No need to castle
The most interesting game in round 2 of the Cairns Cup saw Harika Dronavalli choosing to keep her king in the centre out of an English Opening. The Indian GM played 8.Ke2 in her game with white against Alexandra Kosteniuk.
In a total of 6 chapters, we look at the following aspects: the right decision based on tactical factors, decisions in exchanges and moves, complex and psychological decisions in longer games and in defence.This move had been played in the past, and both contenders were ready to face this line as per the amount of time they employed in the opening. In the end, it was Harika who prevailed in the 58-move encounter (see full analysis below).
Harika came from drawing her first-round game against Nana Dzagnidze in what turned out to be the longest game on opening day, lasting 126 moves. Kosteniuk, on her part, had defeated Elisabeth Paehtz on Thursday, as she became one of the three participants who grabbed wins at the outset of the event.
The playing hall during round 2 | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The aforementioned game was not the only encounter that ended decisively, as Dzagnidze also scored with the white pieces. The Georgian GM inflicted a second loss on defending champion Anna Zatonskih after gaining a pawn in the early middlegame.
Dzagnidze is now one of four players tied for first place with 1½ points. Besides Harika and Dzagnidze, the leading group also includes Mariya Muzychuk and Tan Zhongyi. While Muzychuk signed a quick draw with her sister Anna in the second round, Tan managed to get a draw from an inferior position against Irina Krush.
Co-leaders Tan and M. Muzychuk are set to face each other in Saturday’s third round, while both Harika and Dzagnidze will play with the black pieces, against Alice Lee and Kosteniuk, respectively.
Round 2 results
In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.
Nana Dzagnidze got the better of Anna Zatonskih | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Harika 1 - 0 Kosteniuk
Analysis by Klaus Besenthal
1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Ndb4 7.a3 Nd3+ 8.Ke2 Nxc1+?! 8...Bf5! 9.e4 9.Nh4 Nxc1+ 10.Rxc1 Bd7= 9...Nf4+ 10.Kf1 Bd7 9.Rxc1 Bd7 10.d4 cxd4 11.Bxc6! Bxc6 11...d3+ 12.Qxd3 Bxc6 13.Nd4 e5± 12.Nxd4 12...Qb6? 12...Bxg2? 13.Ncb5 Rc8 14.Qa4 Bc6 15.Nxc6 Rxc6 16.Rhd1+- 12...Bd7 13.Qb3 Rc8 14.Rhd1 e6 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qxa7 Rxb2+ 17.Kf1 Qb6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Qa4 Rd8 15.b4 e6 16.Ne4 Rc8 17.Nd2 a6 17...Be7 18.Nc4 Qb7 19.Ne5 0-0 20.Nxc6+- 18.Nc4 Qb5 19.Qxb5 axb5 20.Ne5 Bd6 21.Nxc6 Kd7 22.Nd4 22...Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Rb8 24.f4 g6 25.Kd3 Rb6 26.Nf3 f6 27.g4 Ra6 28.Rc3 h6 29.h4 h5 30.g5 30...fxg5 31.fxg5 Bg3 32.Ke4 Kd6 33.Rd3+ Ke7 34.Ne5 Bxe5 35.Kxe5 35...Rc6 36.e4 Ra6 37.Rf3 Ra8 38.Rc3 Ra7 39.Rc5 39...Rxa3 40.Rxb5 Rh3 41.Rb7+ Kd8 42.Kxe6 Rxh4 43.e5 Kc8 44.Rh7 Rxb4 45.Kf6 Rf4+ 46.Kxg6 h4 47.e6 Kd8 48.Rf7 Re4 49.Kf5 Re1 50.g6 Rf1+ 51.Kg5 Rg1+ 52.Kf6 h3 53.Rf8+ Kc7 54.e7 h2 55.Rh8 Rf1+ 56.Kg7 Re1 57.Rxh2 Rxe7+ 58.Kf6 58.Kf6 Re1 59.Rh5 Kd6 60.g7 Rf1+ 61.Rf5 Rg1 62.Rg5 1–0
The aim of this course is to help you understand how to make tactical opportunities arise as well as to sharpen your tactical vision - these selected lectures will help to foster your overall tactical understanding.
Harika Dronavalli and Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Standings after round 2
All games
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