Be7 {73} 12. Bd2 {475}
Nxe5 {59} 13. fxe5 {2} Bxh4 {29} 14. O-O-O {14} Bxg3 {28} 15. Qxg3 {3} Ne7 {28}
16. Qxg7 {93} Rg8 {39} 17. Qh7 {358} Rxg2 {260} 18. Rhf1 {1077} Nf5 {142} 19.
Rg1 {120 The first new move} Rxg1 {641} 20. Rxg1 {531} Qxd4 $1 {151 the
accurate move that holds the draw.} 21. Rg8+ {708} Ke7 {276} 22. c3 {15} Qe4 {
395} 23. Rxa8 {63} Qh1+ {12} 24. Kc2 {2} Qe4+ {15} 25. Kc1 {3} Qh1+ {12} 26.
Kc2 {8} Qe4+ {8} 27. Kc1 {2} 1/2-1/2
5. Ng3 {5} Bg6 {10} 6. h4 {62} h6 {14} 7. Nf3 {4} e6 {39} 8. Ne5 {11} Bh7 {19}
9. Bd3 {13} Bxd3 {41} 10. Qxd3 {4} Nd7 {63} 11. f4 {75} Be7 {73} 12. Bd2 {475}
Nxe5 {59} 13. fxe5 {2} Bxh4 {29} 14. O-O-O {14} Bxg3 {28} 15. Qxg3 {3} Ne7 {28}
16. Qxg7 {93} Rg8 {39} 17. Qh7 {358} Rxg2 {260} 18. Rhf1 {1077} Nf5 {142} 19.
Rg1 {120 The first new move} Rxg1 {641} 20. Rxg1 {531} Qxd4 $1 {151 the
accurate move that holds the draw.} 21. Rg8+ {708} Ke7 {276} 22. c3 {15} Qe4 {
395} 23. Rxa8 {63} Qh1+ {12} 24. Kc2 {2} Qe4+ {15} 25. Kc1 {3} Qh1+ {12} 26.
Kc2 {8} Qe4+ {8} 27. Kc1 {2} 1/2-1/2
GM-elect S. Vijayalakshmi made a joke out of Kiran Manisha Mohanty's white army when the black king walked across the board facing checks to deliver a postcard with 'checkmate' scribbled on it.
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.4"]
[White "Kiran, Manisha Mohanty"]
[Black "Vijayalakshmi, Subbaraman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B70"]
[WhiteElo "2117"]
[BlackElo "2390"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:48:37"]
[BlackClock "0:39:26"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.4"]
[White "Kiran, Manisha Mohanty"]
[Black "Vijayalakshmi, Subbaraman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B70"]
[WhiteElo "2117"]
[BlackElo "2390"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:48:37"]
[BlackClock "0:39:26"]
1. e4 {0} c5 {36} 2. Nf3 {2} d6 {32} 3. d4 {42} cxd4 {15} 4. Nxd4 {7} Nf6 {30}
5. Nc3 {11} g6 {17} 6. Be2 {84} Bg7 {57} 7. O-O {19} O-O {47} 8. Re1 {6} a6 {
274} 9. a4 {184} Nc6 {142} 10. Nb3 {62} Be6 {240} 11. Bf1 {12} Rc8 {303} 12.
Nd5 {197} Ne5 {350} 13. c3 {365} Re8 {450} 14. Bg5 {450} Nfd7 {826} 15. a5 {499
} Nc4 {431} 16. Bxc4 {357} Rxc4 {16} 17. Nf4 {194} Nf8 {608} 18. Nxe6 {57} Nxe6
{13} 19. Qd5 {534} Qc7 {126} 20. Be3 {11} Rc8 {26} 21. f4 {229} Qd7 {204} 22.
