A French Defence gone wrong
Defending champion Anna Zatonskih has been struggling at the Cairns Cup in Saint Louis. The 4-time US women’s champion stands in last place with ½/4 points after losing all her games with black and drawing Anna Muzychuk with the white pieces. In round 4, she was defeated by top seed Tan Zhongyi, who made the most of Zatonskih’s mishandling of a French Defence.
Zatonskih captured pawns on the a and b-files with her queen, allowing Tan to gain a big advantage in development.
After 13.Rb4, Zatonskih realized she needed to be very careful with a potential kingside attack and spent almost half an hour on her next two moves. There followed 13...Qd5 14.Re1 h6 15.Qd2 Nxc5 16.Re5
White is already in the driver’s seat, but her advantage became even bigger after 16...Qc6, when Black’s best chance was to give up her queen for a rook and a minor piece with 16...Nxd3 17.Rxd5 Nxb4 18.Rd8 Nc6.
The problem for Black is that, after the text, White can make use of her major pieces to break through decisively on the kingside — 17.Rg4 Nxd3 (17...f5 would have made things a bit harder for White) 18.Qxh6 g6
A French Defence gone wrong, indeed. White can choose how to win here, with 19.Rxg6+, as played by Tan, the best-looking alternative. Resignation came after 19...fxg6 20.Qxg6+.
Tan is now the sole leader in Saint Louis, as the only player with a +2 score (3/4 points). Second place is shared between Mariya Muzychuk and Harika Dronavalli, who both drew on Sunday. A half point behind the closest chasers are five players, all with a fifty-percent score — included in this group is 14-year-old Alice Lee, who got the better of Alexandra Kosteniuk in round 4.
Round 4 results
| Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | | Pts. | | Name | Rtg | Nt. |
---|
| | 2489 | | 2 | ½-½ | 1½ | | | 2415 | |
| | 2457 | | 1 | ½-½ | 2 | | | 2510 | |
| | 2506 | | 1½ | ½-½ | 1½ | | | 2505 | |
| | 2501 | | 2 | 0-1 | 1 | | | 2368 | |
| | 2540 | | 2 | 1-0 | ½ | | | 2327 | |
Making the right decisions in chess - Fundamentals

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.

Elisabeth Paehtz and Mariya Muzychuk signed a 58-move draw | Photo: Crystal Fuller
Kosteniuk 0 - 1 Lee
Master Class Vol.16 - Judit Polgar

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.

