BHUBANESWAR 24-Nov-2015
Top seed Padmini Rout of Odisha retained the title in the Ram Ratna National Women Premier Chess Championship despite her final round loss against K Priyanka of Tamil Nadu at ICCR in Kolkata today. IM Padmini, who had won the National title for the first time at Sangli last year, reigned supreme with 8.5 points in the 11-round league, organised by Diaspora Times under the aegis of Bengal Chess Association.
Padmini, who, in fact, emerged champion with a round to spare yesterday, received a glittering Trophy and a cash prize of Rs 1.75 lakhs, while Soumya Swaminathan got the better of Swati Ghate to bag the runner-up prize of Rs 1 lakh. Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa finished third to receive Rs 80,000.
The Odisha IM started her campaign on a shacky note as she was forced to a draw by R Vaishali in the opening round. Things turned bad to worse as she lost to Pratyusha Bodda in the third. But an unfazed Padmini scripted a fine comeback story by winning the next seven games on the trot. She ensured the title, defeating former National champion Tania Sachdev in the penultimate round.
ROUNDWISE PERFORMANCE OF PADMINI: 1. Drew with R Vaishali (2298), 2. Beat Bhakti Kulkarni (2257), 3. Lost to Pratyusha Bodda (2248), 4. Beat Neha Singh (2024), 5. Beat Michelle Catherina P (2242), 6. Beat Priyanka Nutakki (1994), 7. Beat Varshini V (2163), 8. Beat Soumya Swaminathan (2341), 9. Beat Swati Ghate (2230), 10. Beat Tania Sachdev (2385), 11. Lost to K Priyanka (2011).
FINAL STANDINGS: 1. IM Padmini Rout (Odisha, 8.5), 2. WGM Soumya Swaminathan (PSPB, 7.5), 3. WGM Bhakti Kukarni (Goa, 7.5), 4. WGM Swati Ghate (LIC, 7.5), 5. WIM Pratyusha Bodda (6.5), 6. R Vaishali (6.5), 7. IM Tania Sachdev (Air India, 5), 8. WIM Michelle Catherina (4.5), 9. Priyanka Nutakki (4.5), 10. WFM V Varshini (4), 11. K Priyanka (Tamil Nadu, 3), 12. Neha Singh (Bihar, 1).
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PHOTO: Padmini Rout with the National Women Premier Trophy in Kolkata on Nov 24, 2015.
