PNN & Agencies
Kolkata, Nov 24: Defending champion and top seed Padmini Rout of Orissa retained the RamRatna Women’s National Premier Chess Championship title despite her final round loss against K Priyanka of Tamil Nadu at the ICCR hall here Tuesday.
Playing against low-ranked Priyanka in the final and 11th round, Padmini faced a stubborn resistance from her opponent. The Tamil Nadu girl broke through the defence of the top seed for a memorable win.
Despite the loss, Padmini reigned supreme with 8.5 points in the 11-round league tournament, organised by Bengal Chess Association. Padmini clinched a glittering trophy and a cash prize of `1.75 lakhs, while Soumya Swaminathan of PSPB got the better of Swati Ghate of LIC to bag the runner-up position.
“No doubt, I am very happy to have finished on top,” Padmini stated over the phone from Kolkata. “This tournament was pretty tough and the match against Swati was the toughest among all the games,” she added.
Talking about her loss on the final day, the Orissa girl stated that she was a ‘bit relaxed’. “I shouldn’t have lost this match… in fact I could have drawn the tie. The positions were such in the middle game,” Padmini stated. ‘But then I took a few risks trying to win and went overboard with my efforts. That contributed in my loss. Also, I had achieved the championship, Monday itself, so I was a bit relaxed when I went in today to play Priyanka,” she added. Padmini will now fly to Rome to play a blitz event, November 27.
In the Soumya versus Swati match, the former sacrificed a piece for two pawns on the 30th move to get into a strong position and emerge victorious.
There was a tie for the second place among Soumya, Bhakti Kulkarni and Swati – on 7.5 points apiece but the former clinched the second spot and cash prize of `1,00,000, while Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa was placed third on SB tie-breaking points. Bhakti received `80,000 and Swati had to be content with the fourth place and a cash award of `60,000.
