Mary Ann Gomes ends Velammal AICF WGM 2024 on a high note, Sarayu Velpula third

by Shahid Ahmed - 26/03/2024

WGM Mary Ann Gomes defeated WIM Mounika Akshaya in the final round of Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024. Mary Ann had already won the tournament in the previous round. The last round win in an exciting battle was just to reassert her dominance over the competition. She finished a staggering 1.5 points ahead of the field scoring 9/11. WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) and WIM Sarayu Velpula scored 7.5/11 each. They secured second and third place respectively. Sarayu had already earned her final WIM-norm last month. She scored her fourth WIM-norm at this event. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹1000000. The top three prizes were ₹250000, ₹150000 and ₹130000 each. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain and TNSCA

Fourth WIM-norm for Sarayu Velpula

Sarayu Velpula became a WIM last month when she scored her final WIM-norm at Rudar VI GM Round Robin tournament at Pozarevac in Serbia. She scored her fourth WIM-norm at this event. WGM Mary Ann Gomes, WIM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) and IM Elena Sedina (ITA) are the only three players to remain undefeated.

Champion - WGM Mary Ann Gomes 9/11 | Photo: FI Niklesh Jain

Runner-up - WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Second Runner-up - WIM Sarayu Velpula 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Top 3 (L to R): 3rd Sarayu Velpula 7.5/11, 1st WGM Mary Ann Gomes 9/11 and 2nd WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Mary Ann - Mounika

Position after 19...Bxh2+ !?

WIM Mounika Akshaya (2134) started a nice sequence by temporarily sacrificing her bishop 19...Bxh2+. It is not actually a sacrifice because 20.Kxh2 runs into Qd6+ and Black recovers the minor piece. 20.Kh1 Rxc6 21.Rxc6 Ne4 22.dxe4 White is forced to take to avoid draw by perpetual check Qh4 23.Bf3 Ne5 24.Bxe5 Bxe5+ 25.Kg1 Qh2+ 26.Kf1 Bxa1 27.exd5 exd5 28.Qxd5 Rb8 29.Nc5 Qh1+ 30.Ke2 Bc3 31.Bh5 Bc2? 32.Bxf7+ and White won the game in the next few moves.

WGM Mary Ann Gomes finished the tournament on a high note | Photo: FI Niklesh Jain

Sarayu Velpula receives her fourth WIM-norm certificate | Photo: TNSCA

The newly elected AICF Secretary, Dev Patel, was present at the closing ceremony. He announced that there will be more events of this stature in the future.

Replay Round 11 games

Round 11 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	6	2322	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	1 - 0	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	2134	12
2	7	2095	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela	½ - ½	WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	2254	5
3	8	2202	WIM	Monnisha, G K	½ - ½	IM	Sedina, Elena	2161	4
4	9	2195	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii	1 - 0	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	2175	3
5	10	2288	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh	1 - 0	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	2242	2
6	11	1953		Rindhiya, V	0 - 1		Velpula, Sarayu	2389	1

Details

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	Rp
1	6	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	IND	2322	9	0	45,25	7	2452
2	9	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii	MGL	2195	7,5	0,5	44,25	4	2336
3	1		Velpula, Sarayu	IND	2389	7,5	0,5	35,50	5	2317
4	4	IM	Sedina, Elena	ITA	2161	6,5	0	32,50	2	2269
5	10	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh	MGL	2288	6	0	30,50	5	2217
6	3	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	IND	2175	5,5	0	26,50	3	2203
7	7	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela	COL	2095	5	1	23,75	2	2174
8	12	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	IND	2134	5	0	25,50	3	2160
9	8	WIM	Monnisha, G K	IND	2202	4,5	0	19,75	2	2136
10	2	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	IND	2242	4	1	17,75	2	2095
11	5	WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	FRA	2254	4	0	25,75	1	2094
12	11		Rindhiya, V	IND	1953	1,5	0	6,50	1	1979

Details

Links

Tournament details

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