World junior chess: Rout holds top seed

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India’s Padmini Rout caused a minor upset by holding top seed and WGM Paikidze Nazi of Georgia on day four of the SDAT-Ramco world junior chess championship at Vijay Park here on Friday.

The day also saw the emergence of Italy’s Axel Rombaldoni and Olga Girya (Russia) as sole leaders in the open and girls’ sections respectively with full four points.

In a sicilian king’s Indian attack game, Padmini launched her pawns towards the opponent’s king. When the Georgian managed to keep the king side closed, Padmini opened up her queen side and won a pawn to reach a minor pieces endgame. However, she missed an opportunity to trade her bad bishop, consequently was forced to share a point.

In the open category, Italy’s Axel Rombaldoni emerged sole leader by defeating higher-rated Israeli Tamir Nabaty on the second board. The first board game between other overnight leaders Spain’s Salgado Lopez Ivan and Piorun Kacper (Pol) ended in a draw.

India’s Sahaj Grover is sharing the second spot with four others players with 3.5 points. In a Sicilian defense game, the 16-year-old Delhi IM’s opponent FM Petrisor Adrian-Marian of Romania exchanged his finachettoed bishop early in the game and went for premature endgame, while his other pieces lagged behind in development.

When he found his knight trapped in the corner of the board, Petrisor resigned on the 24th move.

Thursday’s star P. Michelle Catherina drew with Brazil’s Terao Juliana Sayumi in a Ruy Lopez opening. Tamil Nadu’s P.V. Nandhidhaa caused an upset on the eighth board by defeating IWM Y. Hoang Thi Nhu of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the top seed in the open category Russian GM Matlakov Maxim drew for the third time in four rounds. On Friday, India’s K. Priyadharshan held him in a queen’s gambit accepted game.

Important results

(Indians otherwise stated): Open: GM Salgado Lopez Ivan (Esp, 2626, 3.5) drew with IM Piorun Kacper (Pol, 2514, 3.5); GM Nabaty Tamir (Isr, 2584, 2.5) lost to IM Rombaldoni Axel (Ita, 2459, 4); GM Robson Ray (Usa, 2560, 2.5) lost to IM Goganov Aleksey (Rus, 2489, 3.5); IM Roganovic Milos (Srb, 2476, 3) drew GM Ter-Sahakyan Samvel (Arm, 2558, 3); IM Urkedal Frode (Nor, 2448, 3) drew GM Swiercz Dariusz (Pol, 2553, 3); GM Rasulov Vugar Ural Oglu (Aze, 2522, 3) drew with FM Kovalev Vladislav (Blr, 2439, 3); GM Martinovic Sasa (Cro, 2521, 3) drew with G.A. Stany (2435, 3); IM Huschenbeth Niclas (Ger, 2521 3.5) bt FM Getz Nicolai (Nor, 2385, 2.5); IM Grover Sahaj (2496, 3.5) bt FM Petrisor Adrian-Marian (Rou, 2408, 2.5); IM M.R. Lalith Babu (2495, 3) drew Janev Tihomir (Bul, 2349, 3).

Girls: WGM Padmini Rout (2348, 3.5) drew with WGM Paikidze Nazi (Geo, 2416, 3.5); WIM Bulmaga Irina (Rou, 2293, 3.5) drew with WGM Cori T. Deysi (Per, 2376, 3.5); WGM Girya Olga (Rus, 2371, 4) bt WIM Kazimova Narmin Nizami Qizi (Aze, 2292, 3); WIM Nakhbayeva Guliskhan (Kaz, 2222, 3.5) bt WIM Agrest Inna (Swe, 2220, 2); WIM Kulkarni Bhakti (2317, 2.5) drew with Deur Saric Zrinka (Cro, 2116, 2.5); WIM Eric Jovana (Srb, 2282, 2.5) drew with Forestier Carole (Fra, 2101, 2.5); WIM Ozturk Kubra (Tur, 2258, 2.5) drew with Imeeva Aisa (Rus, 2094, 2.5); P.V. Nandhidhaa (2101, 3) bt WIM Y. Hoang Thi Nhu (Vie, 2204, 2); WFM Pon N. Krithika (2075, 2.5) drew with Dogodkina Julia (Rus, 2193, 2.5); WFM Semenova Elena (Rus, 2175, 3) bt WIM Heredia Serrano Carla (Ecu, 2072, 2).