Asian Junior 2021 R1-5: Raahul and Savitha in sole lead 5.0/5

by Shahid Ahmed - 20/12/2021

The reigning AICF National Junior Online 2021 champions, IM Raahul V S and WIM Savitha Shri B are the sole leaders with a 100% score 5.0/5 at the conclusion of the fifth round of Asian Junior 2021. Raahul beat top seed GM Mitrabha Guha in an incredible game where both players left everything they had on the board, in the end the former clinched the victory. Savitha also had an interesting encounter with WIM Priyanka K where the latter got an opportunity to save the game which was not at all easy to spot. Raahul has a full point lead, while Savitha leads her group by a half point. Round 6 starts today at 9:30 a.m. IST. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Raahul scores an incredible win against Mitrabha

Raahul is playing some fantastic sharp and attacking chess throughout the event. He has already beaten IM Vardaan Nagpal, IM Harshavardhan G B and GM Mitrabha Guha. He is up against IM Raghunandan Kaumandur Srihari in the sixth round.

IM Raahul V S is in top form 5.0/5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Round 5: Raahul - Mitrabha: 1-0

IM Raahul V S had a bizarre endgame against GM Mitrabha Guha in the fifth round.

Position after 40...d4

It is quite difficult to believe that White cannot win the game if you take on c8 right now as 41.bxc8Q runs into 41...Rxb2+ 42.Kd1 is the only move e2+ 43.Kc1 e1Q+ 44.Kxb2 Qc3+ 45. Ka2 Qc4+ and White cannot get out of the perpetual checks. White had to retreat his rook back to a4 to deal with the pawn mass at the center of the board. 41.Ra4 Rd8 42.Ba7 Ng1+ 43.Ke1 Nf3+ 44.Kd1 Ra8

Position after 44...Ra8

The rook at a8 is a taboo. Taking it only removes Black's worries and puts it on White's shoulders. Raahul found the correct continuation which is 45.Rba2. Mitrabha continued the fight, unfortunately the game could not be saved.

Trainer for the Indian team at Asian Junior 2021, GM Shyam Sundar M tweeted about the above game.

To get an idea of how Raahul is playing in the event so far, let's take a look at the final position of his four games out of five

Round 1: IM Raahul - Kosala: 1-0

Round 3: Raahul - IM Vardaan: 1-0

Round 4: IM Harshavardhan - Raahul: 0-1

Round 5: IM Raahul - GM Mitrabha: 1-0

Second round game is the only win where it did not end with Raahul attacking his opponent's king.

WIM Savitha Shri B is leading the girls section 5.0/5

Round 5: Savitha - Priyanka: 1-0

WIM Savitha Shri B scored an emphatic victory against WIM Priyanka K.

Position after 29.Bxb5

28...Bc7 allowed White the breakthrough she was looking for, now that the support for the f6-knight has been removed. Black soon got a chance to save the game, however in a practical game it was not easy to spot. This win allowed Savitha to maintain her half point lead over the field.

Photo Gallery

Asian Junior 2021 is taking place at Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka | Photo: Ravindra Senadheera/Chess Federation of Sri Lanka

Lighting of the lamp at the inauguration ceremony | Photo: Chess Federation of Sri Lanka

Luxman Wijesuriya, President of Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, giving his inaugural speech | Photo: Chess Federation of Sri Lanka

The tournament hall | Photo: Chess Federation of Sri Lanka

Team India with coaches IM Suvrajit Saha and GM Shyam Sundar M | Photo: Suvrajit Saha

The tournament is taking place at Hotel Citrus, Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka from 17th to 23rd December. Round 6 to 9 will start at 9:30 a.m. IST.

Replay Round 1-5 Open games

Replay Round 1-5 Girls games

Round 5 results Open

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	5		Raahul V S	2387	4	1 - 0	3½	IM	Mitrabha Guha	2509	1
2	8	FM	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan	2300	3	0 - 1	3	IM	Raghunandan Kaumandur Srihari	2448	2
3	9	FM	Piyumantha M Sasith Nipun	2214	3	½ - ½	3	IM	Harshavardhan G B	2397	4
4	11		Liyanage Pesandu Rashmitha	1827	3	0 - 1	3	IM	Vardaan Nagpal	2384	6
5	12	CM	Dahanayake Isara Banidu	1721	3	0 - 1	2½		Gholami Orimi Mahdi	2425	3

Details

Round 6 Open pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	2	IM	Raghunandan Kaumandur Srihari	2448	4		5		Raahul V S	2387	5
2	6	IM	Vardaan Nagpal	2384	4		3½	FM	De Silva L M S T	2131	10
3	1	IM	Mitrabha Guha	2509	3½		3½	FM	Piyumantha M Sasith Nipun	2214	9
4	4	IM	Harshavardhan G B	2397	3½		3½		Gholami Orimi Mahdi	2425	3
5	14		Senevirathne S D B K	1660	3		3	FM	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan	2300	8

Details

Round 5 Girls results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	1	WIM	Savitha Shri B	2281	4	1 - 0	3½	WIM	Priyanka K	2218	2
2	5		Mohammadi Melika	1807	3½	1 - 0	3		Gunawardhana Devindya Oshini	1371	9
3	7	WCM	Sanudula K M Dahamdi	1653	3	½ - ½	3		Attanayake Chanindi Mewna	1317	10
4	3	WFM	Mahdian Anousha	2212	2	1 - 0	2		Gamage Desandhi Dhihansa	1314	11
5	17		Kannangara Ginuri	1005	2	0 - 1	2	WFM	Al Maamari Wafia Darwish	1923	4

Details

Round 6 Girls pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	5		Mohammadi Melika	1807	4½		5	WIM	Savitha Shri B	2281	1
2	2	WIM	Priyanka K	2218	3½		3½		Attanayake Chanindi Mewna	1317	10
3	4	WFM	Al Maamari Wafia Darwish	1923	3		3½	WCM	Sanudula K M Dahamdi	1653	7
4	6	WCM	Tharushi T H D Niklesha	1711	3		3	WFM	Mahdian Anousha	2212	3
5	14		Newansa M Esandi	1163	2½		3		Gunawardhana Devindya Oshini	1371	9
6	15		Gamage B K Sayumi Hasithma	1154	2½		2½	WCM	Almaamari Zainab Darwish	1451	8

Details

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