Soumya leads National Women's Premier Chess

Soumya Swaminathan of PSCB continued her winning streak to lead the table after Round 6 of the 42nd National Women's Premier Chess Championship here today.
Close on her heels, half a point behind, are Padmini Rout of Odisha and Swati Ghate of LIC with 4.5 points apiece.
Playing white, Soumya defeated Neha Singh of Bihar in a Ruy Lopez opening.
Defending champion and top seed Padmini sailed through comfortably with black pieces against Priyanka Nutakki of Andhra Pradesh in a Grunfeld defence.
Playing attacking chess, Swati Ghate of LIC sacrificed her rook for bishop to weave a mating net around Pratyusha Bodda's king.

Her young opponent from Andhra Pradesh was forced to give up her queen to stave off the mate.

Swati played the resulting endgame with queen against a rook and bishop with precision to net the full point.
Former National champion Tania Sachdev's miserable form continued as she lost yet another game -- this time to WGM Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa -- with white in a Queen's Gambit Tarrasch variation.
World under 14 girls champion R Vaishali of Tamil Nadu showed her class to get the better of her state-mate K Priyanka with black in a Scotch opening.