Padmini Rout wins National Women Premier Championship for third time

International Master Padmini Rout scores a hat-trick in the National Women Premier Chess Championship.In New Delhi yesterday, Padmini played out a hard fought draw with her Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB ) teammate Eesha Karavade that helped her to secure a hat-trick of title wins.

Ending her tally with eight points from 11 games, Padmini managed to put an end to a series of mediocre performances that saw her rating go down by over seventy points. 

The Odisha girl was at the top of her game right through and did



not face any challenge in her quest to strike for gold.S Vijayalakshmi of Air India won silver medal while Eesha bagged bronze. 

The victory ensured that Padmini will be a part of the Indian women team in the next World team chess championship in which the Indian eves qualified by virtue of their performancein the last Chess Olympiad.

The other two confirmed members of the team are Grandmasters Koneru Humpy and D Harika while the remaining two places will be decided most likely according to February rating list.