Nandhidhaa clinches Indian Oil 51st National Women 2025, wins the event for the second year in-a-row
WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN) defeated WIM Srishti Pandey (MAH) to win Indian Oil 51st National Women's Chess Championship 2025. It was a battle fitting for a finale. After, WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB) drew her game against WGM Varshini (TN), it was clear that Nandhidhaa needed a win to become the champion without the need of tie-breaks whereas a draw would have left things up in the air. Nandhidhaa won a grueling battle which was heading towards a draw until her opponent blundered in the final moments of the game under pressure. Thus, Nandhidhaa won the National Women's title for the second consecutive year and secured her place in the next FIDE Women's World Cup. Mary Ann secured second place. The newly crowned National Sub-Junior Girls champion, WFM Arshiya Das (TRI) defeated WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP) to finish third. A draw in the final round would have given Srishti a third or fourth place finish. However, the loss pushed her to sixth place. Shubhi and Nivedita V C (TN) scored a WIM-norm each in a rare feat for National Women Championship. Photos: Shahid Ahmed
Shubhi Gupta and Nivedita V C score WIM-norms
It is quite rare for a National Women's Chess Championship to have players score WIM-norms, let alone two. This event witnessed, both WFM Shubhi Gupta (UP) and WFM Nivedita V C (TN) score a WIM-norm each. This is Shubhi's second WIM-norm, while Nivedita's first. The former National Junior Girls champion, Shubhi is now final WIM-norm away from becoming India's next Woman International Master. Overall, it was an extremely tough field for the players even though very few former National Women's Champions took part compared to previous editions. Only two out of the top three seeds finished the event. It became almost like a f1 race where even top drivers struggle to finish a 50(+) lap event, because it is that much difficult.
Nandhidhaa - Srishti: 1-0
WGM Nandhidhaa P V (TN, 2257) opted for the Scotch Opening against WIM Srishti Pandey (MAH, 2219). Nandhidhaa dropped a pawn early in the game.
12.f4? Rab8 13.b3 Nxf4! dropped a pawn 14.Qe3 forcing the queen trade to ensure Black cannot capitalize on White's stranded king in the middle Qxe3 15.Bxe3 Ng6 16.Bxa7 momentarily regained the lost pawn Ra8 17.Bd4 Rfe8 18.0-0-0 Bc8 19.Bd3 Nxe5 Black has once again got an extra pawn, although White has enough compensation for it. The game eventually liquidated into a double bishop vs bishop and knight endgame.
The game seemed to be heading towards a draw. 54...h2 55.Bxh2 Na5+ 56.Kc3 Bxb7 57.Bc7 Bxa6 was perhaps the safest choice for Black. Pressure of the situation as it was a game for the title, being low on time got the better of Black. 54...Be2+? 55.Kc5 Bxa6! 56.Bxa6 Kg4?? was the final mistake. 56...h2 57.Bxh2 Ne7 58.Be2 Ng8 59.Bg1 f5 60.Be3+ f4 61.Bd2 Nh6 still leads to a draw. 57.Kxc6+- and White won the game in the next few moves. Nandhidhaa became champion and won the tournament for the second consecutive year and qualified to the FIDE Women's World Cup for the third consecutive edition. Winning a virtual must-win game after suffering a loss in the crucial penultimate round, is definitely a huge feat by Nandhidhaa. The minor piece endgame should end up in future endgame books in calculation, tactics and techniques sections.
Varshini - Mary Ann: 0.5-0.5
WGM Varshini V (TN, 2170) and WGM Mary Ann Gomes (PSPB, 2243) drew in 31 moves via repetition. The draw ensured minimum a second place finish for Mary Ann, had Srishti defeated Nandhidhaa, Mary would become champion. A draw between Nandhidhaa and Mary would have made tie-breaks come into play. Neither of those scenarios happened.
Shubhi - Sachi: 0-1
The newly crowned National Sub-Junior Girls champion, WFM Arshiya Das (TRI, 2232) mentioned in the post-game interview that she was surprised by her opponent, WFM Shubhi Gupta's (UP, 2259) choice of opening. So she played on her own.
Position after 18...fxe5
White felt that 19.dxe5 Rxe5 20.f4 Rxf5 21.g4 could have given her a good attacking chances. Instead, 19.g4 Nf7 20.Bc3 Rc8 21.Rc1 e4 22.Ba5 e3 and things turned completely in Black's favor. It all went downhill from there as Black converted her positional advantage into a win comfortably.
L to R: Aaradhya's father, WCM Aaradhya Das, WFM Arshiya Das and Arshiya's mother. Fun fact: Tripura's top players are both female.
WIM-norms
Photo Gallery
Two special prizes were awarded to two young participants. Both are seven-year-olds.
For more Round 11 and Prize distribution ceremony photos, please click on the respective links.
Replay Round 11 games
Round 11 results
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | 2257 | 8½ | 1 - 0 | 8 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | 2219 | 10 |
| 2 | 14 | WGM | Varshini, V | 2170 | 7½ | ½ - ½ | 8½ | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | 2243 | 8 |
| 3 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | 2259 | 8 | 0 - 1 | 7½ | WFM | Arshiya, Das | 2232 | 9 |
| 4 | 18 | WFM | Sachi, Jain | 2080 | 7½ | ½ - ½ | 7½ | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | 2182 | 12 |
| 5 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | 2003 | 7½ | 0 - 1 | 7 | WIM | Nimmy, A.G. | 1990 | 31 |
| 6 | 55 | WFM | Potluri, Supreetha | 1850 | 7 | ½ - ½ | 7 | WGM | Srija, Seshadri | 2251 | 7 |
| 7 | 32 | Rebecca, Jesumarian | 1982 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | WIM | Velpula, Sarayu | 2296 | 2 | |
| 8 | 4 | FM | Sherali, Pattnaik | 2270 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | Maitreyi, Mondal | 2001 | 29 | |
| 9 | 24 | Mrittika, Mallick | 2011 | 6½ | 1 - 0 | 6½ | WIM | Chitlange, Sakshi | 2193 | 11 | |
| 10 | 16 | IM | Mohota, Nisha | 2144 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | WFM | Saparya, Ghosh | 1971 | 34 |
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | WGM | Nandhidhaa, P V | IND | 2257 | Tamil Nadu | 9,5 | 74 | 79,5 | 66,75 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | 8 | WGM | Gomes, Mary Ann | IND | 2243 | Petroleum Sports Promotion Board | 9 | 73 | 78 | 62,75 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | 9 | WFM | Arshiya, Das | IND | 2232 | Tripura | 8,5 | 66 | 70 | 52,75 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | 5 | WFM | Shubhi, Gupta | IND | 2259 | Uttar Pradesh | 8 | 78 | 83 | 57 | 0 | 8 |
| 5 | 12 | WFM | Kalyani, Sirin | IND | 2182 | Kerala | 8 | 71,5 | 77 | 54,5 | 0 | 6 |
| 6 | 10 | WIM | Pandey, Srishti | IND | 2219 | Maharashtra | 8 | 70,5 | 75,5 | 52,25 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | 14 | WGM | Varshini, V | IND | 2170 | Tamil Nadu | 8 | 70 | 74 | 51,75 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | 18 | WFM | Sachi, Jain | IND | 2080 | Delhi | 8 | 67 | 72 | 50,25 | 0 | 6 |
| 9 | 31 | WIM | Nimmy, A.G. | IND | 1990 | Kerala | 8 | 66 | 70 | 47 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | 28 | WFM | Nivedita, V C | IND | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 7,5 | 73 | 78 | 49 | 0 | 7 |
Links
Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha: Official site and fb page
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