f5 {291} Nd8 {86} 23. Nd2 {127} Ra4 {120} 24. Rxa4 {321} Qxa4 {10} 25. Bb6 {33}
Nc6 {248} 26. Nf3 {277} Qb5 {209} 27. Qd2 {467} Nxa5 {109} 28. Bd4 {66} Nb3 {
229} 29. Qg5 {122} Nxd4 {99} 30. cxd4 {4} Qxb2 {100} 31. Qxe7 {125} Bxd4+ {19}
32. Nxd4 {47} Qxd4+ {6} 33. Kh1 {4} Qe3 {273} 34. Rg1 {112} Rc1 {39} 35. Qd8+ {
116} Kg7 {9} 36. f6+ {7} Kh6 {4} 37. Qf8+ {6} Kg5 {138} 38. h4+ {29} Kxh4 {41}
39. Rxc1 {25} Qxc1+ {8} 40. Kh2 {0} Qf4+ {0} 41. Kg1 {0} Kg3 {0} 0-1
5. Nc3 {11} g6 {17} 6. Be2 {84} Bg7 {57} 7. O-O {19} O-O {47} 8. Re1 {6} a6 {
274} 9. a4 {184} Nc6 {142} 10. Nb3 {62} Be6 {240} 11. Bf1 {12} Rc8 {303} 12.
Nd5 {197} Ne5 {350} 13. c3 {365} Re8 {450} 14. Bg5 {450} Nfd7 {826} 15. a5 {499
} Nc4 {431} 16. Bxc4 {357} Rxc4 {16} 17. Nf4 {194} Nf8 {608} 18. Nxe6 {57} Nxe6
{13} 19. Qd5 {534} Qc7 {126} 20. Be3 {11} Rc8 {26} 21. f4 {229} Qd7 {204} 22.
f5 {291} Nd8 {86} 23. Nd2 {127} Ra4 {120} 24. Rxa4 {321} Qxa4 {10} 25. Bb6 {33}
Nc6 {248} 26. Nf3 {277} Qb5 {209} 27. Qd2 {467} Nxa5 {109} 28. Bd4 {66} Nb3 {
229} 29. Qg5 {122} Nxd4 {99} 30. cxd4 {4} Qxb2 {100} 31. Qxe7 {125} Bxd4+ {19}
32. Nxd4 {47} Qxd4+ {6} 33. Kh1 {4} Qe3 {273} 34. Rg1 {112} Rc1 {39} 35. Qd8+ {
116} Kg7 {9} 36. f6+ {7} Kh6 {4} 37. Qf8+ {6} Kg5 {138} 38. h4+ {29} Kxh4 {41}
39. Rxc1 {25} Qxc1+ {8} 40. Kh2 {0} Qf4+ {0} 41. Kg1 {0} Kg3 {0} 0-1
Bala Kannamma (2073) of Tamil Nadu came to the event as the lowest seed and was facing her more fancied Tamil Nadu rival Vaishali R. (2300).
Vaishali was white and she gave up a piece. While she was hunting on the kingside, Kanamma burnt Vaishali's king's palace to the ground on the queenside. A typical Sicilian love story gone sour.
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Vaishali R"]
[Black "Bala Kannamma P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B43"]
[WhiteElo "2300"]
[BlackElo "2073"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:53"]
[BlackClock "0:01:36"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Vaishali R"]
[Black "Bala Kannamma P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B43"]
[WhiteElo "2300"]
[BlackElo "2073"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:53"]
[BlackClock "0:01:36"]
1. e4 {12} c5 {0} 2. Nf3 {8} e6 {0} 3. d4 {10} cxd4 {0} 4. Nxd4 {4} a6 {9} 5.
Nc3 {12} Qc7 {4} 6. Qf3 {103} Nc6 {537} 7. Be3 {167} Nf6 {54} 8. O-O-O {85} Bb4
{1093} 9. Nxc6 {146} Bxc3 {1081} 10. Nd4 {237} Bb4 {50} 11. Bf4 {1946} Qa5 {655
} 12. a3 {304} Be7 {15} 13. Be2 {1005} d6 {459} 14. g4 {283} e5 {505} 15. Bd2 {
614} Qa4 {72} 16. g5 {381} Bg4 {793} 17. Qg3 {288} Bxe2 {100} 18. gxf6 {37}
exd4 {49} 19. Qxg7 {247} Rc8 {249} 20. Kb1 {63} Qxc2+ {42} 21. Ka1 {20} Bf8 {
149} 22. Qxh8 {15} Bxd1 {28} 23. Bf4 {67} Qb3 {72} 24. Bh6 {31} Kd7 {16} 25. e5
{30} Rc2 {34} 26. e6+ {12} Kc7 {18} 0-1
Nc3 {12} Qc7 {4} 6. Qf3 {103} Nc6 {537} 7. Be3 {167} Nf6 {54} 8. O-O-O {85} Bb4
{1093} 9. Nxc6 {146} Bxc3 {1081} 10. Nd4 {237} Bb4 {50} 11. Bf4 {1946} Qa5 {655
} 12. a3 {304} Be7 {15} 13. Be2 {1005} d6 {459} 14. g4 {283} e5 {505} 15. Bd2 {
614} Qa4 {72} 16. g5 {381} Bg4 {793} 17. Qg3 {288} Bxe2 {100} 18. gxf6 {37}
exd4 {49} 19. Qxg7 {247} Rc8 {249} 20. Kb1 {63} Qxc2+ {42} 21. Ka1 {20} Bf8 {
149} 22. Qxh8 {15} Bxd1 {28} 23. Bf4 {67} Qb3 {72} 24. Bh6 {31} Kd7 {16} 25. e5
{30} Rc2 {34} 26. e6+ {12} Kc7 {18} 0-1
Bodda Pratyusha (2289) was coolly holding the defending National champion Padmini Rout (2374) to a draw. And then, this happened...
