Mary Ann clinches Velammal AICF WGM 2024 with a round to spare

by Shahid Ahmed - 25/03/2024

WGM Mary Ann Gomes won Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024 when she drew against WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA) in Round 10. The remaining four games ending in draws meant no other player has a mathematical chance to catch up with her. Mary had an opportunity to gain material and win against Nino. However, she missed and the game ended in a draw. IM Elena Sedina (ITA) needed to call her opponent WIM Angela Franco Valencia's (COL) bluff when she offered her rook as a sacrifice. In reality, Elena could have captured the rook and there would be no dire consequences for it. Final Round 11 starts today at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain

Mary Ann dominates the field

WGM Mary Ann Gomes may not play a lot of tournaments but when she does, she delivers stellar performances. For the last three years, she won a Silver medal at four major events - World Team Women's 2021, Asian Continental Blitz Women 2022, Asian Continental Women 2023, National Women 2022 and 2023. She also eliminated former World Rapid and three-time World Blitz Women's champion, GM Kateryna Lagno at FIDE Women's World Cup 2023 Round 2 tie-breaks. Thus, this performance does not come as a surprise. She is well-known for delivering great performances and rising up to the occasion when the opportunity arises.

WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA) escaped defeat against WGM Mary Ann Gomes

Nino - Mary Ann

Position after 27.Rb1??

WGM Mary Ann Gomes (2322) had an opportunity to win the game. She needed to play 27...g4 as that would have forced White to give up a material. The game continued 27...Kh8 and WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA, 2254) escaped with a draw.

The champion's trophy which WGM Mary Ann Gomes will receive later today

Sarayu Velpula - WGM Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya (MGL): 0.5-0.5

Elena - Angela

Position after 25...h6

WIM Angela Franco Valencia (COL, 2095) offered her f4-rook as a sacrifice when she played 25...h6. Is it a sound sacrifice? Try to find out the answer.

IM Elena Sedina (ITA) could have possibly won the game if she called her opponent's bluff

WIM M Mahalakshmi - WGM Altan-Ulzii Enkhtuul (MGL): 0.5-0.5

The tournament hall

Replay Round 10 games

Round 10 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	12	2134	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	+ - -		Rindhiya, V	1953	11
2	1	2389		Velpula, Sarayu	½ - ½	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh	2288	10	PGN
3	2	2242	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	½ - ½	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii	2195	9	PGN
4	3	2175	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	½ - ½	WIM	Monnisha, G K	2202	8	PGN
5	4	2161	IM	Sedina, Elena	½ - ½	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela	2095	7	PGN
6	5	2254	WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	½ - ½	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	2322	6	PGN

Details

Standings after Round 10

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	Rp
1	6	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	IND	2322	8	0	36,25	6	2435
2	9	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii	MGL	2195	6,5	0,5	34,75	3	2312
3	1		Velpula, Sarayu	IND	2389	6,5	0,5	31,50	4	2317
4	4	IM	Sedina, Elena	ITA	2161	6	0	27,75	2	2277
5	3	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	IND	2175	5,5	0	24,25	3	2240
6	12	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	IND	2134	5	1	23,50	3	2179
7	10	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh	MGL	2288	5	0	23,25	4	2171
8	7	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela	COL	2095	4,5	0	20,75	2	2170
9	2	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	IND	2242	4	0,5	16,00	2	2116
10	8	WIM	Monnisha, G K	IND	2202	4	0,5	15,25	2	2133
11	5	WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	FRA	2254	3,5	0	21,50	1	2096
12	11		Rindhiya, V	IND	1953	1,5	0	5,75	1	1977

Details

Round 11 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	6	2322	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann		WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	2134	12
2	7	2095	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela		WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	2254	5
3	8	2202	WIM	Monnisha, G K		IM	Sedina, Elena	2161	4
4	9	2195	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii		WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	2175	3
5	10	2288	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh		WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	2242	2
6	11	1953		Rindhiya, V			Velpula, Sarayu	2389	1

Details

Links

Tournament details

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