Ivana lifts bronze, pushes Bhakti to 4th
Ivana lone Goan to win medal at Nat Jr Chess Nkrutikha, Aravindh emerge
champs
PANJIM: Salute Goa’s chess wizard WFM Ivana Maria Furtado of Santa Ines
as she lifted the bronze to emerge the sole Goan to win a medal at the
26th National Junior Girls Championship which concluded at Fatorda
indoor hall, Margao, Wednesday.
The top seed and highly rated WIM Bhakti Kulkarni ( 2281) finished
fourth, just after Ivana ( 2073). Both Ivana and Bhakti were tied with 8
points each, but Ivana won on the tie- break after being on equal terms
on several counts used to break the deadlock and pushed Bhakti to the 4th.
Hats off to Ivana for being the only one to keep Goa’s flag flying high
as the event was held in Goa, even though she was in donor entry
category. In fact, she became the only Goan to have a podium finish in
the entire championship hosted by Goa Chess Association.
Ivana’s superb achievement is all the more creditable as she is just 12,
studying in Std VII at Our Lady of the Rosary High School, Dona Paula.
In comparison, Bhakti, from whom much more was expected given her norm
and high rating and after being awarded the Dilip Sardessai Award is 19
and a college student. That apart, that Ivana held Bhakti to a draw is a
true reflection of her high potential at such an young age.
Ivana remained undefeated, having recorded six draws and five victories
in 11 rounds. Unfortunately, Bhakti who came very close to obtaining a
medal lost two games on the trot, or else she might have walked away
with a medal.
WFM Pon Nkrutikha ( 2044) of TN won the championship defeating WFM R
Bharathi ( 2112) also of TN. She tallied 9.5 points after 11 rounds.
Nkrutikha had offered a draw but her opponent continued playing.
It was a Grand Prix attack which R Bharathi could not handle and lost in
just 18 moves.
WFM Rucha Pujari ( 2145) Maharashtra collected 8.5 points which gave her
the silver.
Ivana drew her last round with Nandidhdhaa PV of TN and with 8 points
and claimed the bronze.
Bhakti won her last round against A Akshaya and totalled 8 points to
finish fourth.
In the 41st National Junior ( U- 19 ) Open, Aravindh Chitambaram ( 2213)
of TN drew his last game with FM Diptayan Ghosh ( 2288) of WB to win the
gold.
IM Shyam Nikhil won his last round with Rakesh Kulkarni of Maharashtra
to finish second ( silver). FM Diptayan Ghosh ( 2288) of WB won the bronze.
It was Tamil Nadu to the fore as they won both the gold medals with the
event being successfully organised by GSA and it was the Goan girls –
Ivana and Bhakti – that made the
Goan chess fraternity very proud with their excellent showing to be in
the top bracket. In the boys open category, Goa’s Anurag Mhamal ( 2208)
took the 17th place with 7.5 points.
Aravindh 9 ( gold), Shyam Nikhil P 8. 5 ( silver), Ghosh Didtayan (
2288) WB 8.5 ( bronze), Ankit Rajpara ( 2281) Gujarat 8.5, IM S Nitin (
2387) TN 8, Swayams Mishra ( 2354) Orissa 8, Narayanan S L ( 2320)
Kerala 8, Himal Gusain ( 2207) Chandigarh 8, IM K Priyadarshan ( 2376)
TN 7.5, Padya Saumil ( 2048) Maharashtra 7.5.
WGM Padmini Raut ( 2356) of Orissa finished 13th with 7.5 points.
Girls: Nkruthikha ( 2044) TN 9.5 ( gold), WFM Rucha Pujari ( 2145)
Maharashtra 8.5 ( silver), Ivana ( 2073) Goa 8 ( bronze), Bhakti ( 2281)
Goa 8, Nandhidhdhaa PV ( 2105) TN 8, WFM K Sai Nirupama ( 1919) AP 7.5,
WFM Bharathi R ( 2112) T N, 7.5, Pallabi Roy ( 1996) WB 7.5, Pratusha
Bodda ( 2062) AP 7.5, WFM Sr.a Seshadri ( 1861) TN 7.5.
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