AICF-KIIT Cup International Category Women Chess Championship

Russian WGM Girya Olga maintained her lead at the end of the 3rd round in the AICF-KIIT Cup Women Chess Chp here at Bhubaneswar. Olga and IM Nisha Mohota of India were involved in a theoretical battle from the Slav defense.Nisha approached the game positively facing an opponent of 100 Elo points by winning a pawn as early as 12^th move.Olga accepted the challenge and entered complications, but when the smoke cleared it was a good old draw from the Rook and pawn endgame. Like the game against Qi in previous round , Nisha’s extra pawn was not productive and the game ended in 47 moves.

Similar  ending with rooks were seen in both Eesha – Danielian & Swathi Ghate – Paehtz game. GM Danielian accepted the pawn in queen’s gambit and defended actively. Eesha opened up the files for her major pieces to end up with a drawish rook endgame in 56 moves.

Meanwhile IM Elizabeth Paehtz won her first game of the championship by capitalizing on  the not so ambitious play by Swathi. The German chose to castle in the opposite from the black side of the closed Italian. For Paehtz it worked well when the endgame came to limelight her queen side pawns were quick enough to move on supported by the two rooks . When things were going tough ,  Swathi made a  blunder losing  a pawn and resigned immediately.

Armenian IM Lilit Mkrtchyan utilised the blunder of a knight by Qi Guo who overlooked an intermediate move on the 21st turn. Until then Qi was doing well with black pieces but succumbed to material deficit and resigned on the 39th move.

In a interesting dual between Orissa talents WGM Padmini Rout and Kiran Manisha Mohanty , the former surprised her opponent with a rare Sicilian defense. Neverthless Kiran had a tight grip over the position until 25th move. Padmini’s knight movement to d2 square exchanging one of the two bishops brought Kiran to earth. Later Padmini increased to a two pawn advantage forced resignation in 50 moves.

IM Cristina once again involved in the last game to finish but was determined to go with a win, did she , against WGM Mary Ann Gomes of India. Coasting along the book lines of the English opening, Mary unwisely gave the control of c file to the Romanian IM and also a pawn on the 30th move. Thereafter Cristina played to perfection in the Rook and Bishop ending to pocket a point.

Results of Round 3

Standings after Round 3