Women's Premier 04: Viji and Padmini lead
Six-time national champion S. Vijayalakshmi played another fine game to beat IM Nisha Mohota while IM Padmini Rout accounted for Swati Ghate in the fourth round of 43rd National Women Premier Chess Championship now underway at Punjab Bhawan, Delhi. Close on the heels of the leaders are Soumya Swaminathan and Eesha Karavade who also won their games. Our analyst Nihal Sarin picked Soumya's win as the game of the day and has analyzed it for the ChessBase readers to enjoy!
Pictures by Gopakumar Sudhakaran
Women's Premier 04: Viji and Padmini lead
Going into the fourth round, Padmini Rout and S. Vijayalakshmi were sharing the lead.
Padmini was visibly minus as her opponent Swati Ghate (2260) attacked, then she suddenly gained a tangible advantage! Swati then blundered away her piece and the game.
[Event "Natioal Women Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.06"]
[Round "4.4"]
[White "Padmini, Rout"]
[Black "Swati Ghate"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B30"]
[WhiteElo "2374"]
[BlackElo "2260"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:19:24"]
[BlackClock "0:28:34"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.06"]
[Round "4.4"]
[White "Padmini, Rout"]
[Black "Swati Ghate"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B30"]
[WhiteElo "2374"]
[BlackElo "2260"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:19:24"]
[BlackClock "0:28:34"]
1. e4 {0} c5 {93} 2. Nf3 {34} Nc6 {19} 3. Bb5 {196} e6 {15} 4. O-O {14} Nge7 {
18} 5. Re1 {20} a6 {35} 6. Bf1 {134} d5 {287} 7. e5 {158} Ng6 {344} 8. d3 {45}
Be7 {43} 9. g3 {28} O-O {234} 10. Nbd2 {31} f6 {517} 11. exf6 {23} Bxf6 {60}
12. Bg2 {31} Kh8 {184} 13. Nf1 {118} e5 {257} 14. c3 {876} Be6 {214} 15. h3 {
228} Qd7 {380} 16. h4 {76} h6 {308} 17. h5 {56} Nge7 {32} 18. N3h2 {9} Rad8 {
491} 19. Bd2 {175} b5 {41} 20. b3 {124} Bf5 {262} 21. Qe2 {56} b4 {122} 22. Ne3
{322} Bh7 {528} 23. Neg4 {95} Qf5 {425} 24. Nxf6 {180} Rxf6 {42} 25. Bf1 {35}
e4 {101} 26. dxe4 {390} dxe4 {28} 27. Bg2 {598} Nd5 {331} 28. Bxe4 {406} Qxe4 {
18} 29. Qxe4 {2} Bxe4 {1} 30. Rxe4 {2} bxc3 {1} 31. Be1 {72} Nd4 {225} 32. Rc1
{247} c2 {21} 33. Kg2 {20} a5 {241} 34. Ng4 {238} Rf5 {53} 35. Ne3 {353} Rxh5 {
83} 36. Nxc2 {165} Nf6 {67} 37. Re7 {127} Ng4 {245} 38. Nxd4 {192} cxd4 {8} 39.
Rcc7 {131} d3 {63} 40. Rcd7 {0} Rxd7 {0} 41. Rxd7 {0} Re5 {0} 42. Bc3 {0} Re2 {
0} 43. Bxg7+ {0} Kg8 {0} 44. Bd4 {0} Rxa2 {0} 45. Rg7+ {0} Kf8 {0} 46. Rxg4 {0}
1-0
18} 5. Re1 {20} a6 {35} 6. Bf1 {134} d5 {287} 7. e5 {158} Ng6 {344} 8. d3 {45}
Be7 {43} 9. g3 {28} O-O {234} 10. Nbd2 {31} f6 {517} 11. exf6 {23} Bxf6 {60}
12. Bg2 {31} Kh8 {184} 13. Nf1 {118} e5 {257} 14. c3 {876} Be6 {214} 15. h3 {
228} Qd7 {380} 16. h4 {76} h6 {308} 17. h5 {56} Nge7 {32} 18. N3h2 {9} Rad8 {
491} 19. Bd2 {175} b5 {41} 20. b3 {124} Bf5 {262} 21. Qe2 {56} b4 {122} 22. Ne3
{322} Bh7 {528} 23. Neg4 {95} Qf5 {425} 24. Nxf6 {180} Rxf6 {42} 25. Bf1 {35}
e4 {101} 26. dxe4 {390} dxe4 {28} 27. Bg2 {598} Nd5 {331} 28. Bxe4 {406} Qxe4 {
18} 29. Qxe4 {2} Bxe4 {1} 30. Rxe4 {2} bxc3 {1} 31. Be1 {72} Nd4 {225} 32. Rc1
{247} c2 {21} 33. Kg2 {20} a5 {241} 34. Ng4 {238} Rf5 {53} 35. Ne3 {353} Rxh5 {
83} 36. Nxc2 {165} Nf6 {67} 37. Re7 {127} Ng4 {245} 38. Nxd4 {192} cxd4 {8} 39.
