Khanty 09: Hou Yifan leads by two points

by Alejandro Ramirez
4/20/2014 – "Girya in hot pursuit" was the title of our previous report. The Russian WGM had beaten the second seed and was aiming at the leader, Women's World Champion Hou Yifan. The two met in round nine, Chinese GM launched a devastating kingside attack, won the game and took a two-point lead over the field. Her her performance: 2750. With just two rounds to go we have a winner!

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

The fourth stage of the the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix series 2013-2014 is taking place at the Ugra Chess Academy, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from the 8th of April until the 22nd of April 2014. It is a twelve-player round robin with time controls of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, with 30 minutes plus an additional 30 seconds per move for the rest of the game. The total prize fund is 60,000, with the winner getting 10,000 Euro.

Round Nine

Round 09 – April 19 2014, 14:00h
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
0-1
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Girya, Olga 2450
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
½-½
Zhao Xue 2552
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
½-½
Ushenina, Anna 2501
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
1-0
Stefanova, A 2489
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
½-½
Muminova, Nafisa 2321

Muzychuk, Anna 0-1 Kosteniuk, Alexandra
The Catalan-like sacrifices on c4 come with risks for both sides, always. White's strong pawn center is many times overwhelmed by black's massive queen-side pawn structure. In this case both sides held their advantages closely, but at some point Muzychuk lost her way in the tactical complications and Kosteniuk capitalized fully on her opponent's mistakes.

A pleased Alexandra jumps to third place

Anna Muzychuk tried to grab second place from
Olga Girya but was stopped cold by Alexandra Kosteniuk

Hou Yifan 1-0 Girya, Olga
Clearly the most important result of the round. Hou Yifan started a dangerous attack on the kingside that had to be met with precision by Black. The machines give some crazy defensive lines, but Girya did not find them and the World Champion's bishops ravaged the board. This cost the Russian suitor her queen and it was simple technique from Hou Yifan that was required to take a two point commanding lead with only two rounds to go.

Happily on top: Hou Yifan with two points ahead of...

Olga Girya, who is still second

Kosintseva, Tatiana ½-½ Zhao Xue
A very entertaining game. The opposite colored bishops allowed Kosintseva to launch an attack on the light-squares that cost Zhao Xue an exchange, but she obtained a pawn and some interesting compensation for it. Eventually and endgame was reached where White had winning chances, but nothing more. She tried for many, many moves but was unable to bring down the Chinese wall.

Tatiana has great experience in women events but this was not her Grand Prix

A great start was followed by a tough few games for Zhao Xue who is not near the top now

Tuvshintugs, Batchimeg ½-½ Ushenina, Anna
This game was equal from beginning to end. Both players tried their hardest but they just couldn't cause enough problems to the other player.

Anna has had her ups and down in Khanty, but she sits at 50%

Batchimeg is still one point away from climbing out of last place

Dzagnidze, Nana 1-0 Stefanova, Antoaneta
A strange Stone Wall came to an abrupt end when Dzagnidze sacrificed an exchange for activity against Stefanova. The Bulgarian player still had some defensive resources but for some reason she was unable to find them and her entire position collapsed.

Lagno, Kateryna ½-½ Muminova, Nafisa
At some point it seemed that surely White's devasting pin on the e-file would reap a deadly reward, but somehow Muminova's cool rook movements were sufficient to hold the game and it seemed impossible for Lagno to find an entry point. After the queen's came off it was obvious that the opposite colored bishops would lead this game to a draw.

Kateryna's 50% is a little below her expected performance

Nafisa survived a near-deadly pin on the e-file today

Round Nine Games

Select from the dropdown menu to replay the games

Standings

Photos by Nikolay Bochkarev, from the official website

Schedule and results

Round 01 – April 9 2014, 14:00h
Stefanova, A 2489
½-½
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Ushenina, Anna 2501
1-0
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Zhao Xue 2552
1-0
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Girya, Olga 2450
1-0
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
1-0
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Round 02 – April 10 2014, 14:00h
Kosteniuk, A 2527
0-1
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
0-1
Hou Yifan 2618
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
½-½
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
1-0
Girya, Olga 2450
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
1-0
Zhao Xue 2552
Stefanova, A 2489
1-0
Ushenina, Anna 2501
Round 03 – April 11 2014, 14:00h
Ushenina, Anna 2501
½-½
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Zhao Xue 2552
1-0
Stefanova, A 2489
Girya, Olga 2450
½-½
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
½-½
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
½-½
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Round 04 – April 12 2014, 14:00h
Kosteniuk, A 2527
1-0
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
1-0
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
½-½
Hou Yifan 2618
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
0-1
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
Stefanova, A 2489
½-½
Girya, Olga 2450
Ushenina, Anna 2501
½-½
Zhao Xue 2552
Round 05 – April 14 2014, 14:00h
Zhao Xue 2552
½-½
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Girya, Olga 2450
½-½
Ushenina, Anna 2501
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
½-½
Stefanova, A 2489
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
½-½
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
0-1
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Round 06 – April 15 2014, 14:00h
Kosteniuk, A 2527
1-0
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
½-½
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
1-0
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Stefanova, A 2489
½-½
Hou Yifan 2618
Ushenina, Anna 2501
½-½
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
Zhao Xue 2552
0-1
Girya, Olga 2450
Round 07 – April 16 2014, 14:00h
Girya, Olga 2450
1-0
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
1-0
Zhao Xue 2552
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Ushenina, Anna 2501
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
½-½
Stefanova, A 2489
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
0-1
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
½-½
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Round 08 – April 17 2014, 14:00h
Kosteniuk, A 2527
½-½
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
0-1
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Stefanova, A 2489
½-½
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Ushenina, Anna 2501
1-0
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Zhao Xue 2552
½-½
Hou Yifan 2618
Girya, Olga 2450
1-0
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
Round 09 – April 19 2014, 14:00h
Muzychuk, Anna 2560
0-1
Kosteniuk, A 2527
Hou Yifan 2618
1-0
Girya, Olga 2450
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
½-½
Zhao Xue 2552
Tuvshintugs, B 2340
½-½
Ushenina, Anna 2501
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
1-0
Stefanova, A 2489
Lagno, Kateryna 2543
½-½
Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Round 10 – April 20 2014, 14:00h
Kosteniuk, A 2527   Muminova, Nafisa 2321
Stefanova, A 2489   Lagno, Kateryna 2543
Ushenina, Anna 2501   Dzagnidze, Nana 2550
Zhao Xue 2552   Tuvshintugs, B 2340
Girya, Olga 2450   Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496
Muzychuk, Anna 2560   Hou Yifan 2618
Round 11 – April 21 2014, 11:00h
Hou Yifan 2618   Kosteniuk, A 2527
Kosintseva, Tatiana 2496   Muzychuk, Anna 2560
Tuvshintugs, B 2340   Girya, Olga 2450
Dzagnidze, Nana 2550   Zhao Xue 2552
Lagno, Kateryna 2543   Ushenina, Anna 2501
Muminova, Nafisa 2321   Stefanova, A 2489

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

Grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez has been playing tournament chess since 1998. His accomplishments include qualifying for the 2004 and 2013 World Cups as well as playing for Costa Rica in the 2002, 2004 and 2008 Olympiads. He currently has a rating of 2583 and is author of a number of popular and critically acclaimed ChessBase-DVDs.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register