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Divya Deshmukh clinches MPL 48th National Women Chess Championship 2022 convincingly

by Shahid Ahmed - 06/01/2023

WGM Divya Deshmukh defeated IM Bhakti Kulkarni in the final round to become a clear champion at MPL 48th National Women Chess Championship 2022. This is her second consecutive National Women title where she remained undefeated and finished a full point ahead at 9.5/11. WGM Mary Ann Gomes won against WIM Rucha Pujari to finish second scoring 9/11. Top seed of the tournament, WGM Vantika Agrawal overcame IM Nisha Mohota to finish third with a sole 8.5/11. Since 2011, every single National Women's champion won the event at least twice in-a-row and Divya maintained that record. Photo: AICF

Divya domination continues

The top five boards had decisive results in the final round. No tie-breaks were required to determine the podium finishers. Three WGMs secured the first, second and third place.

Champion - WGM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) 9.5/11 | Photo: AICF
Divya Deshmukh becomes National champion of India for the seconnd time in a row! | Video: ChessBase India

Top 3 (L to R) - 3rd WGM Vantika Agrawal (DEL) 8.5/11, 1st WGM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) 9.5/11 and 2nd WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB) 9/11 | Photo: AICF

Official logo of MPL 48th National Women Chess Championship 2022 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

Divya - Bhakti

Position after 31...Bxc3

IM Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa, 2319) made a correct sacrifice of her bishop for two pawns. 31...Bxc3! 32.bxc3 Rxc3 33.Rb5 Rc2 34.Re1 and now Black needed to defend the e7-pawn with Kf8 and prevent any possibilities of counter-attack. Instead, 34...b2 35.Rxe7+ Kf8 36.Rxh7 Kg8 to prevent Rh8+ skewer. 37.Rhb7 Rd8? 38.Rxb2 and it's over for Black.37...Rf2 would have still continued the fight. With this win, WGM Divya Deshmukh (MAH, 2347) became National Women champion for the second consecutive edition.

Mary - Rucha

Position after 22.d4

22.d4 is only a good move if Black takes it with the c5-pawn. 22...Rxd4 23.Rxd4 cxd4 24.Nd5 Qd8 and Black avoids a double pawn on the f-file. However, Black made an incorrect capture 22...cxd4 which allowed 23.Nd5! Qb7 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 25.Ng4 e5 26.Nxh6+ and the knight returned to d5 via f5-e7. The knight played a key role in earning white a victory. This win allowed WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB, 2320) to finish second with a 9/11 score.

Nisha - Vantika

Position after 22.Ne2

Black's position is so good that both 22...Nd3 and Nf3+ works. WGM Vantika Agrawal (DEL, 2352) went for the more solid one 22...Nd3. She need not take a risk in the final round and it was positionally winning. 22..Nf3+ is the more interesting one. Vantika went on to win the game and finish third with a score of sole 8.5/11.

4th WIM Sakshi Chitlange 8/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

5th WIM Isha Sharma (KAR) 8/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

6th IM Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) 7.5/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

7th IM Soumya Swaminathan (PSPB) 7.5/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

8th WGM Srija Seshadri (TN) 7.5/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

9th WIM Arpita Mukherjee (WB) 7.5/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

10th WGM Varshini V (TN) 7.5/11 | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

The Arbiters team | Photo: Chess Association Kolhapur

A total of 102 players including 3 IMs, 7 WGMs and 12 WIMs took part in this tournament organized by Chess Association Kolhapur. The event was held at Sanjay Ghodawat University, Kolhapur, Maharasahtra from 26th December 2022 to 5th January 2023. The 11-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes with an increment of 30 seconds from move no.1

Replay Round 11 games

Round 11 results

Bo.No.NameTypRtgClub/CityPts.ResultPts.NameTypRtgClub/CityNo.PGN
12WGMDivya DeshmukhF172347Maharashtra1 - 0IMKulkarni Bhakti2319Goa5PGN
24WGMGomes Mary Ann2320PSPB81 - 07WIMPujari Rucha2229Maharashtra7PGN
314IMMohota Nisha2197PSPB70 - 1WGMVantika Agrawal2352Delhi1PGN
48WIMChitlange Sakshi2213Maharashtra71 - 07WFMNimmy A.G.2110Kerala21PGN
517WFMShah Vishwa2128Maharashtra70 - 17WIMSharma Isha2212Karnataka9PGN
610WIMArpita Mukherjee2211West Bengal7½ - ½7WGMVarshini V2141Tamil Nadu15PGN
73IMSoumya Swaminathan2322PSPB1 - 0Mrittika MallickF151867West Bengal36PGN
855Dakshita KumawatF151656Rajasthan0 - 1WGMSrija Seshadri2204Tamil Nadu11PGN
938Femil ChelladuraiF171824Tamil Nadu0 - 16WFMDeodhar Vrushali Umesh2108Maharashtra22PGN
106WIMMahalakshmi M2257RSPB61 - 06Vakcheri MohithaF151525Andhra Pradesh67PGN

Details

Final standings

Rk.SNoNamesexFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4  TB5 
12WGMDivya DeshmukhwIND2347Maharashtra9,574,58169,2508
24WGMGomes Mary AnnwIND2320PSPB97379,562,2508
31WGMVantika AgrawalwIND2352Delhi8,572,577,557,7506
48WIMChitlange SakshiwIND2213Maharashtra87176,554,2506
59WIMSharma IshawIND2212Karnataka8707553,0006
65IMKulkarni BhaktiwIND2319Goa7,570,57648,2506
73IMSoumya SwaminathanwIND2322PSPB7,569,574,547,0006
811WGMSrija SeshadriwIND2204Tamil Nadu7,568,573,544,0007
910WIMArpita MukherjeewIND2211West Bengal7,56873,549,5006
1015WGMVarshini VwIND2141Tamil Nadu7,5636845,2505

Details

Links

Tournament Regulations

Chess Association Kolhapur: Official site and facebook