Rcc7 {131} d3 {63} 40. Rcd7 {0} Rxd7 {0} 41. Rxd7 {0} Re5 {0} 42. Bc3 {0} Re2 {
0} 43. Bxg7+ {0} Kg8 {0} 44. Bd4 {0} Rxa2 {0} 45. Rg7+ {0} Kf8 {0} 46. Rxg4 {0}
1-0
Padmini speaks about her win
Viji was facing Nisha Mohota (2262) and it looked like the game was heading towards a draw. This would mean that she would fall behind Padmini. But she slowly outplayed Nisha in the endgame to win and join Padmini in the lead with 3.5/4.
ChessBase's youngest analyst ever annotates the game of the day!
Soumya Swaminathan (2386) is close on the heels of the leaders with 3.0/4. She played the game of the day according to our analyst Nihal Sarin
Bala Kannamma-Soumya Swaminathan (Notes by Nihal Sarin)
[Event "Women's National Premier 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bala, Kannamma"]
[Black "Soumya, Swaminathan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B50"]
[WhiteElo "2073"]
[BlackElo "2386"]
[Annotator "Nihal Sarin"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2016.11.06"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bala, Kannamma"]
[Black "Soumya, Swaminathan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B50"]
[WhiteElo "2073"]
[BlackElo "2386"]
[Annotator "Nihal Sarin"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2016.11.06"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 {The sharp Najdorf, which is played regularly at the top level of chess. Players like Anand, Vachier Lagrave and Kasparov are some very well known experts of the Sicilian Najdorf.} 3. c4 {Not a very common move.
White intends to get a sort of Maroczy structure with 3.c4.} (3. d4 {is of
course, the main line.} cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 {is the main move.} (5. f3 $5 {
is an interesting attempt to get the Maroczy structure.Black has many
interesting replies.} e5 (5... Nc6 {is another interesting idea played in a
very recent game.} 6. c4 (6. Nc3 {This was played in the recent game.} e5 7.
Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nb4 11. c4 a5 {Caruana,F (2807)
-Vachier Lagrave,M (2819) Sinquefield Cup 4th 2016 (5) 1/2-1/2}) 6... e6 {
Rublevsky,S (2676)-Anand,V (2801) Wch Blitz 3rd 2007 (31) 0-1 with the
intention of playing d5 somewhere.}) 6. Nb3 d5 $5 {Grischuk,A (2780)-Vachier
Lagrave,M (2754) Khanty-Mansiysk FIDE GP 2015 (3) 1/2-1/2})) 3... Nf6 4. Nc3 e5
{Stopping white's intentions of getting the Maroczy structure.} (4... Bg4 $5 5.
