Indian contenders WIM Aakansha Hagawane and WIM Monnisha G K posted shock victories over higher ranked foreigners in the eighth round of the SBI Life-AICF Women Grandmaster Chess Championship today.
Aakansha (ELO 2297) defeated Russian WIM Elena Tomilova (ELO 2334) and Monnisha (ELO 2295) scored over Uzbekistans WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (ELO 2379). Both the Indians won with black pieces.
The game between Elena and Aakansha on the top board was an English Opening, wherein the Indian initiated a piece sacrifice to keep Elena's king in the centre.
The game went on even keel before Elena made a crucial mistake on move 25, which saw Aakansha gaining a huge advantage forcing Elena to resign on move 32.
The game between Gulrukhbegim and Monnisha was a Two-Knight's Defence, wherein the Indian sacrificed a pawn to gain advantage in space.
Gulrukhbegim went in for a complication with a piece sacrifice but Monnisha defended accurately and slowly realised her material advantage to score a big upset.
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Joint overnight leader, WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (ELO 2323) from Kazakhstan, consolidated her position at the top by scoring a win over India's Rakshitta Ravi to take the sole lead with 6 out of 8 points.
Close on her heels is Mongolian IM Munguntuul who defeated IM Anna Zozullia from Belgium. She now has scored 5.5 points.
WGM Gulrukhbegim and Vietnam's WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (ELO, 2376) -- with 5 points each -- are in joint third position, while Aakansha and Belgian IM Anna Zozulia (ELO 2314) share the fourth position with 4.5 points.
Three more rounds remain to be played in this Rs 7.5 lakh prize-money chess tournament, being conducted by the Indian Chess School and South Mumbai Chess Academy at the Acres Club in Chembur.
Results (Round 7): Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) 0 pts lost to WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) 4 pts; WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) 5 pts drew with IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) 4.5 pts; IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) 4.5 pts beat WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) 4.5 pts; WIM Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) 3.5 pts lost to WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) 5 pts; WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) 2.5 pts beat WFM Divya Deshmukh (IND, 2138) 1.5 pts; WIM Vantika Agrawal (IND, 2279) 3.5 pts drew with WIM Aakansha Hagawane (IND, 2297) 3.5 pts.
Round 8: WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) 4 pts lost to WIM Aakansha Hagawane (IND, 2297) 4.5 pts; WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) 5 lost to WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) 3.5 pts; WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) 5 pts drew with WIM Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) 4 pts; IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) 4.5 pts lost to IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) 5.5 pts; Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) 0 pts lost to WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) 6 pts.
Points after eight rounds: WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ, 2323) - 6 points; IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, ELO 2410) 5.5 points; WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (UZB, 2379) and WGM Thi Kim Phung Vo (VIE, 2376) - 5 points; WIM Aakansha Hagawane (IND, 2297) and IM Anna Zozulia (BEL, 2314) 4.5 points; Srija Seshadri (IND, 2207) and WIM Elena Tomilova (RUS, 2334) - 4 points; IM Vantika Agrawal (IND, 2279) and WIM Monnisha G.K. (IND, 2295) - 3.5 points; WFM Divya Deshmukh (IND, 2138) - 2.5 points; Rakshitta Ravi (IND, 2067) - 0 points.
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