Host Odisha experienced a fruitful day in the AICF-KIIT Cup Category-13 International Women Chess Tournament with local WGMs Padmini Rout and Kiran Manisha Mohanty beating Swati Ghate and forcing overnight leader Giriya Olga to draw respectively in the fifth round at KIIT University here on Wednesday.
But despite splitting point, Russia WGM Olga retained her sole lead with four points. In the fifth round, she opted for the Caro Kan defense against Kiran. The game turned out to be a battle between two bishops for Olga and two knights for Kiran. Black’s advantage with Queen’s on the board ceased after its exchange and Kiran’s defenses against the bishops were commendable. The game ended in a draw 65 moves with same pieces in action without pawns.
Padmini and Romania IM Foisor Cristina-Adela shared the second place with 3.5 points each. Padmini capitalised on a blunder from Swati to clinch the win in 27 moves. Swati’s idea to chase the troubled Knight on the f4 square with g3 pawn push was a mistake, which allowed Padmini to create havoc on white’s king. Padmini crushed her opponent in few moves of bishop & knight combined with a Queen invasion.
Cristina Foisor was impressive once again with a nice win over IM Nisha Mohota.The bind by white against the d5 square of black pieces in the King’s Indian was successful for Nisha to some extent. Once when the Romanian exchanged the pawn on c5 square her pieces started dominating. It was curtains for Nisha when she lost a pawn on the 34th move and the Romanian’s endgame technique up to 57th move proved too good.
Meanwhile, the game between top seed Elisabeth Paehtz and second seed Elina Dalielina looked like thriller when the latter sacrificed a knight on g4 square to draw the white king outside. Few moves later the players signed a truce in the 13th turn by repeating the moves.
RESULTS (Round 3): Nisha Mohota (Ind, 2) lost to Foisor Cristina-Adela (Rou, 3.5), Mkrtchian Lilit (Arm, 2.5) drew with Mary Ann Gomes (Ind, 1.5), Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Ind, 1) drew with Giriya Olga (Rus, 4), Eesha Karavade (Ind, 2.5) drew with Guo Qi (Chn, 2.5), Swati Ghate (Ind, 2) lost to Padmini Rout (Ind, 3.5), Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger, 2.5) drew with Elina Dalielina (Arm, 2.5).