Be2 Nc6 {Also looks good for black.}) 5. d3 h6 {important move preventing Bg5.}
6. Be2 Nc6 7. h3 {white also does the same.} Be7 {After some normal developing
moves, a symmetrical position has arised.} 8. Be3 (8. Nd5 $5 {Trying to
exchange the knight for the e7 bishop at a particular moment for example...} Nd4
(8... O-O 9. O-O Nxd5 (9... Be6 10. Nh2 Nd7 11. f4 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Bg4 (
13. g4 $5 Be6 14. Nxe7+ Nxe7 15. f5 Bf7 16. g5 $40)) 10. cxd5 Nb8 11. g4 $5 {
stopping f5 and intending Be3, Nd2 and f4 slowly.}) 9. Nxd4 cxd4 10. Nxe7 Qxe7
11. f4 {White has a pleasant postion.} (11. O-O g5 $5 {stops f4})) 8... Nd4 $1
{Now white cannot take with knight.} 9. O-O {I do not like commiting this too
early.} (9. Nd5 {is not very appealing due to...} Nxd5 10. cxd5 Nxe2 11. Qxe2
f5 $1) (9. Nh2 $5 {intending f4.} Nxe2 (9... Nh7 $5 {with the same idea.} 10.
O-O O-O 11. f4 f5 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. exf5 Bxf5 14. Nd5 (14. Bg4 Bxd3 $140 $1 15.
Qxd3 $2 Nf3+) 14... Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Be6 16. Rxf8+ Nxf8 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Bd2
Bd7 (18... Nd7 19. Nf3 Bf5 20. Re1 Re8 21. Bc3 Qd6 22. Bxe5 Bxd3 23. Bxd6 Rxe2
24. Rxe2 Bxe2 25. Nd2 $11) 19. Nf3 Re8 20. Re1 Ng6 21. Bc3 Nf4 22. Qxe5) 10.
Nxe2 g5 11. Ng3 $1 {exploiting the weakness of f5 square.}) 9... Be6 {Clever
Strategy: Black develops all his pieces, but does not commit castling too
early.} 10. Nd5 {This plan looks dubious.} (10. Nh2 g5 11. Ng4 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2
Nxg4 13. hxg4 Qd7 14. f3 h5 $1 $40) (10. Rb1 {is interesting preparing b4. It
is also a waiting move, forcing black to take a decision. Eg:} O-O 11. Nh2 {
intending f4. Now g5 looks a little bit awkward.} Nd7 12. f4 f5 {leads to a
very complex, double-edged position.}) 10... Nxe2+ $1 {A good decision. Black
gets the bishop pair and kingside attack.} 11. Qxe2 Nxd5 12. exd5 {In my
opinion, it is better to take with the other pawn.} (12. cxd5 Bd7 13. Nd2 O-O
14. f4 f5 15. fxe5 dxe5 {is fine for black.}) 12... Bd7 13. b4 b6 14. a3 (14.
Rfb1 {was interesting, with the idea of a4-a5.} O-O 15. a4 f5 16. a5 Bf6 {
looks better.} (16... f4 17. Bd2 Bf5 18. Bc3 Bf6 19. Nd2 {intending Ne4.}) 17.
axb6 axb6 18. Rxa8 Qxa8 19. bxc5 bxc5 20. Rb6 Be7 21. Qb2 Qa4 $1 {and black is
doing fine here as well.}) 14... O-O 15. Nd2 f5 16. f4 {This approach is not to
be criticized, as white wants to achieve some activity. But this is creating
some targets for black. Maybe passive defense with 16.f3 was called for.} Bf6
17. Rab1 Qe7 18. Qf3 Rab8 {A good prophylactic move, preventing the invasion
of the white rook on b7, just in case.} 19. Kh1 g5 $1 {The problems of 16.f4
is being demonstrated.} 20. Rbe1 Qg7 {This looks better than..} (20... gxf4 21.
Bxf4 Qg7 22. Be3 {where also black is better.}) 21. g3 Rbe8 22. Kh2 Re7 {
Black has great pressure.} 23. Bf2 g4 {A good move, which is taking use of
white's weak f4 pawn.} 24. Qg2 exf4 25. gxf4 h5 26. Rxe7 Bxe7 27. d4 {
Desperation. White is struggling to achieve activity, but in vain.} h4 28. Kh1
cxd4 29. Qg1 Bf6 30. Nb3 g3 31. Bxd4 Bxd4 32. Nxd4 (32. Qxd4 g2+) 32... Re8 {
The final touch. The invasion of the rook to e4 is decisive.} ({of course not..
