The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Nisha triumphs

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Saturday, May 07, 2005

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Sport - Chess

Nisha triumphs

By H.S.Manjunath

ALONG EXPECTED LINES: Nisha Mohota after winning the National `A' championship. — Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

BANGALORE: Nisha Mohota reached the apex of national acclaim when she took the title in the 31st National Women's `A' chess championship with a measure of comfort at the Goldfinch Hotel on Friday.

Nisha and Bhagyashree Thipsay took a few minutes to rattle less than a dozen moves and then shook hands to pave the way for the West Bengal girl to garner her maiden title, which she covets "as the best thing to have happened to her after her WGM title".

The scenario was as expected as it was familiar. Nisha, half a point clear of the field, needed a draw in the 13th and final round to attain her goal and Bhagyashree's chances of making the "cut" were as remote as hen's teeth.

The quick draw thus came as no surprise. Nisha's tally rose to nine points and her elder sister, Swati chipped in by splitting the point with Mary-Ann Gomes, who was more than happy to share the spoils and get into the runner-up slot.

Aarthie also played it safe. Perhaps with an eye on getting into the top bracket, she was content to draw her game with Priya. But a touch of theatre was brought into the final round action by Swati Ghate who came up with a timely victory against Anupama Gokhale to seal the last of the four berths on offer in the Indian team, Nisha, Mary-Ann and Aarthie having already booked theirs.

Academic interest

The Nisha-Bhagyashree game aroused no more than academic interest. So did the one between Swati Mohota and Mary-Ann. When Aarthie and Priya also wrapped up their game in quick time, the spotlight turned on the Swati-Anupama encounter. There was so much at stake for both players in this game.

Anupama got on to her favourite Pirc Defence and managed to get equality in the opening but in the middle game she saddled herself with a disjointed pawn structure. With her energies consumed in defending three isolated pawns, Anupama was clearly inviting trouble on the kingside.

Switching her priority from control to outright aggression, Swati came up with a joint operation with her rook and queen that either threatened heavy loss of material or kingside subjugation.

The 24-year-old Nisha Mohota, an LIC staffer from Kolkata, confided to The Hindu after her triumph that "this title means a lot to me and my motivation level would definitely go up".

The results (13th and final round)

Nisha Mohota (9) drew with Bhagyashree Thipsasy (7), Swati Mohota (6.5) drew with Mary-Ann Gomes (8.5), Nimmy A. George (7) bt Sangeetha M.R. (5.5), Raghavi (4) drew with Shivashankari P (3), Kruttika Nadig (5) lost to Anuprita Patil (6), Swati Ghate (8) bt Anupama Gokhale (7.5), Aarthie R (8) drew with Priya (6).

Final standings: 1. Nisha Mohota (LIC); 2. Mary-Ann Gomes (West Bengal); 3. Swati Ghate (LIC); 4. Aarthie (IA); 5. Anupama Gokhale (Mah); 6. Bhagyashree Thipsay (Mah); 7. Nimmy A. George (Ker); 8. Swati Mohota (West Bengal); 9. Anuprita Patil (Mah); 10. Priya (TN); 11. M.R. Sangeetha (TN); 12. Kruttika Nadig (Kar); 13. Raghavi (TN); 14. P. Shivashankari (TN).

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