Batumi: Gunina wins with one round to go

by Johannes Fischer

I like it! | 3 Comments

5/2/2016 – For a long time the players in the Women's Grand Prix in Batumi all snatched points from each other and the lead changed all the time. Until Valentina Gunina took countermeasures: She simply won all her games! After defeating Zhao Xue in round ten Gunina now has 7.0/10, one-and-half points more than her closest rival, and thus wins the tournament with one round to go.

ChessBase 15 - Mega package

Find the right combination! ChessBase 15 program + new Mega Database 2019 with 7.6 million games and more than 70,000 master analyses. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

More...

Follow the games live on playchess.com

Things went really well for Valentina Gunina in round ten - all her rivals dropped points. Nana Dzagnidze played with Black against Alexandra Kosteniuk and after a passive opening soon got into real trouble from which she never recovered.

Alexandra Kosteniuk caught up with Nana Dzagnidze but cannot catch up to Gunina

Nino Batsiashvili needed a win against Almira Skripchenko to keep chances to catch up to Gunina. But she drew against Almira Skripchenko.

Before round ten Anna Muzychuk also had theoretical chances to win the tournament and against Olga Girya she tried hard to keep these chances intact and tried for a long time to win a rook endgame with a pawn up. But after 120 moves she had to agree to a draw and is now 1.5 points behind Gunina.

Anna Muzychuk

Olga Girya.

Gunina had to play with White against her close rival Zhao Xue in round ten and by winning this crucial game the Russian also won the tournament.

A handshake before the decisive game: Valentina Gunina vs. Zhao Xue

Games of rounds 1 to 10

Standings after ten rounds

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	-	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2557	12
7	IM	Batsiashvili Nino	2476	-	GM	Gunina Valentina	2497	5
8	WGM	Girya Olga	2442	-	IM	Skripchenko Almira	2453	4
9	GM	Danielian Elina	2445	-	GM	Muzychyk Anna	2555	3
10	GM	Muzychuk Mariya	2561	-	GM	Khotenashvili Bela	2493	2
11	GM	Dzagnidze Nana	2535	-	IM	Javakhishvili Lela	2489	1

Pictures: Anastasiya Karlovich (FIDE)

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the 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 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

<< ChessBase 13: In search of a treasure trove

Wei Yi and Guo Qi are Chinese Champions 2016 >>

Topics: Batumi, Women's Grand Prix

Advertising

Books, boards, sets: Chess Niggemann

Johannes Fischer Johannes was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

Discussion and Feedback Join the public discussion or submit your feedback to the editors

Dvorkovich curries favour with the players

10/3/2018 – Last month the Association of Chess Professionals endorsed him with high praise, saying "it's time for a change" and in Batumi, Arkady Dvorkovich has been making a strong final push to woo delegates and players alike. The latter group don't get to vote, but here's why they ACP says they support him. | Pictured: The Kazakhstan Women's team of Assel Serikbay, Guliskhan Nakhbayeva, Dinara Saduakassova, Gulmira Dauletova, Zhansaya Abdumalik | Photo: David Llada

More...

Olympic highlights: a brilliancy in round 4

9/28/2018 – Round four of the Chess Olympiad in Batumi brought a number of interesting games. Particularly amazing was how the Lithuanian grandmaster Sarunas Sulskis creatively outplayed Baadur Jobava by coming up with one incredible sacrifice after the next. | Photo: Sarunas Sulskis by Andreas Kontokanis from Piraeus, Greece, via Wikimedia Commons

More...

Video

Beat the Slav the classical way

The Slav has become one of the most popular defences against the advance of the d-pawn on the first move, and every ambitious d4-player faces the question how to successfully tackle this opening in tournament practice. The strongest attempt is considered to be the move 4. Nf3, leading to interesting positions which promise White good chances to get an advantage. Black's main replies are 4. dxc4 and 4. e6. On this DVD Rustam Kasimdzhanov investigates in detail the line 4. dxc4, in which he has great experience. Showing selected grandmaster games, the ex-world champion shares his knowledge with the viewer to explain how White has to place his pieces and which plans he has at his disposal.Learn the secrets of the dxc4-line and improve your chances of success with 1.d4

View

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

malfa 5/3/2016 09:17

Of course the article was written after round 10 and before round 11, the last one, when Gunina already was 1,5 points up her closest rivals.

tigerprowl2 5/3/2016 08:04

I don't understand the title, "wins with one round to go". There is no round to go, it is already finished. 5/2 was the last round.

hserusk 5/2/2016 03:06

Marvellous!

Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > 8 million games online! Updated weekly, our definitive database has all the latest games. With Live Book and Let’s Check!
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > My Games – Access your games from everywhere. Store your games, training material and opening repertoire in the cloud. Annotate, analyze and share.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Sac, sac, mate! Solve tactical positions of your playing strength. Boost your calculation skills. Enjoy adrenalin rush with tactic fights!
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Thousands of hours of high class video training. Openings, Middlegame, Endgame Lessons. Top authors like Daniel King, Lawrence Trent and Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Real Fun against a Chess Program! Play, analyze and train online against Fritz. Beginner, club and master levels. Assisted play and calculation training.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Learn openings the right way! Build and maintain your repertoire. Memorize it easily move by move by playing against the variation trainer.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > The ultimate chess experience every day, PlayChess.com welcomes 20,000 chess players from all around the world – from beginner to grandmaster.

SHOP

SHOP

Batumi: Gunina wins with one round to go

Games of rounds 1 to 10

Standings after ten rounds

Schedule and results

Links

See also

Dvorkovich curries favour with the players

See also

Olympic highlights: a brilliancy in round 4

Video

Beat the Slav the classical way

Discuss

ONLINE SHOP

Realizing an Advantage