Chennai: Andhra Pradesh's Pratyusha shocked defending champion Soumya Swaminathan of Maharashtra in the opening round of the Velammal Educational Trust National Premier women's chess championship here on Saturday.
Pratyusha, created a protected passed pawn in the middlegame and used that same king rook pawn to down former World junior champion Soumya in 60 moves with white.
Chennai's Saranya held second-seeded Woman Grandmaster Padmini Rout of Orissa to a draw after the players repeated the position thrice in only 24 moves.
In a fluid position, where it was hard to say which king was more exposed, top-seeded Tania Sachdev spotted a brilliant combination to sacrifice her queen on move 32. It gave the two-time champion checkmate on the next move and forced former five-time champion Bhagyashree Thipsay to resign.
On board three, third-seeded Eesha Karavade was not impressive at the start but in the end used all her experience to defeat Nandhidhaa in 54 moves from a well-timed pawn ending.
The Hindu