R Bharathi moves up in Premier National women chess championship

CHENNAI: Eighteen-year-old R Bharathi of TN is close to making a hat-trick of appearances in the Premier National women chess championship. The first year SSN College of Engineering college (Palavakkam, Chennai) student got a vital breakthrough in the 10th and penultimate round of the National Women Challengers championship on Saturday when she beat Pratyusha Bodda of AP to reach a tied second spot with AG Nimmy of Kerala.
With 7.5 points, Bharathi is a half a point behind leader Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa. With a draw in the last round, she should make it to the premier national for a third time in a row. Bharathi had finished 10th in the last premier national.
Pratyusha played an unusual Ruy Lopez with black and castled long after which she had to lose a pawn. The AP girl landed in a bad position after her king got exposed. After 29 moves, Bharathi got a mating attack.
Top seed Bhakti Kulkarni moved into sole lead defeating Sai Meera in 29 moves of Kings Indian defence after creating a passed pawn on the queenside. The win took Bhakti closer to the title.
Topboard results (Round 10): Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) 8 beat Sai Meera (Indian Bank) 7, Nimmy A G (Kerala) 7.5 drew with Chandika Divyasree (AP) 7, R Bharathi (TN) 7.5 beat Pratyusha Bodda (AP) 7, S Harini (TN) 7 drew with P Michelle Catherina (TN) 7, C H Savetha (TN) 7 drew with Pon N Krithika (TN) 6.5, Pallavi Roy (WB) 7 beat P V Nandhidhaa (TN) 6, Swati Mohota (WB) 7 beat Sweta Gole (Mah) 6, G Lasya (AP) 6 lost to Cholleti Sahajasri (AP) 7, Madhurima Shekhar (Delhi) 6.5 drew with A Akshaya (TN) 6.5, A Sitalatchumi (TN) 6 lost to Supriya Joshi (Mah) 7