MUMBAI, June 14: International Woman Master Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman, 18, won the National A Chess Championships when she beat Sarita Reddy in the final round at the Sachivalay Gymkhana here today.Needing a win to finish among the top four, Vijayalakshmi won after 47 moves for 9.5 points from the 14-player round robin championship.Pallavi Shah of Maharashtra, who won her second IWM norm yesterday, finished second with nine points.IWM and five times national champion Bhagyashree Thipsay, who had only 3.5 points from eight rounds, managed a remarkable five wins from the remaining five rounds to move into third spot. Swati Ghate, who became an IWM yesterday, drew with Mrunalini Kunte and finished fourth. Both Bhagyashree and Swati have 8.5 points but the former has a draw against Neha Singh, who finished last with three points while Swati had won against the Bihar girl.The top four will represent the country in the chess Olympiad to be played at Elista, Kalmikiya Republic, in September.Vijayalakshmi,who had so assiduously prepared the Nimzo Indian game, got the opportunity to play it in the final round but she got into a cramped position. She offered a pawn with the idea of winning an exchange, but Sarita accepted it and gained a passed pawn on the sixth rank protected by a bishop through a combination. Vijayalakshmi successfully stopped the pawn from queening and penetrated Sarita's King side with her queen and rook. Faced with an unavoidable mate, Sarita resigned after 47 moves.Pallavi defeated Anupama in a King's Indian game where the 18-year developed a strong centre due to an opening error by the defending champion. Anupama had to give a piece to ward off the attacks but Pallavi converted that advantage into a win.Saheli and Bhagyashree had an equal position from the latter's Caro Kann defence. But it was only until Bhagyashree launched a fierce combination which won her two pawns. Saheli's flag fell after the 36th move to give the 36-year-old Bhagyashree the third place.Mrunalini Kunte andSwati Ghate drew in a position where both had equal pawns and opposite coloured bishops. Swati had won a pawn early but blundered and handed the pawn back to Mrunalini.Also remarkable was the performance of Purabhi Singha, the first girl from Assam to qualify for the National A. She scored her fifth win, over Swati Mohota today, to finish with 5.5 points.Nisha Mohota, who lead twice during the championships, lost a berth in the Indian team after losing to Safira Shanaz. She finished fifth. In the last three rounds, she met Purabhi, Neha and Safira but managed only half-a-point.
