Bhakti makes WIM Norm

Top seed and local favourite International
Master Tania Sachdev come back strongly to defend
her National Women's title with a resounding victory
against overnight leader Kruttika Nadig of Maharashtra
in the ongoing 35th Parsvanath National Women Chess
Championship at Russian Centre for Science and Culture
here on Friday. Meanwhile, Goa's Woman FIDE Master
and World Schools Under 17 Girls Champion Bhakti
Kulkarni drew her game with Orissa's Woman
International Master Kiran Manisha Mohanty to earn
her second Woman International norm with 4 points
out of the nine rounds.

Kruttika and Tania now share the top spot with
6.5 points but the latter has a crucial edge in
the championship and a golden chance to complete
her hattrick of titles as the rules stipulate that
the result of direct encounter be taken into account
in case of a tie. Playing the white side of French
Defence, Kruttika applied the Tarrasch variation
and got a comfortable position in the middle game but
later failed to capitalize on the advantage. She made
crucial mistakes in the endgame and grabbing the
opportunity Tania went on to seal the game in her
favour in 93 moves. Kruttika, however, had something
to cheer about in the day as she achieved a nine game
Women Grandmaster norm.

Soumya Swaminathan enjoys the lone second spot
with 5 points as she defeated Padmini Rout of Orissa
while Women Grand Master Swathi Ghate of LIC got the
better of third seed WGM Eesha Karavade of Maharashtra.
Monginis Brand Ambassador Bhakti Kulkarni achieved her
Women International Master norm with a draw against
Kiran Manisha Mohanty in the most fashionable Gruenfeld
Defence. The 16 year old student of Chowgule College
who is also a former National Junior Girls Champion now
will aspire to collect full points in the remaining two
games to ensure a top 6 finish and thus earn a place in
the Indian team which will be vying for top honours in
prestigious tournaments abroad in 2009. Bhakti will be
earning 20 elo points from this tournament and she
attributed her improved performance completely to the
coaching given to her by Dronacharya Awardee Raghunandan
Gokhale via the internet. Hailing Bhakti's performance,
AICF Vice President Sameer A. Salgaocar stated that she
was well on her way to create history by becoming Goa's
first Woman International Master and that it was only a
matter of time before she earned the Woman Grandmaster
title as well!