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Mary Ann Gomes ends Velammal AICF WGM 2024 on a high note, Sarayu Velpula third

by Shahid Ahmed - 26/03/2024

WGM Mary Ann Gomes defeated WIM Mounika Akshaya in the final round of Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024. Mary Ann had already won the tournament in the previous round. The last round win in an exciting battle was just to reassert her dominance over the competition. She finished a staggering 1.5 points ahead of the field scoring 9/11. WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) and WIM Sarayu Velpula scored 7.5/11 each. They secured second and third place respectively. Sarayu had already earned her final WIM-norm last month. She scored her fourth WIM-norm at this event. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹1000000. The top three prizes were ₹250000, ₹150000 and ₹130000 each. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain and TNSCA

Fourth WIM-norm for Sarayu Velpula

Sarayu Velpula became a WIM last month when she scored her final WIM-norm at Rudar VI GM Round Robin tournament at Pozarevac in Serbia. She scored her fourth WIM-norm at this event. WGM Mary Ann Gomes, WIM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) and IM Elena Sedina (ITA) are the only three players to remain undefeated.

Champion - WGM Mary Ann Gomes 9/11 | Photo: FI Niklesh Jain

Runner-up - WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Second Runner-up - WIM Sarayu Velpula 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Top 3 (L to R): 3rd Sarayu Velpula 7.5/11, 1st WGM Mary Ann Gomes 9/11 and 2nd WGM Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii (MGL) 7.5/11 | Photo: TNSCA

Mary Ann - Mounika

Position after 19...Bxh2+ !?

WIM Mounika Akshaya (2134) started a nice sequence by temporarily sacrificing her bishop 19...Bxh2+. It is not actually a sacrifice because 20.Kxh2 runs into Qd6+ and Black recovers the minor piece. 20.Kh1 Rxc6 21.Rxc6 Ne4 22.dxe4 White is forced to take to avoid draw by perpetual check Qh4 23.Bf3 Ne5 24.Bxe5 Bxe5+ 25.Kg1 Qh2+ 26.Kf1 Bxa1 27.exd5 exd5 28.Qxd5 Rb8 29.Nc5 Qh1+ 30.Ke2 Bc3 31.Bh5 Bc2? 32.Bxf7+ and White won the game in the next few moves.

WGM Mary Ann Gomes finished the tournament on a high note | Photo: FI Niklesh Jain

Sarayu Velpula receives her fourth WIM-norm certificate | Photo: TNSCA

The newly elected AICF Secretary, Dev Patel, was present at the closing ceremony. He announced that there will be more events of this stature in the future.

Replay Round 11 games

Round 11 results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
162322
WGMGomes, Mary Ann1 - 0WIMBommini, Mounika Akshaya
213412
272095
WIMFranco Valencia, Angela½ - ½WGMMaisuradze, Nino
22545
382202
WIMMonnisha, G K½ - ½IMSedina, Elena
21614
492195
WGMEnkhtuul, Altan-Ulzii1 - 0WIMChitlange, Sakshi
21753
5102288
WGMUuriintuya, Uurtsaikh1 - 0WIMMahalakshmi, M
22422
6111953
Rindhiya, V0 - 1Velpula, Sarayu
23891

Details

Final standings

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 Rp
16
WGMGomes, Mary AnnIND23229045,2572452
29
WGMEnkhtuul, Altan-UlziiMGL21957,50,544,2542336
31
Velpula, SarayuIND23897,50,535,5052317
44
IMSedina, ElenaITA21616,5032,5022269
510
WGMUuriintuya, UurtsaikhMGL22886030,5052217
63
WIMChitlange, SakshiIND21755,5026,5032203
77
WIMFranco Valencia, AngelaCOL20955123,7522174
812
WIMBommini, Mounika AkshayaIND21345025,5032160
98
WIMMonnisha, G KIND22024,5019,7522136
102
WIMMahalakshmi, MIND22424117,7522095
115
WGMMaisuradze, NinoFRA22544025,7512094
1211
Rindhiya, VIND19531,506,5011979

Details

Links

Tournament details



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