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Pratyusha, Bodda"]
[Black "Padmini, Rout"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E21"]
[WhiteElo "2289"]
[BlackElo "2374"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/p2b4/1p1p2p1/3Bk3/1P2P2P/P1r2RK1/8 b - - 0 50"]
[PlyCount "29"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:32"]
[BlackClock "0:01:35"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Pratyusha, Bodda"]
[Black "Padmini, Rout"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E21"]
[WhiteElo "2289"]
[BlackElo "2374"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/p2b4/1p1p2p1/3Bk3/1P2P2P/P1r2RK1/8 b - - 0 50"]
[PlyCount "29"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:32"]
[BlackClock "0:01:35"]
50... Kd3 {0 The game is heading towards a draw.} 51. Bf6 {131} Rxf2+ {106} 52.
Kxf2 {45} Kc2 {9} 53. Ke2 {29} (53. Kf3 $1 b4 54. e4 dxe4+ 55. Kxe4 Bf4 56. h4
$11) 53... b4 $17 {233} 54. Bxg5 {100} Kb2 {29} 55. Kd3 {18} Kxa2 {28} 56. Kd4
{4} Kxb3 $19 {46} 57. Kxd5 {4} Bf8 {57} 58. Bf6 {22} a5 {10} 59. e4 {356} a4 {
37} 60. Ke6 {65} Kc2 {18} 61. Kf7 Bc5 62. h4 {56} b3 {36} 63. h5 {14} Be3 {60}
64. Kg6 {114} a3 {18} 0-1
Kxf2 {45} Kc2 {9} 53. Ke2 {29} (53. Kf3 $1 b4 54. e4 dxe4+ 55. Kxe4 Bf4 56. h4
$11) 53... b4 $17 {233} 54. Bxg5 {100} Kb2 {29} 55. Kd3 {18} Kxa2 {28} 56. Kd4
{4} Kxb3 $19 {46} 57. Kxd5 {4} Bf8 {57} 58. Bf6 {22} a5 {10} 59. e4 {356} a4 {
37} 60. Ke6 {65} Kc2 {18} 61. Kf7 Bc5 62. h4 {56} b3 {36} 63. h5 {14} Be3 {60}
64. Kg6 {114} a3 {18} 0-1
But the game of the day, tragicomically, has to be this shocker that left the experienced Swati Ghate (2260) in tears against M. Mahalakshmi (2185).
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Swati Ghate"]
[Black "Mahalakshmi, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2260"]
[BlackElo "2185"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:12:04"]
[BlackClock "0:21:13"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.03"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Swati Ghate"]
[Black "Mahalakshmi, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2260"]
[BlackElo "2185"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:12:04"]
[BlackClock "0:21:13"]
1. e4 {18} c6 {0} 2. d4 {7} d5 {0} 3. e5 {15} Bf5 {0} 4. Nd2 {20} e6 {0} 5. Nb3
{5} Nd7 {10} 6. Nf3 {21} Ne7 {10} 7. Be2 {9} Bg4 {15} 8. h3 {571} Bxf3 {91} 9.
Bxf3 {2} c5 {51} 10. c3 {117} Nc6 {26} 11. O-O {61} cxd4 {73} 12. cxd4 {37} Be7
{29} 13. Bg4 {376} O-O {329} 14. Be3 {257} Nb6 {85} 15. Nd2 {455} Nc4 {162} 16.
