Indian Oil 51st National Women 2025 R8: Nandhidhaa gets the better of Sarayu, maintains her sole lead
WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN) registered her fifth win in-a-row in the eighth round of Indian Oil 51st National Women's Chess Championship 2025. The reigning and defending champion, Nandhidhaa had an inferior position in the middlegame against WGM Sarayu Velpula (TEL). They were teammates last month at FIDE World Women's Team Championship 2025. The reigning and defending champion, managed to turn things around and win the game. WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP) bounced back with an emphatic victory against WIM Kalyani Sirin (KER) to move to 7/8. WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB), the new National Sub-Junior Girls champion - WFM Arshiya Das (TRI) and Telangana State Women's champion, Shivamshika G are at 6.5/8 each. Round 9 starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed
Shubhi Gupta bounces back
Nine out of top ten games ended decisively. It goes without saying that as the finish draws closer, things are getting more heated. The new National Sub-Junior Girls champion, WFM Arshiya Das (TRI) scored the fastest win among the top ten boards of Round 8. The Telangana State Women 2025 champion, Shivamshika G continues to play impressive chess. WGM Swati Ghate's (LIC) ambitious attack did not work out against the top seed, WIM Arpita Mukherjee (WB). The All-Maharashtra clash between Sannidhi Ramakrishna Bhat and WIM Srishti Pandey was won by the latter.
Sarayu - Nandhidhaa: 0-1
WGM Sarayu Velpula (TEL, 2296) and WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN, 2257) were teammates last month at FIDE World Women's Team Championship 2025. In the previous edition, last year, they faced each other in the eighth round with the exact same color. It was a draw then. This time, the outcome was different.
White needed to play on her strength 25.f4 or b6 would have solidified her firm grip on the position. 25.Ra3 Ra8 26.Qd2 loosened it. White misplayed and the tabled turned completely in favor of Black.
Shubhi - Kalyani: 1-0
WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP, 2259) made her intentions clear early in the game against WIM Kalyani Sirin (KER, 2182).
White seized the first opportunity that was presented to her 17.Nxf5! gxf5 18.fxe4 Nf6 19.e5 Ng4 20.h3 Bh4 21.Qf3 Bxg3 22.Qxg3 Qg5 23.hxg4 White managed to recover the sacrificed knight. White got an extra pawn out of the entire ordeal. However, Black eventually fought back and equalized.
In the above position, Black made the mistake of trading the rooks 41...Rxh3?? 42.gxh3 the resultant knight endgame is winning for White.
Nivedita - Mary Ann
WFM Nivedita V C (TN, 2003) went wrong in a difficult queen, rook and bishop endgame against WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB, 2243). 44.h4? was the first mistake Bxd5 45.Qf8+?? Kh7 and now checkmate is unstoppable. White's king is too exposed and her pieces are far away to come to the aid of the king.
Arshiya - Ananya
In an already difficult position, Ananya Raman (TN, 2005) blundered 30...Kg7?? 31.Qd5 f6 32.Rd1 is a computer line. 31.Rf2 f6 32.h3 Kf7 33.Rd2 f5 34.Qb3+ Kf6 35.Qg8 Bxd6 36.c4 Qe7 37.Na7 and it's over.
Shivamshika - Sneha
Shivamshika G (TEL, 1881) continues playing impressive and attacking chess. She got a decisive advantage after 15.b5+- bxc5 16.bxc6 Bc8 17.dxc5 d4 18.c7 Qxc7 19.Ng6 Qa7 20.Nxe7 Qxe7 21.Bd6 and White went on to win the game using his split passed pawns on a and c-files.
Swati - Arpita: 0-1
WGM Swati Ghate (LIC, 2036) and WIM Arpita Mukherjee (WB, 2301) have faced each other twice at National Championship - B and A in 2014 and 2023. On both occassion, the result was 0-1. Swati won the first and Arpita the latter. This time also the result was 0-1.
White went for an ambitious attack 17.Qg3? Bf6 and now the f5-knight does not have any square to go. So, White had to make way 18.Qf3 g6 19.N5h4 Bg7 20.Nh2 Nge7 21.f4 exf4 22.Bxf4 Qc8 23.c4 g5-+ 24.Bxg5 fxg5 25.Qxg5 White never got enough compensation for the lost material.
