Padmini Rout showing promising signs at world junior chess championships
Padmini Rout, one of the most medal-decorated girl in World Age Categories was one of the quick finishers in Round 2 of the World Junior and World Junior Girls Chess Championship in progress in Pune. Third seed Daria Pustovoitova of Russia also scored an early victory against Mila Zarkovic of Serbia. Chinese GM Yi Wei, the third had also scored a victory over Ider Borya of France at the time of going to press.
The event has garnered lot of attention as it is one of the toughest ones ever in terms of Rating strength. The Government of Maharashtra and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) are the main sponsors while ONGC, Amanora, Jain Irrigation and Everstone are the associate sponsors.
India’s best bet to win the girls title, Padmini has now logged two points in as many games The petite, curly haired Orissa based player wielding Whites latched onto an early inaccuracy in the Sicilian defence adopted by Tihana Ivekovic of Croatia and launched a whirlwind attack. Her King-side pawns were pushed aggressively and her queen, knight, bishop and rook were soon swarming around her opponent’s King, threatening to weave a check-mating net.
Tihana could avert check-mate by managing the exchange of queens and other pieces but left Padmini with a winning ending, one which the Indian had no difficulty in converting into a win after 43 moves. Later Padmini revealed, “she allowed me too many attacking possibilities in the Opening and thereafter things were easy“.
In the Open section second seed and one of the strong contenders for the title GM Van Kampen Robin of Netherland was held to a draw by Jinshi Bai of China. The players battled it out in a Sicilian defence for 26 moves and sealed the draw by repetition of moves.
Prince Bajaj of India also performed creditably to draw against sixth ranked Polish GM Karen Duda Jan-Krzysztof (2599).
Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com
She’s hot and so talented.