36th National Under-9 Open and Girls Round 4-5: Venkata and Advik lead in Open, Samhita and Pooja in Girls

by Himank Ghosh - 05/11/2023

The 4th and 5th round of National Under-9 Chess Championships saw more rating upsets, and the lead getting thinner at the top. After 5 rounds of play, there are 2 players each in the Open and Girls section with a perfect score of 5/5 points. Samhita Pungavanam (1345, TEL) and Pooja Shree R (1249, TN) lead the girls section, while Advik Amit Agrawal (1368, MAH) and Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi (1317, KAR) have the lead in the open category. The biggest result of the day was the top seed in the Girls section, Sharvaanica AS (1430, TN) going down against Bhavanya Panchumarthi (1192, AP). Round 6 starts today, 5th November from 9:30 AM IST. Photos: Himank Ghosh

Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi takes lead

The 5th round in the Open section saw the clash between Narendra Agrawal (1505, WB) and Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi (1317, KAR). Venkata managed to cause a small rating upset - his game was the first to finish among the top boards!

Venkata was sporting his ChessBase India hoodie in this round!

Narendra actually managed to create a better position with the White pieces out of the opening, but Venkata managed to equalize by entering in a double Rook and Bishop ending. A crucial tactical error happened soon:

Both players fully focused in their top board clash in the 5th round

Narendra - Venkata, Round 5 Open

Position after 29. Bxg6+

This was a complete tactical error by Narendra. He must have imagined something like 29...Rxg6 30. Rc2+ Kh6 31. Rxg6 Kxg6 32. Rxb7 where he gets the sacrificed piece back, but even that is a completely winning Rook endgame for Black. But Venkata found a much easier solution - 29...Kg6! The White Rook is pinned, and loses a piece by force. Venkata went on to win the game comfortably.

Samhita Pungavanam's (1345, TEL) energetic play rewarded her with a powerful win in the 5th round against Kiyana Parihar (1233, RAJ)! She managed to take down her opponent in just 22 moves.

Samhita caught Kiyana off guard with her opening preparation

Bhavanya Panchumarthi (1142, AP) scored the biggest rating upset of the day - she took down the tournament top seed, Sharvaanica AS (1430, TN) in the 4th round with the Black pieces!

Bhavanya scored a big win against the National Under-7 Girls Champion of 2022

Sharvaanica - Bhavanya, Round 4 Girls

Position after 18...Qb6

Black already has a slight edge in the position. But Sharvaanica's decision to give up the b-pawn completely with 19.b3 just landed her in a completely lost position. After 19...Na5 20. Qb2 Qxb3 21.Qxb3 Nxb3 she was just down a pawn, and Bhavanya went on to convert the game clinically.

Advik Amit Agrawal (1368, MAH) played some strong chess in a Queenless middlegame to take down Dhruv Gupta (1191, DEL) with the White pieces. He is one of the leaders with a perfect 5/5 score!

Dhruv in deep thought during the opening clash against Advik

Advik - Dhruv, Open Round 5

The Position after 11...Qxd1+

Trading the Queens was not a great decision by Black. After 12. Rxd1, the Rook captures the open d-file, and there are a lot of tactics with the Bishop pair in the open position. Advik went on to win the game quite comfortably.

Photo Gallery

The President of SKDCA, Manoj Kumar taking a look at the ongoing games

The Chief guest of Round 6 being felicitated with a flower bouquet!

The pairing arbiter of the tournament, IA D Soundaryamurthy deep in work

The busy playing hall just before the start of Round 6

For more Round 4 and Round 5 photos, please click at the respective links.

Nagpur boy Chirag Lahoti topples the top seed | Video: ChessBase India

"I am not scared of HIGHER rated players!" | Akshaya Narahari | National Under 9 | Video: ChessBase India

Seraikela-Kharsawan hosts the National Under-9 | Interview with Organizing secretary Ajay Kumar | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Open Round 4-5 games