.} 32... g2+ $4 33. Qxg2) 33. Rf3 Re4 34. Rd3 Rxf4 35. Ne6 Bxe6 36. dxe6 Rf2
37. e7 g2+ {With the idea of Qe5+ and mate next move. A very interesting game
in which white played 3.c4 in Najdorf, quite a rare move order(I had never
seen or considered this move before, but it is not bad at all!) In my opinion
16.f4 was white's main, or even the only serious mistake after which white
went downhill very quickly. I think it was not necessary for white to commit
castling as in some variations, she could play g4.Maybe 8.Nd5 was an
interesting idea, and another idea for white was to play Nh2 and f4 somewhere.
Black also could have employed the same idea. However, both sides played a good
game and black exploited her opponent's weaknesses with great accuracy and
energy. White did not make any serious mistakes but ended up in a very
passive position.Perhaps, it was better to play 16.f3 and try to play actively
on the queenside with Rfb1 a4-a5, etc.} 0-1
White intends to get a sort of Maroczy structure with 3.c4.} (3. d4 {is of
course, the main line.} cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 {is the main move.} (5. f3 $5 {
is an interesting attempt to get the Maroczy structure.Black has many
interesting replies.} e5 (5... Nc6 {is another interesting idea played in a
very recent game.} 6. c4 (6. Nc3 {This was played in the recent game.} e5 7.
Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nb4 11. c4 a5 {Caruana,F (2807)
-Vachier Lagrave,M (2819) Sinquefield Cup 4th 2016 (5) 1/2-1/2}) 6... e6 {
Rublevsky,S (2676)-Anand,V (2801) Wch Blitz 3rd 2007 (31) 0-1 with the
intention of playing d5 somewhere.}) 6. Nb3 d5 $5 {Grischuk,A (2780)-Vachier
Lagrave,M (2754) Khanty-Mansiysk FIDE GP 2015 (3) 1/2-1/2})) 3... Nf6 4. Nc3 e5
{Stopping white's intentions of getting the Maroczy structure.} (4... Bg4 $5 5.
Be2 Nc6 {Also looks good for black.}) 5. d3 h6 {important move preventing Bg5.}
6. Be2 Nc6 7. h3 {white also does the same.} Be7 {After some normal developing
moves, a symmetrical position has arised.} 8. Be3 (8. Nd5 $5 {Trying to
exchange the knight for the e7 bishop at a particular moment for example...} Nd4
(8... O-O 9. O-O Nxd5 (9... Be6 10. Nh2 Nd7 11. f4 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Bg4 (
13. g4 $5 Be6 14. Nxe7+ Nxe7 15. f5 Bf7 16. g5 $40)) 10. cxd5 Nb8 11. g4 $5 {
stopping f5 and intending Be3, Nd2 and f4 slowly.}) 9. Nxd4 cxd4 10. Nxe7 Qxe7
11. f4 {White has a pleasant postion.} (11. O-O g5 $5 {stops f4})) 8... Nd4 $1
{Now white cannot take with knight.} 9. O-O {I do not like commiting this too
early.} (9. Nd5 {is not very appealing due to...} Nxd5 10. cxd5 Nxe2 11. Qxe2
f5 $1) (9. Nh2 $5 {intending f4.} Nxe2 (9... Nh7 $5 {with the same idea.} 10.
O-O O-O 11. f4 f5 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. exf5 Bxf5 14. Nd5 (14. Bg4 Bxd3 $140 $1 15.
Qxd3 $2 Nf3+) 14... Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Be6 16. Rxf8+ Nxf8 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Bd2