Sannidhi - Srishti
16.Ng2 Black found a nice pawn sacrifice to gain initiative b5! 17.Bxb5 Ne5 18.Bxf4 gxf4 19.Qe2 Rb8 20.Bc4 Qb6 21.Bb3 a5 22.Nxf4 Ba6 23.Qe3 a4 24.h4 axb3 and Black went on to win the game convincingly.
For more Round 8 photos, please click here.
Replay Round 8 games
Round 8 results
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | 2296 | 5½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | 2257 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | 2259 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 5½ | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | 2182 | 12 |
| 3 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | 2003 | 5½ | 0 - 1 | 5½ | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | 2243 | 8 |
| 4 | 9 | WFM | Arshiya, Das | 2232 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | Ananya, Raman | 2005 | 26 | |
| 5 | 49 | Shivamshika, G | 1881 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | WFM | Sneha, Halder | 2160 | 15 | |
| 6 | 20 | WGM | Swati, Ghate | 2036 | 5 | 0 - 1 | 5 | WIM | Arpita, Mukherjee | 2301 | 1 |
| 7 | 33 | Bhat, Sannidhi Ramakrishna | 1978 | 5 | 0 - 1 | 5 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | 2219 | 10 | |
| 8 | 11 | WIM | Chitlange, Sakshi | 2193 | 5 | ½ - ½ | 5 | WFM | Bristy, Mukherjee | 2008 | 25 |
| 9 | 13 | WFM | Kheerthi, Ganta | 2177 | 5 | 1 - 0 | 5 | WCM | Rajanya, Datta | 1926 | 41 |
| 10 | 55 | WFM | Potluri, Supreetha | 1850 | 5 | 0 - 1 | 5 | WGM | Varshini, V | 2170 | 14 |
Standings after Round 8
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | IND | 2257 | Tamil Nadu | 7,5 | 38,5 | 42,5 | 39,75 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | IND | 2259 | Uttar Pradesh | 7 | 39 | 43 | 35,5 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | 8 | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | IND | 2243 | Petroleum Sports Promotion Board | 6,5 | 36,5 | 40,5 | 30,75 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | 9 | WFM | Arshiya, Das | IND | 2232 | Tripura | 6,5 | 33 | 36 | 30,25 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | 49 | Shivamshika, G | IND | 1881 | Telangana | 6,5 | 33 | 35,5 | 27 | 0 | 6 | |
| 6 | 1 | WIM | Arpita, Mukherjee | IND | 2301 | West Bengal | 6 | 38 | 42 | 30,75 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | 14 | WGM | Varshini, V | IND | 2170 | Tamil Nadu | 6 | 35 | 37,5 | 27,5 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | 10 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | IND | 2219 | Maharashtra | 6 | 34,5 | 38 | 27,75 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | 13 | WFM | Kheerthi, Ganta | IND | 2177 | Telangana | 6 | 32 | 35 | 25,5 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | IND | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 5,5 | 38,5 | 41,5 | 25,25 | 0 | 5 |
Round 9 pairings
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | 2257 | 7½ | 6½ | WFM | Arshiya, Das | 2232 | 9 | |
| 2 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | 2259 | 7 | 6½ | Shivamshika, G | 1881 | 49 | ||
| 3 | 8 | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | 2243 | 6½ | 6 | WFM | Kheerthi, Ganta | 2177 | 13 | |
| 4 | 10 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | 2219 | 6 | 6 | WIM | Arpita, Mukherjee | 2301 | 1 | |
| 5 | 14 | WGM | Varshini, V | 2170 | 6 | 5½ | WIM | Chitlange, Sakshi | 2193 | 11 | |
| 6 | 26 | Ananya, Raman | 2005 | 5½ | 5½ | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | 2296 | 2 | ||
| 7 | 32 | Rebecca, Jesumarian | 1982 | 5½ | 5½ | WGM | Srija, Seshadri | 2251 | 7 | ||
| 8 | 12 | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | 2182 | 5½ | 5½ | WFM | Saparya, Ghosh | 1971 | 34 | |
| 9 | 15 | WFM | Sneha, Halder | 2160 | 5½ | 5½ | WFM | Nivedita, V C | 2003 | 28 | |
| 10 | 16 | IM | Mohota, Nisha | 2144 | 5½ | 5½ | Maitreyi, Mondal | 2001 | 29 |
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