Tata Steel India 2023 Women Rapid R4-6: Divya Deshmukh domination continues

by Shahid Ahmed - 02/09/2023

IM Divya Deshmukh won all three of her games on the second day of Tata Steel Chess India 2023 Women Rapid. She defeated GM Irina Krush (USA), WGM Savitha Shri B and IM Vantika Agrawal. Krush got crushed in the fourth round, Savitha's position got crippled and Vantika blundered a queen by a skewer in the endgame. Divya is on a four-game winning streak having a 5.5/6 score. She is now a whopping 1.5 points ahead of the competition. Reigning Women's World Champion, GM Wenjun Ju (CHN) is the sole player at 4/6. Divya needs to score 2/3 in the last three games against the defending champion - GM Anna Ushenina (UKR), IM Polina Shuvalova and India no.1 woman - GM Koneru Humpy. The teenager has a fantastic chance to win the tournament. Will she win it? Round 7 starts today at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: IA Vivek Sohani/Tata Steel Chess India

Humpy scores her first win, Harika still in search for a full point

India's top two women are having a tough time at this event. GM Koneru Humpy finished the day by winning against GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO). GM Harika Dronavalli drew all three of her games on the second day.

It is IM Divya Deshmukh's time

Round 4: Divya - Krush: 1-0

In the first-ever encounter between, IM Divya Deshmukh (2216) and GM Irina Krush (USA, 2405), the youngster won the game smoothly.

Position after 31...g6

After a couple of inane moves like 29...Qf5 30.Kh2 Qe6 31.Qd3 g6? made it seem like Black lost the thread of the position. 32.Rd6 probably would have ended things sooner. The game continued 32.b4 Kg7 33.Rd7 and White won the game in another 20 moves.

Divya Deshmukh started the second day exactly in the same way as the first

Nino - Savitha

Position after 35...e6

35.Rf3 allowed Black to break the position e6. Despite GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO, 2364) having a bishop pair, her opponent WGM Savitha Shri B (2236) is not afraid to open up the position, due to the fact that even after 36.dxe6+ Rxe6 37.Rxe6 Bxe6 it is not easy for White to activate the bishops. Black masterfully traded the light squared bishops to ensure White cannot make the most out of her double bishops.

WGM Savitha Shri B scored her first win of the event against GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO)

Round 5: Savitha - Divya: 0-1

The only rated game between WGM Savitha Shri B (2236) and IM Divya Deshmukh (2216) took place over six years ago at National Under-13 Girls. Divya prevailed in that game. The outcome was repeated once again today.

Position after 19.g4

White's position is completely crippled. 19.g4 is a desperate attempt to save the game. After 19...hxg4 there was not much to go on. Black went on to win the game.

IM Divya Deshmukh completed a hat-trick of wins at the event

Nino - Humpy, Round 6

Position after 39...Raxa5

40.Rb4?? Rab5 41.Rxe4 Rb1 42.Kxf3 Rxc1 ended things in a hurry for White. Try to find out White's only defense.

GM Koneru Humpy scored her first win of the tournament against GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO)

Savitha - Ushenina

Position after 37...fxg3??

37...fxg3?? is a blunder. Find out why.

IM Vantika Agrawal blundered her queen in the sixth round against IM Divya Deshmukh

Spectators in attendance on Day 2

GM Robert Hess (USA) and IM Soumya Swaminathan are the official commentators

Tata Steel Chess India 2023 Women Rapid | Round 4-6 Live commentary by GM Robert Hess (USA) and IM Soumya Swaminathan | Video: chess.com

Replay Round 4-6 games

Round 4-6 results

Round 4 on 2023/09/01 at 1500 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	10	2216	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	1 - 0	GM	Krush, Irina	2405	7	PGN
2	8	2307	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	0 - 1	GM	Ju, Wenjun	2592	6	PGN
3	9	2358	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	1 - 0	GM	Koneru, Humpy	2473	5	PGN
4	1	2459	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	½ - ½	GM	Ushenina, Anna	2384	4	PGN
5	2	2364	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	0 - 1	WIM	Savitha, Shri B	2236	3	PGN
Round 5 on 2023/09/01 at 1630 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	3	2236	WIM	Savitha, Shri B	0 - 1	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	2216	10	PGN
2	4	2384	GM	Ushenina, Anna	1 - 0	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	2364	2	PGN
3	5	2473	GM	Koneru, Humpy	½ - ½	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2459	1	PGN
4	6	2592	GM	Ju, Wenjun	½ - ½	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	2358	9	PGN
5	7	2405	GM	Krush, Irina	1 - 0	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	2307	8	PGN
Round 6 on 2023/09/01 at 1800 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	10	2216	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	1 - 0	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	2307	8	PGN
2	9	2358	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	½ - ½	GM	Krush, Irina	2405	7	PGN
3	1	2459	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	½ - ½	GM	Ju, Wenjun	2592	6	PGN
4	2	2364	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	0 - 1	GM	Koneru, Humpy	2473	5	PGN
5	3	2236	WIM	Savitha, Shri B	½ - ½	GM	Ushenina, Anna	2384	4	PGN

Details

Standings after Round 6

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	10	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2216	5,5	0	0	14,00	5	3
2	6	GM	Ju, Wenjun	CHN	2592	4	0	0	12,25	2	1
3	9	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	FID	2358	3,5	0	0	9,50	2	0
4	7	GM	Krush, Irina	USA	2405	3	0	0,5	7,75	2	0
5	4	GM	Ushenina, Anna	UKR	2384	3	0	0,5	7,25	1	0
6	1	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	IND	2459	2,5	0	0	6,50	0	0
7	8	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	IND	2307	2,5	0	0	6,25	2	1
8	3	WIM	Savitha, Shri B	IND	2236	2,5	0	0	5,50	1	1
9	5	GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2473	2	0	0	4,75	1	1
10	2	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	GEO	2364	1,5	0	0	4,75	1	0

Details

Round 7-9 pairings

Round 7 on 2023/09/02 at 1500 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	4	2384	GM	Ushenina, Anna		WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	2216	10
2	5	2473	GM	Koneru, Humpy		WIM	Savitha, Shri B	2236	3
3	6	2592	GM	Ju, Wenjun		GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	2364	2
4	7	2405	GM	Krush, Irina		GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2459	1
5	8	2307	IM	Vantika, Agrawal		IM	Shuvalova, Polina	2358	9
Round 8 on 2023/09/02 at 1630 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	10	2216	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh		IM	Shuvalova, Polina	2358	9
2	1	2459	GM	Dronavalli, Harika		IM	Vantika, Agrawal	2307	8
3	2	2364	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino		GM	Krush, Irina	2405	7
4	3	2236	WIM	Savitha, Shri B		GM	Ju, Wenjun	2592	6
5	4	2384	GM	Ushenina, Anna		GM	Koneru, Humpy	2473	5
Round 9 on 2023/09/02 at 1800 h
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	5	2473	GM	Koneru, Humpy		WGM	Divya, Deshmukh	2216	10
2	6	2592	GM	Ju, Wenjun		GM	Ushenina, Anna	2384	4
3	7	2405	GM	Krush, Irina		WIM	Savitha, Shri B	2236	3
4	8	2307	IM	Vantika, Agrawal		GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	2364	2
5	9	2358	IM	Shuvalova, Polina		GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2459	1

Details

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