Nxc4 {446} dxc4 {3} 17. Qe2 {1146} Rc8 {437} 18. Rad1 {68} Nb4 {63} 19. f4 {138
} g6 {780} 20. d5 {962} Nxd5 {232} 21. Bf3 {30} Qa5 {357} 22. Bxd5 {21} exd5 {5
} 23. f5 {13} Bc5 {589} 24. Kh1 {52} c3 {1194} 25. bxc3 {457} Qxc3 {162} 26.
Bh6 {63} Rfe8 {344} 27. e6 {297} Qf6 {254} 28. Rxd5 $18 {435} g5 {331} 29.
exf7+ {12} (29. Rd7 Re7 30. Rc1 $18) 29... Qxf7 {82} 30. Qd1 {111} Qf6 {108}
31. Qh5 {35} (31. Bxg5 $1 Qxg5 32. f6 Re5 33. f7+ Kg7 34. Rxe5 Qxe5 35. Qg4+
Kh6 36. Qxc8 $18) 31... Be7 {99} 32. h4 {29} gxh4 {112} 33. Re1 {33} Qf7 {163}
34. Qg4+ {28} Kh8 {1} 35. Rd7 {31} Qf6 {118} 36. Bf4 {51} (36. Re6 $18) 36...
Bc5 {105} 37. Rf1 {34} Re7 {38} 38. Bg5 {22} Qa6 {10} 39. Rdd1 {18} Rf7 {61}
40. f6 {0} Rg8 {0} 41. Qxh4 {0} Qxa2 {0} 42. Rd2 {0} Qe6 {0} 43. Rc2 {0} Be3
$14 {0 Despite letting her opponent off multiple number of times, Ghate still
maintains a slight edge. And now, this.} 44. Qe1 $4 {0 What on earth...} Rxg5 {
0} 0-1
{5} Nd7 {10} 6. Nf3 {21} Ne7 {10} 7. Be2 {9} Bg4 {15} 8. h3 {571} Bxf3 {91} 9.
Bxf3 {2} c5 {51} 10. c3 {117} Nc6 {26} 11. O-O {61} cxd4 {73} 12. cxd4 {37} Be7
{29} 13. Bg4 {376} O-O {329} 14. Be3 {257} Nb6 {85} 15. Nd2 {455} Nc4 {162} 16.
Nxc4 {446} dxc4 {3} 17. Qe2 {1146} Rc8 {437} 18. Rad1 {68} Nb4 {63} 19. f4 {138
} g6 {780} 20. d5 {962} Nxd5 {232} 21. Bf3 {30} Qa5 {357} 22. Bxd5 {21} exd5 {5
} 23. f5 {13} Bc5 {589} 24. Kh1 {52} c3 {1194} 25. bxc3 {457} Qxc3 {162} 26.
Bh6 {63} Rfe8 {344} 27. e6 {297} Qf6 {254} 28. Rxd5 $18 {435} g5 {331} 29.
exf7+ {12} (29. Rd7 Re7 30. Rc1 $18) 29... Qxf7 {82} 30. Qd1 {111} Qf6 {108}
31. Qh5 {35} (31. Bxg5 $1 Qxg5 32. f6 Re5 33. f7+ Kg7 34. Rxe5 Qxe5 35. Qg4+
Kh6 36. Qxc8 $18) 31... Be7 {99} 32. h4 {29} gxh4 {112} 33. Re1 {33} Qf7 {163}
34. Qg4+ {28} Kh8 {1} 35. Rd7 {31} Qf6 {118} 36. Bf4 {51} (36. Re6 $18) 36...
Bc5 {105} 37. Rf1 {34} Re7 {38} 38. Bg5 {22} Qa6 {10} 39. Rdd1 {18} Rf7 {61}
40. f6 {0} Rg8 {0} 41. Qxh4 {0} Qxa2 {0} 42. Rd2 {0} Qe6 {0} 43. Rc2 {0} Be3
$14 {0 Despite letting her opponent off multiple number of times, Ghate still
maintains a slight edge. And now, this.} 44. Qe1 $4 {0 What on earth...} Rxg5 {
0} 0-1
The tournament is being hosted at the Punjab Bhawan in Delhi, and here we can see a sentry exhorting our best female players to play fighting chess!
A huge thanks to Jitendra Choudhary for sending us pictures from the venue