Valentina Gunina takes lead in Grand Prix

by André Schulz
5/3/2016 – Valentina Gunina won the Women's Grand Prix tournament in Batumi and now is first in the overall Grand Prix 2015-2016 standings. Gunina has the same number of points as Nana Dzagnidze but has played one tournament less. Women's World Champion Hou Yifan withdrew from the Grand Prix because she is dissatisfied with the current World Championship format.
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Things were quiet during the last round of the Women's Grand Prix in Batumi

With a strong finish and a streak of wins Valentina Gunina won the Women's Grand Prix in Batumi with one round to go. Maybe that was one reason why most of the games of the eleventh and last round ended with a draw. The only decisive game was the encounter between Alexandra Kosteniuk and Zhao Xue. Kosteniuk won to finish second in the tournament and gain additional Grand Prix points.

 
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1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5 Qb6 6.Na3 a6 7.Ba4 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Ne5 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.c4 a5 12.Qc2 Ne8 13.f4 f6 14.Nd3 Ba6 15.Rf3
Four of the five white pieces are on the queenside but the rook still tries its luck with a kingside attack. However, against a reasonably well defended king such an attack rarely succeeds. 15...a4 16.Rh3 g6 17.Nc1 With knights on c1 and a3 White's positon fails to convince. Nd6 18.d3 Bc8 19.Rf3 The rook beats a retreat. axb3 20.axb3 Nf7 21.Rf1 Bd7 22.Nb1 Rxa1 23.Bxa1 e5 24.Nc3 Be6 25.Na4 Qa7 26.Bb2 Bd6 27.Ne2 d4 28.fxe5 Nxe5 29.exd4 Ng4
The beginning of Black's counterattack. Black is clearly better. 30.Nf4 Bf5 31.Rf3 cxd4 32.c5 Re8 33.Qc1 33.cxd6?? Re1+ 34.Rf1 Rxf1+ 35.Kxf1 Ne3+-+ 33...Qa5 34.Rf1 Be5 35.Qc4+ Kg7 36.Bxd4 Qd2 Now Black's queen joins the attack against White's king and Black's threats become overwhelming. 37.h3 Bxf4 38.hxg4 Re1 39.gxf5 Be3+ 40.Kh2 Rxf1 41.Bxf6+ Kxf6 42.Qe6+ Kg5 43.Qe7+ Kg4 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Zhao,X2504Kosteniuk,A25570–12016A06Batumi WGP 201611.1

Tournament winner Valentina Gunina

Alexandra Kosteniuk won silver

Results of the 11. and last round

Round 11 on 2016/05/02 at 11:00
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
0-1
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
½-½
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
½-½
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
½-½
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
½-½
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
½-½
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1

