Mary Ann Gomes Closer To Title
By Arvind Aaron

Woman Grand Master Mary Ann Gomes of Kolkata scored an important win against WIM Kruttika Nadig of Pune to establish a one point lead at the end of the eighth and penultimate round. The Sri Sai Ram Engineering College sponsored Asian Junior Chess Championship has just one round still to go. Mary Ann is well placed to win her title she won in Mumbai 2007.

Mary Ann did not have to work hard in the opening as Kruttika opted for a refuted line and paid its price. Mary Ann converted the advantage of the passed central pawn. Mary Ann Gomes leads with 7/8 and needs a draw against Padmini Rout with white to retain her title. Kruttika Nadig, Sivasankari and Bhakti Kulkarni have six points. Kruttika Nadig has theoretical chances if Mary Ann loses.

In the boys group, Ashwin Jayaram of Chennai was little lucky again. In this round also, his opponent, S. Nitin of Salem, had a draw if he had played accurately. Ashwin gave a bishop, then rook and finally a queen to pocket a win and maintain his slender half point lead. He is on 7/8. Vidit Gujrathi and Lalith Babu are in joint second place on 6.5 points.

Lalith Babu of Vijayawada kept the pressure on black's centre and won a pawn and through a discovered knight move was tacitly able to attack two bishops and win an exchange and defeat Priyadharshan of Madurai. Vidit had an easy win over Debashis Das with black using his two bishops.