Press Trust of India
Chengdu (China), April 22: Orissa’s Padmini Rout played brilliantly once more to hold former World Junior Champion Alexandra Goryachkina to a draw but her efforts went in vain as the Indian women’s team suffered a marginal 1.5-2.5 defeat at the hands of Russia here Wednesday.
Koneru Humpy let a winning position slip out of hands in the fourth round of World Women’s Team chess championship and that dented India’s hopes.
Humpy outplayed top-rated Russian Valentina Gunina but it was sheer bad luck when the Indian blundered after attaining a winning position. Gunina pounced on her chance and turned the tables in a span of a few seconds and it was curtains to the aspirations of the team too in this match.
On the second board, Harika, unruffled by Humpy’s loss, put it across former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk who played white.
Padmini put up a spirited show from a bad position to force a draw. Up against a Caro Kann opening, Padmini was under huge pressure right from the beginning and it was a tactical stroke that saved the day for the Indian.
The fourth board remained a problem for India as Soumya Swaminathan suffered her second defeat in the championship.
