Velammal AICF WGM 2024 R5-6: Mary sacs her queen to slay Sarayu

by Shahid Ahmed - 22/03/2024

WGM Mary Ann Gomes defeated V Rindhiya and Sarayu Velpula to increase her sole lead at Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024. Mary showed her positional understanding beating Rindhiya in Round 5. In the sixth round, Mary made a nice queen sacrifice which did not give her an immediate upper hand. However, her position was relatively easier to play and eventually she went on to win against Sarayu. Mary is now at 5.5/6. IM Elena Sedina (ITA) and WIM Sakshi Chitlange are the only two on her trail at 4/6 each. Sakshi made two short draws against WIM Mounika Akshaya and Elena. Round 7 starts at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain

Mary Ann increases her sole lead

Both WGM Mary Ann Gomes and WGM Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya (MGL) won both of their respective games on the fourth day of the tournament in Round 5 and 6.

WGM Mary Ann Gomes scores a hat-trick

Mary - Rindhiya, Round 5

Position after 24...Kh8

WGM Mary Ann Gomes (2322) showed her positional understanding 25.Ba3 Ree8 26.Rc7 Nxh4 27.Nxe6 Rxe6 28.Rxf7 Nf5 29.Bd3 Nh6 30.Rxb7 Ne8 31.Bb2 Nf6 32.Rgxg7 and White won.

WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA) could not get out of the gate against WIM M Mahalakshmi

WIM Sakshi Chitlange - IM Elena Sedina (ITA): 0.5-0.5

Monnisha - Enkhtuul

Position after 38...Kh7?

38...Kh7? created an opportunity for G K Monnisha. 39.Qg2 Rg8 40.Qg4 Qe8 41.R1b2 instead 41.Rb8! would have been winning for White. If Black takes 41...Qxb8 42.Rxb8 Rxb8 43.Qxe6 and it's over for Black. White had one more opportunity at the end, however, she missed it and WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) salvaged a draw.

G K Monnisha had a great opportunity to win against WGM Altan-Ulzii Enkhtuul (MGL)

Sarayu - Mary Ann, Round 6

Position after 14.Bc4

WGM Mary Ann Gomes made an interesting queen sacrifice for a rook and a bishop 14...dxc4 15.Rxd8 Rxd8 Black does not get anything substantial immediately. However, Black's play is much easier than White's despite having a queen. The reason is simple, black pieces are placed better and have more control.

Position after 33.Bd6

Black missed a nice tactic here 33...Bf6! The game continued 33...Be3 and eventually Black won the game.

WGM Mary Ann Gomes analyzes her win over Sarayu Velpula | Video: ChessBase India

WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA) could not get out of the gate against WIM M Mahalakshmi

WIM Sakshi Chitlange - IM Elena Sedina (ITA): 0.5-0.5

Nakamura and Tingjie are my favorites - WGM Altan-Ulzii Enkhtuul (MGL) | Video: ChessBase India

Arbiters team - IA B Dhenagaran, IA R Srivatsan and IA Deepti Shidore

Replay Round 5-6 games

Round 6 results

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

Details

Standings after Round 6

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	Rp
1	6	WGM	Gomes, Mary Ann	IND	2322	5,5	0	14,75	5	2588
2	4	IM	Sedina, Elena	ITA	2161	4	0,5	11,75	2	2332
3	3	WIM	Chitlange, Sakshi	IND	2175	4	0,5	11,00	3	2320
4	1		Velpula, Sarayu	IND	2389	3,5	0	10,00	2	2272
5	9	WGM	Enkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii	MGL	2195	3,5	0	9,50	1	2252
6	10	WGM	Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh	MGL	2288	3,5	0	7,50	3	2259
7	2	WIM	Mahalakshmi, M	IND	2242	3	0	5,25	2	2178
8	7	WIM	Franco Valencia, Angela	COL	2095	2,5	0	5,50	1	2125
9	12	WIM	Bommini, Mounika Akshaya	IND	2134	2	1	5,50	1	2091
10	8	WIM	Monnisha, G K	IND	2202	2	0	4,00	1	2090
11	11		Rindhiya, V	IND	1953	1,5	0	2,25	1	2015
12	5	WGM	Maisuradze, Nino	FRA	2254	1	0	3,50	0	1939

Details

Round 7 pairings

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

Details

Links

Tournament details

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