Replay Girls Round 4-5 games

Open Round 5 results

Bo.	No.	Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	No.	PGN
1	3	Narendra Agarwal		1505	West Bengal	4	0 - 1	4	AFM	Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi		1317	Karnataka	22	PGN
2	13	Advik Amit Agrawal		1368	Maharashtra	4	1 - 0	4		Dhruv Gupta		1191	Delhi	54	PGN
3	23	Nirvaan Nirav Shah		1290	Maharashtra	4	½ - ½	3½		Rahul Ramakrishnan		1531	Puducherry	2	PGN
4	27	Rishen Jilowa		1287	Rajasthan	3½	1 - 0	3½		Nidhish Shyamal		1464	Telangana	6	PGN
5	7	Samaksh Ashok		1425	Karnataka	3½	½ - ½	3½		Jai Prakash Vanum		1287	Andhra Pradesh	26	PGN
6	9	Mani Sarbartho		1418	West Bengal	3½	1 - 0	3½		Mohd Ismail Siddiqui		1096	Uttar Pradesh	97
7	31	Saksham Upadhyay		1266	Maharashtra	3½	0 - 1	3½		Vairaj Sogerwal		1395	Haryana	12
8	37	Joshua Mark Telles		1235	Goa	3½	1 - 0	3½		Arjun Singh		1357	Maharashtra	14
9	95	Mithun R		1103	Maharashtra	3½	0 - 1	3½		Krithik Muthukumar		1337	Tamil Nadu	16
10	45	Sarvesh E		1222	Tamil Nadu	3½	1 - 0	3½		Sathvik Gulakaram		1290	Telangana	24

Details

Standings after Round 5

k.	SNo		Name	sex	FED	Rtg	Bdld	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	13		Advik Amit Agrawal		IND	1368		Maharashtra	5	14	16,5	16,50
	22	AFM	Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi		IND	1317		Karnataka	5	14	16,5	16,50
3	16		Krithik Muthukumar		IND	1337		Tamil Nadu	4,5	14,5	17	14,75
4	12		Vairaj Sogerwal		IND	1395		Haryana	4,5	14,5	16,5	14,25
5	37		Joshua Mark Telles		IND	1235		Goa	4,5	14	16	13,75
6	23		Nirvaan Nirav Shah		IND	1290		Maharashtra	4,5	12	13,5	12,00
7	27		Rishen Jilowa		IND	1287		Rajasthan	4,5	12	13	12,25
8	9		Mani Sarbartho		IND	1418		West Bengal	4,5	12	13	12,00
9	45		Sarvesh E		IND	1222		Tamil Nadu	4,5	12	13	11,75
10	3		Narendra Agarwal		IND	1505		West Bengal	4	15,5	18	13,00
11	2		Rahul Ramakrishnan		IND	1531		Puducherry	4	15	18	14,00
12	54		Dhruv Gupta		IND	1191		Delhi	4	15	16	11,00
13	4		Aarit Kapil		IND	1469		Delhi	4	14,5	17,5	12,50
14	20	ACM	Aryan Goyal		IND	1326		Delhi	4	14	16	12,00
15	49		Sattwik Swain		IND	1208		Odisha	4	14	15,5	11,00
16	19	ACM	Sri Shiva Tejo Karthikeya K		IND	1333		Telangana	4	13,5	15	11,00
17	11		Abhinav Anand		IND	1395		Karnataka	4	13,5	14,5	11,50
18	26		Jai Prakash Vanum		IND	1287		Andhra Pradesh	4	13,5	14,5	10,75
19	84		Rhishav Mondal		IND	1123		West Bengal	4	13	15	11,00
20	50	AFM	Ar Saisharvesh		IND	1207		Tamil Nadu	4	13	14	10,75

Details

Round 6 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.	Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	22	AFM	Venkata Naga Karthik Malladi		1317	Karnataka	5		5	Advik Amit Agrawal		1368	Maharashtra	13
2	23		Nirvaan Nirav Shah		1290	Maharashtra	4½		4½	Mani Sarbartho		1418	West Bengal	9
3	12		Vairaj Sogerwal		1395	Haryana	4½		4½	Rishen Jilowa		1287	Rajasthan	27
4	16		Krithik Muthukumar		1337	Tamil Nadu	4½		4½	Joshua Mark Telles		1235	Goa	37
5	20	ACM	Aryan Goyal		1326	Delhi	4		4½	Sarvesh E		1222	Tamil Nadu	45
6	2		Rahul Ramakrishnan		1531	Puducherry	4		4	Chirag Lahoti		1254	Maharashtra	34
7	44	ACM	Kavish Palaniappan K		1223	Tamil Nadu	4		4	Narendra Agarwal		1505	West Bengal	3
8	4		Aarit Kapil		1469	Delhi	4		4	Sattwik Swain		1208	Odisha	49
9	38		Pratyush Kumar		1235	Uttar Pradesh	4		4	Samaksh Ashok		1425	Karnataka	7
10	50	AFM	Ar Saisharvesh		1207	Tamil Nadu	4		4	Abhinav Anand		1395	Karnataka	11

