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For live onsite move-by-move coverage starting at 2:00pm NY time (1800 server time), log in to Playchess.com and go to the broadcast room. There, click the Games tab and double-click the game title to watch live with commentary. If you aren't already a Playchess.com member you can download the free client and create a trial account or log in as a guest.
There will be a contest during the live broadcast (by Mig Greengard) in which the winner will receive an autographed photo of both players! (And some ChessBase software, but that is clearly secondary in this case!) We'll be updating the results and games direct from the playing site as well as providing full coverage with photos, interviews, analysis, and video clips when the match is over.
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| Krush, Irina – USA (2459) | |||
| Skripchenko, Almira – France (2453) | |||
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Who: Irina Krush (2459), USA and Almira Skripchenko (2453), France
When and where: September 16, 2004. Russian Samovar Restaurant, New York, USA. Game one begins at 2:00pm local time, 18:00 GMT, 20:00 CET.
Format: Two rapid games at 25' + 10". Tiebreak of two blitz games at 5' + 10". Final tiebreak of sudden death game, six minutes for white, five minutes for black, white must win.
The winner will face 2001 FIDE women's world champion Zhu Chen on December 8 for the Accoona women's chess championship title.
Almira Skripchenko and Irina Krush
During the match we will keep posting pictures and the moves of the game here. Anyone who does not have access to Playchess.com can follow the action in this way. Note that you can cut and paste the notation below into Fritz or ChessBase.
Game one: Almira Skripchenko-Irina KrushThe first game ended in a major tragedy for the French champion Almira Skripchenko, who played well to achieve a winning advantage, only to lose control in time trouble and drop the full point against a tenaciously defending Irina Krush. The game went on for many more moves than recorded below, and will be reconstructed in our full report, which will be available later this evening. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 Nc6 4.c3 d5 5. Qe2 Nf6 6. g3 Be7 7. Bg2 b6 8. O-O Ba6 9. e5 Nd7 10. c4 {As usual, Almira avoids mountains of theory and plays a closed line against the Sicilian.} d4 {Irina decides to close the position after a long think} 11. Re1 Bb7 { Getting her bishop back in the game after it has done its job.} 12. h4 Qc7 {Another long think by Irina, who is now five minutes behind on the clock (20-15).} 13. Nbd2 {An immediate reply. The e4 square is soggy, but the weakness of the e5 pawn must be considered.} a6 14. Nf1 b5 15. b3 bxc4 16. bxc4 a5 17. Bf4 a4 18. a3 {Black has fixed a queenside weakness, the b3 square. But what is it worth?} Na5 19. Rab1 Rb8 20. N3d2 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 O-O 22. Nh2 {At last, here come some pieces toward the enemy...} Rb7 {Black has to meet the threats of kingside nastiness with queenside counterplay. Either exchanging some pieces or infiltrating.} 23. Ng4 Qc6+ 24. Ne4 Rfb8 25. Rxb7 Rxb7 26. Qf3 Rb3 27. Bd2 Qa6 28. Nh6+ gxh6 29. Qg4+ Kh8 30. Bxh6 Bf8 31. Bxf8 (31. Nd6 Qc6+ 32. Kh2 Nxe5 33. Rxe5) 31... Nxf8 32. Nf6 Ng6 33. Qh5 Qc6+ 34. Kh2 Kg7 35. Qxh7+ Kf8 36. h5 Rb2 37. Ne4 Ne7 38. h6 Ng6 39. Qg7+ Ke7 40. h7 Qe8 41. Qf6+ Kd7 42. Nd6 Qf8 43. Nxf7 Nh8 44. Qxh8 Rxf2+ 45. Kg1 Qxf7 46. Qa8 (46. Qb8 Winning. The key difference is that now b1 is covered.) 46... Rb2 47. Rf1 Qxh7 48. Qa7+ Nb7 49. Qxa4+ Kc7 {Almira: "I could resign here." We'll try to get the rest of the moves later, but both players are obviously distracted and distraught right now. It didn't look like White had any chances to survive in the time scramble that follows.} 0-1. |
Game two: Irina Krush-Almira Skripchenko Needing to win with the black pieces Almira Skripchenko pressed hard and gained a tangible advantage against her young American opponent. She also had a great deal more time on her clock. But all efforts to force a win were in vain and in the end she accepted a draw in a losing position. That gave Irina Krush an overall victory and she will play against the Chinese world champion Zhu Chen in December. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 c5 7. dxc5 Na6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 Nxc5 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Qxf6 gxf6 12. b4 Na4 13. e3 b6 14. Nf3 Ba6 15. Rc1 Rac8 16. Kd2 Rc7 17. Nd4 Rfc8 18. c5 Bxf1 19. Rhxf1 bxc5 20. Nb5 Rc6 21. Nxa7 Rd6+ 22. Ke2 Rb8 23. Rfd1 Rxd1 24. Kxd1 cxb4 25. axb4 Rxb4 26. Ke2 Rb2+ 27. Kf3 Nb6 28. Rc7 f5 29. Nc8 Nd5 30. Rxd7 Nf6 31. Rd8+ Kg7 32. Nd6 Ng4 33. h3 Ne5+ 34. Kg3 h5 35. f4 Ng6 36. Rd7 h4+ 37. Kf3 Nh8 38. Nc4 Rb1 39. Ne5 Kg8 40. Rd8+ Kg7 41. Rd7 Re1 42. Kf2 Ra1 43. Rb7 Ra2+ 44. Kf3 Rc2 45. Ra7 Kf6 46. Rb7 Rc8 47. Nd7+ Kg7 48. Ne5 Kg8 49. Ra7 Rf8 50. Rb7 Rd8 51. Ra7 Rb8 52. Rc7 Ra8 53. Rb7 Kg7 54. Rc7 Rf8 55. Ra7 Kh6 56. Nd7 Rg8 57. Ne5 Rg7 58. Ra8 Kh7 59. Rf8 Rg3+ 60. Kf2 Kg7 61. Ra8 f6 62. Ra7+ Kg8 63. Ra8+ Kh7 64. Nf3 Rg7 65. Nxh4 Rb7 66. Re8 Rb6 67. Nf3 Ng6 68. Nd4 Rb2+ 69. Kg3 e5 70. Nxf5 Rb3 71. Kg4 exf4 72. exf4 Rb4 73. g3 Ne5+ 74. Kh5 Ng6 75. Ra8 Rb7 76. Ra6 Rf7 77. Nd6 Rd7 78. Nf5 Rf7 79. Nd6 Rd7 {IRINA KRUSH WINS THE MATCH 1.5-0.5} 1/2-1/2 |
A full illustrated report will follow later tonight
Two IMs: Irina Krush arrives at the venue with Pascal Charbonneau, her friend
and helper
The two contestants tugging at the cup just before the match begins
This is what they are playing for (and a nice check, of course)