Bd7 (18... Nd7 19. Nf3 Bf5 20. Re1 Re8 21. Bc3 Qd6 22. Bxe5 Bxd3 23. Bxd6 Rxe2
24. Rxe2 Bxe2 25. Nd2 $11) 19. Nf3 Re8 20. Re1 Ng6 21. Bc3 Nf4 22. Qxe5) 10.
Nxe2 g5 11. Ng3 $1 {exploiting the weakness of f5 square.}) 9... Be6 {Clever
Strategy: Black develops all his pieces, but does not commit castling too
early.} 10. Nd5 {This plan looks dubious.} (10. Nh2 g5 11. Ng4 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2
Nxg4 13. hxg4 Qd7 14. f3 h5 $1 $40) (10. Rb1 {is interesting preparing b4. It
is also a waiting move, forcing black to take a decision. Eg:} O-O 11. Nh2 {
intending f4. Now g5 looks a little bit awkward.} Nd7 12. f4 f5 {leads to a
very complex, double-edged position.}) 10... Nxe2+ $1 {A good decision. Black
gets the bishop pair and kingside attack.} 11. Qxe2 Nxd5 12. exd5 {In my
opinion, it is better to take with the other pawn.} (12. cxd5 Bd7 13. Nd2 O-O
14. f4 f5 15. fxe5 dxe5 {is fine for black.}) 12... Bd7 13. b4 b6 14. a3 (14.
Rfb1 {was interesting, with the idea of a4-a5.} O-O 15. a4 f5 16. a5 Bf6 {
looks better.} (16... f4 17. Bd2 Bf5 18. Bc3 Bf6 19. Nd2 {intending Ne4.}) 17.
axb6 axb6 18. Rxa8 Qxa8 19. bxc5 bxc5 20. Rb6 Be7 21. Qb2 Qa4 $1 {and black is
doing fine here as well.}) 14... O-O 15. Nd2 f5 16. f4 {This approach is not to
be criticized, as white wants to achieve some activity. But this is creating
some targets for black. Maybe passive defense with 16.f3 was called for.} Bf6
17. Rab1 Qe7 18. Qf3 Rab8 {A good prophylactic move, preventing the invasion
of the white rook on b7, just in case.} 19. Kh1 g5 $1 {The problems of 16.f4
is being demonstrated.} 20. Rbe1 Qg7 {This looks better than..} (20... gxf4 21.
Bxf4 Qg7 22. Be3 {where also black is better.}) 21. g3 Rbe8 22. Kh2 Re7 {
Black has great pressure.} 23. Bf2 g4 {A good move, which is taking use of
white's weak f4 pawn.} 24. Qg2 exf4 25. gxf4 h5 26. Rxe7 Bxe7 27. d4 {
Desperation. White is struggling to achieve activity, but in vain.} h4 28. Kh1
cxd4 29. Qg1 Bf6 30. Nb3 g3 31. Bxd4 Bxd4 32. Nxd4 (32. Qxd4 g2+) 32... Re8 {
The final touch. The invasion of the rook to e4 is decisive.} ({of course not..
.} 32... g2+ $4 33. Qxg2) 33. Rf3 Re4 34. Rd3 Rxf4 35. Ne6 Bxe6 36. dxe6 Rf2
37. e7 g2+ {With the idea of Qe5+ and mate next move. A very interesting game
in which white played 3.c4 in Najdorf, quite a rare move order(I had never
seen or considered this move before, but it is not bad at all!) In my opinion
16.f4 was white's main, or even the only serious mistake after which white
went downhill very quickly. I think it was not necessary for white to commit
castling as in some variations, she could play g4.Maybe 8.Nd5 was an
interesting idea, and another idea for white was to play Nh2 and f4 somewhere.
Black also could have employed the same idea. However, both sides played a good
game and black exploited her opponent's weaknesses with great accuracy and
energy. White did not make any serious mistakes but ended up in a very
passive position.Perhaps, it was better to play 16.f3 and try to play actively
on the queenside with Rfb1 a4-a5, etc.} 0-1
Soumya Swaminathan explains her game in 30 seconds!
Eesha Karavade (2425) beat Kiran Manisha Mohanty (2117) to stay tied for the second spot with Soumya on 3.0/4.
Eesha Karavade doesn't know who her next round opponent is!
Vaishali (2300) was exerting pressure on Pratyusha (2289) and the latter cracked in the endgame.
Mary Ann Gomes (2306) settled for a draw with Mahalakshmi M. (2185)
Related:
- Women's Premier 01: Dark tragicomedies
- Women's Premier 02: Favourites have a ball
- Women's Premier 03: Nisha wins on a draw day
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