All Games

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bd6 8.Na3 Ne4 9.Nxc4 Nxd2 10.Nfxd2 Bd7 11.0-0 Be7 12.Na5 Nxa5 13.Qxa5 c6 14.Qc3 0-0 15.Nc4 a5 16.Rfd1 Qc7 17.a3 a4 18.Ne5 Rfd8 19.Be4 Be8 20.e3 Bf6 21.Nd3 Ra5 22.Rac1 Rc8 23.Qc2 g6 24.Nc5 Rca8 25.Nd3 Rc8 26.Bg2 b6 27.Nb4 c5 28.d5 Bd7 29.Nc6 Bxc6 30.dxc6 Qe5 31.Rb1 Rb5 32.Qxa4 Rxb2 33.Rxb2 Qxb2 34.Rd7 Bg5 35.h4 Qa1+ 36.Rd1 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Javakhishvili,L2489Kosteniuk,A25571–02016E04Batumi WGP 20161.1
Khotenashvili,B2493Dzagnidze,N2535½–½2016E04Batumi WGP 20161.2
Muzychuk,A2555Muzychuk,M2561½–½2016C95Batumi WGP 20161.3
Skripchenko,A2453Danielian,E2445½–½2016C08Batumi WGP 20161.4
Gunina,V2497Girya,O24420–12016D11Batumi WGP 20161.5
Zhao,X2504Batsiashvili,N2476½–½2016A13Batumi WGP 20161.6
Girya,O2442Zhao,X25041–02016E32Batumi WGP 20162.1
Kosteniuk,A2557Batsiashvili,N2476½–½2016C84Batumi WGP 20162.2
Dzagnidze,N2535Muzychuk,A2555½–½2016D91Batumi WGP 20162.3
Javakhishvili,L2489Khotenashvili,B24931–02016D31Batumi WGP 20162.4
Muzychuk,M2561Skripchenko,A24530–12016B30Batumi WGP 20162.5
Danielian,E2445Gunina,V24970–12016D45Batumi WGP 20162.6
Muzychuk,A2555Javakhishvili,L24891–02016C19Batumi WGP 20163.1
Batsiashvili,N2476Girya,O24421–02016D11Batumi WGP 20163.2
Gunina,V2497Muzychuk,M25611–02016D70Batumi WGP 20163.3
Skripchenko,A2453Dzagnidze,N2535½–½2016B23Batumi WGP 20163.4
Zhao,X2504Danielian,E2445½–½2016A15Batumi WGP 20163.5
Khotenashvili,B2493Kosteniuk,A2557½–½2016E04Batumi WGP 20163.6
Danielian,E2445Batsiashvili,N24761–02016D37Batumi WGP 20164.1
Javakhishvili,L2489Skripchenko,A2453½–½2016D20Batumi WGP 20164.2
Kosteniuk,A2557Girya,O24421–02016B10Batumi WGP 20164.3
Dzagnidze,N2535Gunina,V24971–02016D10Batumi WGP 20164.4
Khotenashvili,B2493Muzychuk,A2555½–½2016E60Batumi WGP 20164.5
Muzychuk,M2561Zhao,X2504½–½2016C54Batumi WGP 20164.6
Skripchenko,A2453Khotenashvili,B24931–02016B19Batumi WGP 20165.1
Muzychuk,A2555Kosteniuk,A2557½–½2016B66Batumi WGP 20165.2
Gunina,V2497Javakhishvili,L24891–02016D57Batumi WGP 20165.3
Batsiashvili,N2476Muzychuk,M2561½–½2016E32Batumi WGP 20165.4
Zhao,X2504Dzagnidze,N25351–02016A15Batumi WGP 20165.5
Girya,O2442Danielian,E24451–02016E35Batumi WGP 20165.6
Muzychuk,M2561Girya,O24421–02016B10Batumi WGP 20166.1
Javakhishvili,L2489Zhao,X25040–12016E06Batumi WGP 20166.2
Dzagnidze,N2535Batsiashvili,N24761–02016D39Batumi WGP 20166.3
Muzychuk,A2555Skripchenko,A24531–02016B32Batumi WGP 20166.4
Kosteniuk,A2557Danielian,E24451–02016B07Batumi WGP 20166.5
Khotenashvili,B2493Gunina,V2497½–½2016D11Batumi WGP 20166.6
Zhao,X2504Khotenashvili,B24931–02016A30Batumi WGP 20167.1
Skripchenko,A2453Kosteniuk,A2557½–½2016C69Batumi WGP 20167.2
Gunina,V2497Muzychuk,A25551–02016E60Batumi WGP 20167.3
Girya,O2442Dzagnidze,N25350–12016E32Batumi WGP 20167.4
Batsiashvili,N2476Javakhishvili,L24891–02016A45Batumi WGP 20167.5
Danielian,E2445Muzychuk,M25611–02016A04Batumi WGP 20167.6
Javakhishvili,L2489Girya,O2442½–½2016D10Batumi WGP 20168.1
Khotenashvili,B2493Batsiashvili,N2476½–½2016D02Batumi WGP 20168.2
Dzagnidze,N2535Danielian,E2445½–½2016E17Batumi WGP 20168.3
Muzychuk,A2555Zhao,X25041–02016C53Batumi WGP 20168.4
Kosteniuk,A2557Muzychuk,M2561½–½2016A33Batumi WGP 20168.5
Skripchenko,A2453Gunina,V2497½–½2016B10Batumi WGP 20168.6
Batsiashvili,N2476Muzychuk,A25551–02016D70Batumi WGP 20169.1
Muzychuk,M2561Dzagnidze,N25351–02016C55Batumi WGP 20169.2
Gunina,V2497Kosteniuk,A25571–02016E11Batumi WGP 20169.3
Danielian,E2445Javakhishvili,L24890–12016D37Batumi WGP 20169.4
Zhao,X2504Skripchenko,A24531–02016E12Batumi WGP 20169.5
Girya,O2442Khotenashvili,B2493½–½2016D55Batumi WGP 20169.6
Khotenashvili,B2493Danielian,E2445½–½2016E12Batumi WGP 201610.1
Muzychuk,A2555Girya,O2442½–½2016B12Batumi WGP 201610.2
Skripchenko,A2453Batsiashvili,N2476½–½2016C45Batumi WGP 201610.3
Kosteniuk,A2557Dzagnidze,N25351–02016C50Batumi WGP 201610.4
Gunina,V2497Zhao,X25041–02016E11Batumi WGP 201610.5
Javakhishvili,L2489Muzychuk,M2561½–½2016D11Batumi WGP 201610.6
Zhao,X2504Kosteniuk,A25570–12016A01Batumi WGP 201611.1
Muzychuk,M2561Khotenashvili,B2493½–½2016B19Batumi WGP 201611.2
Girya,O2442Skripchenko,A2453½–½2016A41Batumi WGP 201611.3
Batsiashvili,N2476Gunina,V2497½–½2016D12Batumi WGP 201611.4
Danielian,E2445Muzychuk,A2555½–½2016D85Batumi WGP 201611.5
Dzagnidze,N2535Javakhishvili,L2489½–½2016E15Batumi WGP 201611.6

