Chennai: City-based Woman International Master Michelle Catherina moved into shared lead with three points after the fourth round of the Velammal Woman Grandmaster Chess tournament here on Wednesday.
Michelle scored over fellow Indian Varshini V in a Ruy Lopez game that lasted 40 moves. The two passed pawns on the queenside turned the game in favour of Michelle in a queen and rook ending game.
Sharing the lead with Michelle at three points were top seed International Master Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mongolia and Woman Grandmaster Babiy Olga of Ukraine. Half a point behind at 2.5 points were Divya Deshmukh, Aakanksha Hagawane (both India) and Osmak Iulija (Ukraine).
Overnight leader Olga went down to Mongolian Woman Grandmaster Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh. In a complicated Sicilian game, Olga fell for a middle game combination losing her piece and the game in 34 moves.
Results (Round 4): Osmak Iulija (Ukr) 2.5 bt Sapale Saloni (1); Munguntuul Batkhuyag (Mon) 3.0 bt Divya Deshmukh (2.5), Varshini V (1.5) lost to Michelle Catherina P (3), Franco Valencia Angela (Col) 1 lost to Chandreyee Hajra (1.5), Nakhbayeva Guliskhan (Kaz) 1.0 lost to Aakanksha Hagawane (2.5), Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh (Mon) 1.5 bt Babiy Olga (Ukr) 3.