Tata Steel India 2023 Women Rapid R4-6: Divya Deshmukh domination continues
IM Divya Deshmukh won all three of her games on the second day of Tata Steel Chess India 2023 Women Rapid. She defeated GM Irina Krush (USA), WGM Savitha Shri B and IM Vantika Agrawal. Krush got crushed in the fourth round, Savitha's position got crippled and Vantika blundered a queen by a skewer in the endgame. Divya is on a four-game winning streak having a 5.5/6 score. She is now a whopping 1.5 points ahead of the competition. Reigning Women's World Champion, GM Wenjun Ju (CHN) is the sole player at 4/6. Divya needs to score 2/3 in the last three games against the defending champion - GM Anna Ushenina (UKR), IM Polina Shuvalova and India no.1 woman - GM Koneru Humpy. The teenager has a fantastic chance to win the tournament. Will she win it? Round 7 starts today at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: IA Vivek Sohani/Tata Steel Chess India
Humpy scores her first win, Harika still in search for a full point
India's top two women are having a tough time at this event. GM Koneru Humpy finished the day by winning against GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO). GM Harika Dronavalli drew all three of her games on the second day.
Round 4: Divya - Krush: 1-0
In the first-ever encounter between, IM Divya Deshmukh (2216) and GM Irina Krush (USA, 2405), the youngster won the game smoothly.
After a couple of inane moves like 29...Qf5 30.Kh2 Qe6 31.Qd3 g6? made it seem like Black lost the thread of the position. 32.Rd6 probably would have ended things sooner. The game continued 32.b4 Kg7 33.Rd7 and White won the game in another 20 moves.
Nino - Savitha
35.Rf3 allowed Black to break the position e6. Despite GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO, 2364) having a bishop pair, her opponent WGM Savitha Shri B (2236) is not afraid to open up the position, due to the fact that even after 36.dxe6+ Rxe6 37.Rxe6 Bxe6 it is not easy for White to activate the bishops. Black masterfully traded the light squared bishops to ensure White cannot make the most out of her double bishops.
Round 5: Savitha - Divya: 0-1
The only rated game between WGM Savitha Shri B (2236) and IM Divya Deshmukh (2216) took place over six years ago at National Under-13 Girls. Divya prevailed in that game. The outcome was repeated once again today.
White's position is completely crippled. 19.g4 is a desperate attempt to save the game. After 19...hxg4 there was not much to go on. Black went on to win the game.
Nino - Humpy, Round 6
40.Rb4?? Rab5 41.Rxe4 Rb1 42.Kxf3 Rxc1 ended things in a hurry for White. Try to find out White's only defense.
Savitha - Ushenina
37...fxg3?? is a blunder. Find out why.
Replay Round 4-6 games
Round 4-6 results
Round 4 on 2023/09/01 at 1500 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 10 | 2216 | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | 1 - 0 | GM | Krush, Irina | 2405 | 7 | PGN | |||
2 | 8 | 2307 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | 0 - 1 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | 2592 | 6 | PGN | |||
3 | 9 | 2358 | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | 1 - 0 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | 2473 | 5 | PGN | |||
4 | 1 | 2459 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | ½ - ½ | GM | Ushenina, Anna | 2384 | 4 | PGN | |||
5 | 2 | 2364 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 0 - 1 | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | 2236 | 3 | PGN | |||
Round 5 on 2023/09/01 at 1630 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 3 | 2236 | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | 0 - 1 | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | 2216 | 10 | PGN | |||
2 | 4 | 2384 | GM | Ushenina, Anna | 1 - 0 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 2364 | 2 | PGN | |||
3 | 5 | 2473 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | ½ - ½ | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | 2459 | 1 | PGN | |||
4 | 6 | 2592 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | ½ - ½ | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | 2358 | 9 | PGN | |||
5 | 7 | 2405 | GM | Krush, Irina | 1 - 0 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | 2307 | 8 | PGN | |||
Round 6 on 2023/09/01 at 1800 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 10 | 2216 | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | 1 - 0 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | 2307 | 8 | PGN | |||
2 | 9 | 2358 | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | ½ - ½ | GM | Krush, Irina | 2405 | 7 | PGN | |||
3 | 1 | 2459 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | ½ - ½ | GM | Ju, Wenjun | 2592 | 6 | PGN | |||
4 | 2 | 2364 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 0 - 1 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | 2473 | 5 | PGN | |||
5 | 3 | 2236 | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | ½ - ½ | GM | Ushenina, Anna | 2384 | 4 | PGN |
Standings after Round 6
Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | ||
1 | 10 | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | IND | 2216 | 5,5 | 0 | 0 | 14,00 | 5 | 3 | |
2 | 6 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | CHN | 2592 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12,25 | 2 | 1 | |
3 | 9 | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | FID | 2358 | 3,5 | 0 | 0 | 9,50 | 2 | 0 | |
4 | 7 | GM | Krush, Irina | USA | 2405 | 3 | 0 | 0,5 | 7,75 | 2 | 0 | |
5 | 4 | GM | Ushenina, Anna | UKR | 2384 | 3 | 0 | 0,5 | 7,25 | 1 | 0 | |
6 | 1 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | IND | 2459 | 2,5 | 0 | 0 | 6,50 | 0 | 0 | |
7 | 8 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | IND | 2307 | 2,5 | 0 | 0 | 6,25 | 2 | 1 | |
8 | 3 | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | IND | 2236 | 2,5 | 0 | 0 | 5,50 | 1 | 1 | |
9 | 5 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | IND | 2473 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4,75 | 1 | 1 | |
10 | 2 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | GEO | 2364 | 1,5 | 0 | 0 | 4,75 | 1 | 0 |
Round 7-9 pairings
Round 7 on 2023/09/02 at 1500 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 4 | 2384 | GM | Ushenina, Anna | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | 2216 | 10 | |||||
2 | 5 | 2473 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | 2236 | 3 | |||||
3 | 6 | 2592 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 2364 | 2 | |||||
4 | 7 | 2405 | GM | Krush, Irina | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | 2459 | 1 | |||||
5 | 8 | 2307 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | 2358 | 9 | |||||
Round 8 on 2023/09/02 at 1630 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 10 | 2216 | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | 2358 | 9 | |||||
2 | 1 | 2459 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | 2307 | 8 | |||||
3 | 2 | 2364 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | GM | Krush, Irina | 2405 | 7 | |||||
4 | 3 | 2236 | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | GM | Ju, Wenjun | 2592 | 6 | |||||
5 | 4 | 2384 | GM | Ushenina, Anna | GM | Koneru, Humpy | 2473 | 5 | |||||
Round 9 on 2023/09/02 at 1800 h | |||||||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | |||||
1 | 5 | 2473 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | WGM | Divya, Deshmukh | 2216 | 10 | |||||
2 | 6 | 2592 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | GM | Ushenina, Anna | 2384 | 4 | |||||
3 | 7 | 2405 | GM | Krush, Irina | WIM | Savitha, Shri B | 2236 | 3 | |||||
4 | 8 | 2307 | IM | Vantika, Agrawal | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 2364 | 2 | |||||
5 | 9 | 2358 | IM | Shuvalova, Polina | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | 2459 | 1 |