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The 77th Georgian Women’s Chess Championship took place on 21-30 July in Tbilisi. The event ended with a victory by Nino Batsiashvili (7/9). Second place went to Meri Arabidze, who edged Bela Khotenashvili on tiebreak criteria after both scored 6½/9 points.
The winner receiving her prize — 10,000 Lari (2,700 Euro)
Nino Batiashvili had a slow start. After a win and a draw, she lost to Salome Melia in the third round. However, she then won five games in a row to take the lead and eventually win the event. This is Batiashvili’s third national title — she had won in 2015 and 2018.
The tournament was held with ten participants at the Gaprindashvili Chess Palace in Tbilisi. Eight players from the Georgian top ten took part.
Sopiko Kukashvili played one of the shortest games of the event:
This DVD emphasizes the importance of training your calculation skills. Dutch IM Robert Ris made a selection of training material which he uses in lessons with students ranging from 1400 to 2400.
18...Bxa3? Gives up protection of the important g5-square [18...Bb7 and Black is fine.]
19.Ng5 h6 [19...g6 20.Qh4 h5 21.Bxh5 loses.] [If 19...Qc5 Black survives the attack at the expense of losing material: 20.Qxh7+ Kf8 21.Qh8+ Ke7 22.Qxg7]
20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Nxf7! Kxf7 [21...Rd7 22.Nxh6]
22.Nh5+ Ke7 23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Bxd4 Nxd4 25.Rxd4+ Kc5 26.b4+! [A powerful final move, which blocks the escape square on b4.]
[26...axb4 27.Qe5+ Kc6 28.Bf3+ Rd5 29.Bxd5+ exd5 30.Qxd5+ Kc7 31.Qd7#]
1–0
Nino Batsiashvili
The following endgame is also instructive, due to the mistakes made by the players:
Power Play 16 - Test Your Rook Endgames
The aim of this DVD is to provide you with the practical skills and knowledge that you will need to play a rook and pawn endgame. Based on his own playing experience, Grandmaster Daniel King reveals what is essential knowledge, saving you time in your studies. The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer.
Running time: 5 hours
63.Kf5 [63.Rxb4 is a theoretical draw.]
63...Kc5 [63...b3 64.Rb4 Kd5 wins: 65.Rxb3 Re5+ 66.Kf4 Txe6 with a technically winning endgame.]
64.Rd3 [64.Rd7 is a draw: 64...b3 65.Rxc7+ Kb4 66.e7 b2 67.Rb7+ Kc3 68.Rc7+ Kd2 69.Rb7 Kc2 70.Rxb2+ Kxb2 71.Kf6]
64...Kc4 65.Rh3 c5 66.Kf6 [White could play 66.Rh4+ and if 66...Kc3 (but of course Black plays 66...Kd5) 67.Re4 Rxe4 68.Kxe4 b3 69.e7 b2 70.e8Q b1Q+ White is winning according to the tablebases, but the shortest way to mate is 48 moves away.]
66...b3? [Now the course is set.]
67.Rh2 Kc3 68.Rh3+ Kb4 69.e7 b2 70.Rh8 c4 71.Rb8+ Ka3 72.Rb6 Rxe7 73.Kxe7 c3 74.Kd6 c2 75.Ra6+ Kb3 76.Rb6+ Kc3 0–1
The participants