Final standings

After three of the five Grand Prix tournaments in the 2015/2016 series are over, Valentina Gunina, who won 160 points in Batumi, caught up to Nana Dzagnidze. Alexandra Kosteniuk pulled ahead of Humpy Koneru. Women's World Champion Hou Yifan, who convincingly won the first Grand Prix, withdrew from the series.

Standings of the Grand Prix series 2015/2016

Source: Wikipedia

Impressions from Batumi

Eteri Kublashvili found time between the rounds to catch impressions from Batumi. The weather was rainy but the place remained beautiful.

Rain in Batumi

Magnificent buildings...

... with colorful roofs

Georgian churches

The slightly faded grandeur of the "Gründerzeit"

Fashionable hotels

Reminiscences to ancient times

The boats are waiting to get to water

The harbor

Pictures: Eteri Kublashvili

Schedule and results

Round 1 on 2016/04/20 at 15:00
Sd Title Name Rtg
Res.
 Title Name Rtg Sd
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
1-0
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
½-½
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
½-½
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
0-1
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
½-½
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
Round 2 on 2016/04/21 at 15:00
12 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557
½-½
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
1-0
 GM Zhao Xue 2504 6
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
0-1
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
0-1
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
½-½
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
1-0
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
Round 3 on 2016/04/22 at 15:00
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
1-0
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
½-½
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
1-0
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
½-½
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
1-0
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
Round 4 on 2016/04/23 at 15:00
12 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557
1-0
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
1-0
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
½-½
 GM Zhao Xue 2504 6
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
1-0
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
½-½
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
Round 5 on 2016/04/25 at 15:00
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
½-½
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
1-0
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
1-0
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
1-0
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
½-½
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
1-0
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
Round 6 on 2016/04/26 at 15:00
12 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557
1-0
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
1-0
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
1-0
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
0-1
 GM Zhao Xue 2504 6
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
1-0
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
Round 7 on 2016/04/27 at 15:00
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
½-½
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
1-0
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
1-0
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
1-0
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
0-1
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
1-0
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
Round 8 on 2016/04/28 at 15:00
12 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557
½-½
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
½-½
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
½-½
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
1-0
 GM Zhao Xue 2504 6
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
½-½
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
Round 9 on 2016/04/30 at 15:00
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
1-0
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
1-0
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
1-0
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
½-½
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
0-1
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
1-0
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
Round 10 on 2016/05/01 at 15:00
12 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557
1-0
 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535 11
1 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489
½-½
 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561 10
2 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493
½-½
 GM Danielian Elina 2445 9
3 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555
½-½
 WGM Girya Olga 2442 8
4 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453
½-½
 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476 7
5 GM Gunina Valentina 2497
1-0
 GM Zhao Xue 2504 6
Round 11 on 2016/05/02 at 11:00
6 GM Zhao Xue 2504
0-1
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2557 12
7 IM Batsiashvili Nino 2476
½-½
 GM Gunina Valentina 2497 5
8 WGM Girya Olga 2442
½-½
 IM Skripchenko Almira 2453 4
9 GM Danielian Elina 2445
½-½
 GM Muzychyk Anna 2555 3
10 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2561
½-½
 GM Khotenashvili Bela 2493 2
11 GM Dzagnidze Nana 2535
½-½
 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2489 1

 

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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