Indian contenders WIM Aakanksha Hagawane and WIM Monnisha G.K., both enjoyed a fruitful day and posted impressive victories against higher ranked foreign players in the eighth round of the SBI Life-AICF Women Grandmaster Chess Championship, jointly organized by the Indian Chess School & South Mumbai Chess Academy under the auspices of All India Chess Federation (AICF) and played at The Acres Club, Chembur.
Indian WIM Aakanksha Hagawane in action during her 8th round match of the SBI Life-AICF Women Grandmaster Chess Championship.
Hagawane (ELO 2297) defeated Russian WIM Elena Tomilova (ELO 2334) and Monnisha (ELO 2295) scored over Uzbekistan’s WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (ELO 2379). Both the Indians won playing with black pieces.
The game between Elena and Aakansha on the top board was an English Opening, wherein the Indian initiated a piece sacrifice to keep the Russian players Elena’s king in the centre. The game went on even keel before Elena made a crucial mistake on move 25, which saw Aakansha gaining a huge advantage before Elena resigned on move 32.
The game between Gulrukhbegim and Monnisha was a Two Knight’s Defense, wherein the Indian sacrificed a pawn to gain advantage in space. Gulrukhbegim went in for a complication with a piece sacrifice but Monnisha defended accurately and slowly realized her material advantage so score a big upset of the tournament.
Joint overnight leader, WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (ELO 2323) from Kazakhstan consolidated her position at the top by scoring a win over India’s Rakshitta Ravi to take the sole lead with 6 out of 8 points.
Close on her heels is Mongolian IM Munguntuul, who defeated IM Anna Zozullia from Belgium. She now has scored 5.5 points.
Uzbekistan’s WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (ELO 2379) and Vietnam’s WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (ELO, 2376) with – 5 points each are in joint third position, while Indian Hagawane and Belgian IM Anna Zozulia (ELO 2314) share the fourth position with 4.5 points.
Three more rounds remains to be played in this Rs 7.5 Lakhs prize-money chess tournament, being conducted by the Indian Chess School and South Mumbai Chess Academy.
Results – Round 7:
Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) 0 pts lost to WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) 4 pts;
WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) 5 pts drew with IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) 4.5 pts;
IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) 4.5 pts beat WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) 4.5 pts;
WIM Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) 3.5 pts lost to WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) 5 pts;
WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) 2.5 pts beat WFM Divya Deshmukh (IND, 2138) 1.5 pts;
WIM Vantika Agrawal (IND, 2279) 3.5 pts drew with WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (IND, 2297) 3.5 pts
Round 8: WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) 4 pts lost to WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (IND, 2297) 4.5 pts
WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) 5 lost to WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) 3.5 pts;
WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) 5 pts drew with WIM Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) 4 pts
IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) 4.5 pts lost to IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) 5.5 pts
Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) 0 pts lost to WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) 6 pts.
Points after eight rounds:
WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) – 6 points.
IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) – 5.5 points.
WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) and WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) – 5 points.
WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (IND, 2297) and IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) – 4.5 points.
Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) and WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) – 4 points.
IM Vantika Agrawal (IND, 2279) and WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) – 3.5 points.
WFM Divya Deshmukh (IND, 2138) – 2.5 points.
Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) – 0 points.