Norway Chess Women: Vaishali widens the gap

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
5/31/2024 – R Vaishali grabbed her second classical win at the Norway Chess Women event on Thursday. The Indian star now has a 2½-point lead over women’s world champion Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk, who got the better of Humpy Koneru (also in classical chess) in round 4. Curiously, Ju has prevailed in Armageddon deciders in all four rounds played so far in Stavanger. | Photo: Stev Bonhage / Norway Chess

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A Carlsenesque approach?

Curiously, Magnus Carlsen finished the 2023 edition of the Norway Chess super-tournament without a single win in classical chess. However, the local hero won 7 out of the 8 Armageddon deciders he played in Stavanger. This year, in the inaugural edition of the parallel women’s event, Ju Wenjun has followed in the footsteps of Carlsen in the first four rounds, drawing all her classical games and prevailing in every single tiebreaker.

Given the tournament’s scoring system, this approach is not enough to top the standings — Carlsen finished the 2023 event in sixth place (out of 10). Now, Ju’s victories in the rapid tiebreakers left her in shared second place at a 2½-point distance from sole leader R Vaishali. The Indian rising star obtained classical wins in rounds 2 and 4.

In Thursday’s fourth round, Vaishali got the better of Pia Cramling with the black pieces. Cramling faltered decisively amid a balanced-yet-tricky rook endgame.

48.fxe6, as played in the game, loses to 48...Rxe6 49.Rg5 Re5 50.Rg6+ Kc5, and the king crucially approaches the a-file passer. Cramling resigned four moves later.

In the first diagrammed position, Cramling needed to play 48.Rg8 or 48.Rg7, and after 48...exf5 49.Kf4 White can keep the battle going.

Vaishali was not the only player to grab a classical win in round 4, as Anna Muzychuk defeated Humpy Koneru, also with the black pieces. Muzychuk is now tied for second place with Ju, who beat Lei Tingjie with black in the Armageddon tiebreaker.

Pia Cramling, Vaishali

R Vaishali playing black against living legend Pia Cramling | Photo: Stev Bonhage

Humpy 0 - 1 Muzychuk

Analysis by André Schulz

Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk | Photo: Stev Bonhage

Standings after round 4

Rk Name FED Rtg Pts
1 R Vaishali IND 2489 8.5
2 Ju Wenjun CHN 2559 6
Anna Muzychuk UKR 2505 6
4 Lei Tingjie CHN 2548 5
5 Humpy Koneru IND 2545 3
Pia Cramling SWE 2449 3

All games - Classical

All games - Armageddon

Attacking with the Jobava London System

The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.

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Topics: Norway Chess 2024, Vaishali Rameshbabu
Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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Norway Chess Women: Vaishali remains sole leader

5/30/2024 – A draw with black in Armageddon allowed R Vaishali to keep the sole lead in the Norway Chess Women tournament. The Indian representative faced Anna Muzychuk in Wednesday’s third round. Standing in sole second place is Ju Wenjun, who signed two draws with black against Pia Cramling, thus grabbing a third Armageddon victory in Stavanger. The one decisive game of the day was seen in the rapid tiebreaker between Humpy Koneru and Lei Tingjie, as the Indian GM scored a 49-move victory with the white pieces. | Photo: Stev Bonhage / Norway Chess
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Norway Chess Women: Vaishali stuns Humpy, grabs the lead

5/29/2024 – R Vaishali became the sole leader at the inaugural edition of the Norway Chess Women tournament after beating Humpy Koneru in their round-2 classical confrontation. Top seeds Ju Wenjun and Lei Tingjie stand in shared second place after defeating Anna Muzychuk and Pia Cramling, respectively, in Armageddon tiebreakers. | Photo: Stev Bonhage
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Video

60m Caro Kann Exchange Variation

The Exchange Variation (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3) is a simple and easy to learn answer to the Caro-Kann. By clarifying the central tension White gives himself a clear plan of attack using the half open e-file and the e5 square. This is far from easy for Black to meet as Bobby Fischer, Jan Timman, Walter Browne and other leading Grandmasters have demonstrated in their games. Black too has his resources but he needs to know what he's doing. On this DVD you will find a clear explanation of the strategy for both sides as well as answers to popular treatments such as 4...Nc6 5.c3 Qc7. Whilst the main focus is on the White side of this opening you will also find ways for Black to defend.