Asian Juniors 2018: Indians begin on a positive note

The Indian team were off to a flying start in the Asian Junior Open and Girls Chess Championship which commenced on Sunday at the historical venue – Central Palace of Culture of Mongolian Trade Union in Ulaanbataar.

In the girls event, while all the six girls won convincingly, the lone Indian in the fray IM N. Krishna Teja was held to a draw by lower seeded local youngster Amilal Munkdalai.

In the Girls Section, second-seeded and in form WIM Aakanksha Hagawane after clinching the Bronze medal in the Rapid event held earlier, played the white side of Sicilian Najdorf, outplayed her Mongolian opponent Margadgua Erdenebayar to emerge one pawn up in the middle game. She complicated the game by sacrificing an exchange and won it back later to emerge one pawn up in the resulting rook ending. Displaying flawlessly technique, she wrapped up the point after a long battle.

Fifth seed Isha Sharma playing Slav defence outplayed her Mongolian rival Khaliunaa Gankhulug in a positional tussle without much effort, to score a smooth victory.

Priyamvada Karamcheti was the first Indian to win by scoring a quick victory against the Grand Prix attack opted by Amartuvshin Narasolongo of Mongolia. Priyamvada neutralised the threats to steer the game into a superior Knight against a bad Bishop in an equal ending which resulted in her favour.

Sakshi Chitlange played a positional game while facing the Kings Indian Defence from Enkhbolor Nyamdavaa and outplayed her to win the vital a5 pawn. She gradually exchanged pieces and the extra ‘a’ passer decided the issue in her favour.

C.H.Meghna played the French defence and had to face the exchange variation from her Korean rival Khanyl Chuluuntuya. Meghna went for a fierce mating attack which could not be defended and her opponent lost lot of material before succumbing to the pressure.

Bidar Rutambara got the better of Enkhsaran Batsaikhan of Mongolia after a long battle. Rutambara opened with 1.d4 and the game transposed into Queens Gambit Accepted. Thought the position was level, the inexperienced Mongolian player blundered a piece in the middle game and it was just a matter of routine for Rutumbara to win the game, though her opponent was stretching a hopeless position.

In the Open event, IM N. Krishna Teja opted for the Catalan set up with white against Amilal Munkdalai of Mongolia. He traded queens and converted to a Rook and minor piece ending with a microscopic edge. However, he was not able to make headway as the local youngster defended doggedly to hold the game.

GM S.S.Ganguly, who had just completed playing an invitation event in Mongolia visited the venue, to wish luck to the Indian contingent.

Open: Results

Round 1 on 2018/08/19 at 15:00

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	16	CM	Ochirbat Lkhagvajamts	2007	0	0 – 1	0	IM	Yakubboev Nodirbek	2512	1
2	2	FM	Priasmoro Novendra	2485	0	1 – 0	0		Chinguun Otgonbayar	1952	17
3	31		Viegas Tilman Zezinho M.T	0	0	0 – 1	0	IM	Batsuren Dambasuren	2446	3
4	4	IM	Krishna Teja N	2389	0	½ – ½	0		Amilal Munkhdalai	1790	19
5	20		Erdemdalai Yondonjamts	1788	0	0 – 1	0	FM	Tugstumur Yesuntumur	2361	5
6	6	FM	Suleymenov Alisher	2343	0	1 – 0	0		Khuslen Altan-Ochir	1780	21
7	22	CM	Erkhes Bayartnar	1762	0	1 – 0	0	CM	Chinguun Bayaraa	1941	18
8	7		Gan-Erdene Sugar	2309	0	1 – 0	0	CM	Batbold Nyamsuren	1759	23
9	24		Azhigulov Nurmat	1721	0	0 – 1	0		Agibileg Uurtsaikh	2302	8
10	9	FM	Baasansuren Erdene	2240	0	1 – 0	0		Taivanbat Chimeddorj	1691	25
11	27	CM	Azjargal Erdenebat	1564	0	0 – 1	0	FM	Amartuvshin Ganzorig	2236	10
12	11	FM	Tengis Tsog-Ochir	2186	0	1 – 0	0		Anand Batsukh	1682	26
13	28		Ulziikhishig Khishigbat	1517	0	0 – 1	0	FM	Garidmagnai Byambasuren	2128	12
14	13		Itgelt Khuyagtsogt	2119	0	1 – 0	0	CM	Tenuunbold Battulga	1469	29
15	30		Ariuntur Munkh-Uchral	0	0	0 – 1	0		Chinguun Sumiya	2108	14
16	15	FM	Bulgankhan Ganzorig	2103	0	1			not paired

Girls: Results

Round 1 on 2018/08/19 at 15:00

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	17		Khongorzul Davaakhuu	1633	0	½ – ½	0	WIM	Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh	2313	1
2	2	WIM	Aakanksha Hagawane	2292	0	1 – 0	0		Margadgua Erdenebayar	1619	18
3	19		Udval Batkhishig	1608	0	0 – 1	0	WGM	Amina Battsooj	2212	3
4	4	WFM	Altantuya Boldbaatar	2174	0	1 – 0	0	WCM	Udval Enkhsaikhan	1599	20
5	21	WCM	Khaliunaa Gankhulug	1587	0	0 – 1	0	WCM	Isha Sharma	2145	5
6	6	WIM	Chitlange Sakshi	2144	0	1 – 0	0	WCM	Enkhbolor Nyamdavaa	1563	22
7	23	WCM	Bayasgalan Khishigbaatar	1524	0	0 – 1	0	WCM	Munkhzul Davaakhuu	1823	13
8	7	WFM	Bidhar Rutumbara	2036	0	1 – 0	0	WCM	Enkhsaran Batsaikhan	1498	24
9	26		Khanyl Chuluuntuya	1402	0	0 – 1	0	WFM	Meghna C H	1892	8
10	9	CM	Nomindalai Tumurbaatar	1877	0	1 – 0	0	WCM	Unurzul Davaakhuu	1352	27
11	28		Anandpara Jayendra Saloni	1346	0	0 – 1	0		Omurbekova Diana	1868	10
12	11	FM	Ulziikhishigjargal Ochirkhuyag	1858	0	1 – 0	0		Chan Lyanna	1324	29
13	30		Amartuvshin Naransolongo	1262	0	0 – 1	0		Priyamvada Karamcheti	1850	12
14	31		Oyudari Batkhuu	1010	0	1 – 0	0		Tsogzolmaa Nanjid	1792	14
15	15	WCM	Mandukhai Myagmarsuren	1717	0	1 – 0	0		Da Silva Sonizia A.T	0	32
16	33		Nomun Munkhtuya	0	0	0 – 1	0		Lu Miaoyi	1691	16
17	34		Undral Myagmarsuren	0	0	1			bye
18	25		Urangoo Kherlenzorig	1475	0	0			not paired