Details

Girls Round 5 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.	Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	No.	PGN
1	2		Samhita Pungavanam		1345	Telangana	4	1 - 0	4	Kiyana Parihar		1233	Rajasthan	10	PGN
2	12		Bhavanya Panchumarthi		1192	Andhra Pradesh	4	0 - 1	4	Pooja Shree R		1249	Tamil Nadu	7	PGN
3	8		Janaki S D		1236	Kerala	4	½ - ½	4	Divi Bijesh		1170	Kerala	14	PGN
4	23		Rashi Warudkar		1081	Chhattisgarh	3½	½ - ½	3½	Aaradhya Upadhyay		1271	Rajasthan	3	PGN
5	28		Sankhla Ananya		1057	Rajasthan	3	0 - 1	3	Sharvaanica A S		1430	Tamil Nadu	1	PGN
6	4	AFM	Waghle Bhumika		1270	Maharashtra	3	1 - 0	3	Vanshika Rawat		1056	Delhi	29
7	30		Skyla Rodrigues		1049	Goa	3	0 - 1	3	Dishita Dey		1263	Jharkhand	5
8	31		Niyola Pinto		1046	Karnataka	3	0 - 1	3	Aanya Gupta		1234	Delhi	9
9	34		Fecilika Fiance S		1043	Tamil Nadu	3	0 - 1	3	Aaradhya Das		1198	Tripura	11
10	16		Manya Abhishek Drolia		1161	Gujarat	3	1 - 0	3	Ankita Raj		1044	Bihar	33

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.	SNo		Name	sex	FED	Rtg	Bdld	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	2		Samhita Pungavanam	w	IND	1345		Telangana	5	15,5	19	19,00
2	7		Pooja Shree R	w	IND	1249		Tamil Nadu	5	14,5	17	17,00
3	14		Divi Bijesh	w	IND	1170		Kerala	4,5	13,5	14,5	12,25
4	8		Janaki S D	w	IND	1236		Kerala	4,5	13	15,5	13,25
5	12		Bhavanya Panchumarthi	w	IND	1192		Andhra Pradesh	4	15,5	17,5	12,50
6	5		Dishita Dey	w	IND	1263		Jharkhand	4	14,5	17	12,50
7	11		Aaradhya Das	w	IND	1198		Tripura	4	14	16	11,00
8	1		Sharvaanica A S	w	IND	1430		Tamil Nadu	4	13,5	16,5	12,50
9	10		Kiyana Parihar	w	IND	1233		Rajasthan	4	13,5	15,5	10,50
10	16		Manya Abhishek Drolia	w	IND	1161		Gujarat	4	13	15	10,00
11	23		Rashi Warudkar	w	IND	1081		Chhattisgarh	4	13	13,5	10,50
12	3		Aaradhya Upadhyay	w	IND	1271		Rajasthan	4	12,5	14,5	11,00
13	19		Leah R Joseph	w	IND	1146		Karnataka	4	12,5	12,5	7,50
14	22		Deepthaashri Ravi Ganesh	w	IND	1114		Tamil Nadu	4	12	14	10,00
15	9		Aanya Gupta	w	IND	1234		Delhi	4	11,5	13	8,50
16	4	AFM	Waghle Bhumika	w	IND	1270		Maharashtra	4	10,5	11,5	8,50
17	113		Vaishnavi Anand	w	IND	0		Tamil Nadu	3,5	13,5	15,5	10,00
18	26		Aryahi Bhattacharya	w	IND	1062		West Bengal	3,5	13,5	15,5	8,75
19	17		Narayanan Rishitha	w	IND	1157		Andhra Pradesh	3,5	13	16	10,75
20	60		Arnica Dash	w	IND	0		Odisha	3,5	12,5	13,5	6,75

Details

Round 6 pairings

Bo.	No.	Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Bdld	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	7	Pooja Shree R		1249	Tamil Nadu	5		5		Samhita Pungavanam		1345	Telangana	2
2	1	Sharvaanica A S		1430	Tamil Nadu	4		4½		Janaki S D		1236	Kerala	8
3	14	Divi Bijesh		1170	Kerala	4½		4	AFM	Waghle Bhumika		1270	Maharashtra	4
4	3	Aaradhya Upadhyay		1271	Rajasthan	4		4		Bhavanya Panchumarthi		1192	Andhra Pradesh	12
5	5	Dishita Dey		1263	Jharkhand	4		4		Manya Abhishek Drolia		1161	Gujarat	16
6	19	Leah R Joseph		1146	Karnataka	4		4		Aanya Gupta		1234	Delhi	9
7	10	Kiyana Parihar		1233	Rajasthan	4		4		Deepthaashri Ravi Ganesh		1114	Tamil Nadu	22
8	11	Aaradhya Das		1198	Tripura	4		4		Rashi Warudkar		1081	Chhattisgarh	23
9	13	Yadav Sanskriti		1189	Uttar Pradesh	3½		3½		Vaishnavi Anand		0	Tamil Nadu	113
10	17	Narayanan Rishitha		1157	Andhra Pradesh	3½		3½		Rizelle Alida Dsouza		1045	Karnataka	32

Details

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