India drew 2-2 against Kazakhstan in the first match of the quarterfinals of the FIDE World Women’s Team Chess Championship here on Thursday.

India’s No.1 player D Harika drew Zhansaya Abdumalik on the top board as did R Vaishali on the second board against Dinara Saduakassova.

Bhakti Kulkarni’s loss to Meruert Kamalidenova on the third board was neutralised by Mary Ann Gomes on the fourth, with a fine 85-move win over Gulmira Dauletova.

Harika, who had a good run in the FIDE Online Olympiad recently with 7.5 points from her nine games, could not force a win against Abdumalik. Vaishali, who has been in good form in this tournament, held higher-rated Saduakassova.

Kulkarni (Elo 2149) faltered against lower-rated Kamalidenova but Gomes saved the blushes for India with a win in a marathon encounter against Dauletova.

India and Kazakhstan will play the second match of the quarterfinal later tonight.

In the other first matches in the quarterfinals, Russia took a big step towards a spot in the semifinal with a crushing 4-0 win over FIDE Americas, while Armenia registered a 3-1 victory over Ukraine and George hammered Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5.

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