World Top 100 Players

Leaders remained unchanged while Mary Ann Gomes completed an achievement in addition. WFM Mary Ann Gomes and WGM Nisha Mohota of Bengal won their ninth round games to retain the joint lead in the 31st National Women A Championship being played at Hotel Goldfinch at Bangalore on Monday. They have 6.5 points from nine rounds.

Anupama Gokhale of Bharat Petroleum, Mumbai won against Swati Mohota with the black pieces to move to clear third place with six points. The other five-time national champion Bhagyashree Thipsay fell back in the race for the joint third place with a draw.

Mary Ann Gomes was too strong for Sivasankari winning quickly. Nisha Mohota had to work longer to overcome Anuprita Patil. Both leaders played with the white pieces. The two leaders face each other in the twelfth round which will possibly decide the title. Tamil Nadu's Raghavi held Aarthie Ramesh of Indian Airlines, Chennai to a quick 16-move draw with white.

Mary Ann Gomes made her second 10-game IWM norm today. "All she has to do is come and play the tenth round," said arbiter V.Kameswaran. She completed her first IWM norm covering 11 games at New Delhi earlier this year. She will need a third norm to become an IWM. She is presently a Woman FIDE Master. Mary Ann Gomes is currently the fastest rising Indian women player. Others players have lost the norm chance after this round. 

Kruttika Nadig who is out of form playing before her home drew Swati Ghate with the white pieces. Priya claimed a draw by three time photographic repetition of the position against Nimmy George of Kerala and got it. Four rounds remain to be played in this Rs.1.32 lakh prize money event.

The results of the ninth round:

The pairing for Tuesday's tenth round:

C o n t a c t