Alexandra Kosteniuk v. Alice Lee | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Standings after round 4
Rk. | | Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | n | | | | | | | | | | | TB | Perf. |
---|
1 | | | 2540 | | 3.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 4.75 | 2598 |
2 | | | 2489 | | 2.5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 5.00 | 2543 |
3 | | | 2510 | | 2.5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3.75 | 2552 |
4 | | | 2415 | | 2.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 4.50 | 2498 |
5 | | | 2368 | | 2.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 4.00 | 2497 |
6 | | | 2505 | | 2.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3.50 | 2440 |
7 | | | 2501 | | 2.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3.50 | 2455 |
8 | | | 2506 | | 2.0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 2.75 | 2456 |
9 | | | 2457 | | 1.5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3.25 | 2362 |
10 | | | 2327 | | 0.5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 1.00 | 2193 |
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger |
All games
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.g3 Nxd4 6.Qxd4 b6 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Qd3 0-0 11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Rad1 Bc6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Kh1 b5 15.Qf3 Be7 16.Qh5 Qe5 17.Qh6 b4 18.f4 Qc5 19.f5 Kh8 20.Ne2 Qxc2 21.Nd4 Qc5 22.Nxc6 dxc6 23.e5 Qxe5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Rfe1 Rad8 26.Rc1 Qg5 27.Qxg5 fxg5 28.Rxc6 Rf2 29.Rcxe6 Bf6 30.Rf1 Rxf1+ 31.Bxf1 Bxb2 32.Kg2 a5 33.Bb5 Rd5 34.Bc4 Rc5 35.Bb3 Kg7 36.Kf3 h5 37.Ke4 Bf6 38.Ra6 Re5+ 39.Kd3 g4 40.Ra7+ Kg6 41.Ra6 Kf5 42.Bf7 h4 43.Bg8 hxg3 44.hxg3 Rc5 45.Be6+ Kg5 46.Ra8 Rc3+ 47.Ke4 Rxg3 48.Rxa5+ Kh4 49.Ra6 Bg5 50.Ra7 Re3+ 51.Kf5 Rf3+ 52.Ke4 Re3+ 53.Kf5 Rf3+ 54.Ke4 Rf6 55.Rh7+ Kg3 56.Bf5 Rf8 57.Rb7 Re8+ 58.Kd3 Re3+ 59.Kd4 Rf3 60.Be4 Rf2 61.Rxb4 Rd2+ 62.Ke5 Rxa2 63.Bf5 Bf4+ 64.Ke4 Re2+ 65.Kd3 Re3+ 66.Kc2 Re5 67.Bd7 Rc5+ 68.Kb3 Kf3 69.Rc4 Re5 70.Bc6+ Kg3 71.Bd7 Re7 72.Rd4 Kf3 73.Bxg4+ Kxg4 74.Kc4 Kf5 75.Rd5+ Be5 76.Kd3 Rh7 77.Rc5 Rh3+ 78.Kc4 Ke4 79.Rc6 Rh1 80.Kb5 Bd4 81.Rc8 Rb1+ 82.Kc6 Rb6+ 83.Kc7 Re6 84.Kd7 Kd5 85.Rc7 Rh6 86.Rb7 Bb6 87.Kc8 Rh8+ 88.Kd7 Bc5 89.Rc7 Rh6 90.Rb7 Bb6 91.Kc8 Rg6 92.Kd7 Kc5 93.Rb8 Kd5 94.Rb7 Rd6+ 95.Ke7 Ke5 96.Rd7 Rh6 97.Kf7 Rf6+ 98.Ke7 Bc5+ 99.Kd8 Bd6 100.Kc8 Rf8+ 101.Rd8 Rf3 102.Rd7 Ke6 103.Rh7 Rf8+ 104.Kb7 Kd5 105.Rh5+ Be5 106.Kb6 Rb8+ 107.Ka5 Rb1 108.Ka6 Kd6 109.Ka5 Bc3+ 110.Ka4 Kc6 111.Ka3 Bd4 112.Ka2 Rb4 113.Rg5 Bc5 114.Rg3 Kd5 115.Rc3 Rb8 116.Rc2 Kd4 117.Rb2 Ra8+ 118.Kb1 Kd3 119.Rb3+ Kc4 120.Rb2 Bd4 121.Ra2 Rh8 122.Kc2 Bc3 123.Ra4+ Bb4 124.Ra2 Rh3 125.Rb2 Rh2+ 126.Kb1 Rh1+ ½–½
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Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | B44 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.1 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | 1–0 | 2024 | B30 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.2 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Tan,Z | 2540 | 0–1 | 2024 | A50 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.3 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | D35 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.4 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | C11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | B43 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.1 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | A13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.3 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Lee,A | 2368 | ½–½ | 2024 | A09 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.4 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | 1–0 | 2024 | A34 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.5 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | B13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.1 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | D11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.2 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | C15 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.3 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | 1–0 | 2024 | B47 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.4 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E43 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.5 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | A11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.1 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | C13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | D35 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.3 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | B33 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.4 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Lee,A | 2368 | 0–1 | 2024 | C42 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.5 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | E04 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.1 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | ½–½ | 2024 | E49 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.2 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.3 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | C54 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.4 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.5 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | 1–0 | 2024 | B11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.1 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | ½–½ | 2024 | C13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.2 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | A07 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.3 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | D59 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.4 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | E17 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | 1–0 | 2024 | D40 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.1 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | 0–1 | 2024 | E48 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.2 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | 0–1 | 2024 | D12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.3 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Lee,A | 2368 | 1–0 | 2024 | D27 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.4 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | C60 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.5 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | E48 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.1 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | 0–1 | 2024 | C55 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E62 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.3 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | B51 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.4 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | D30 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | ½–½ | 2024 | D14 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.1 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | E06 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.2 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Lee,A | 2368 | 1–0 | 2024 | C42 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.3 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | D02 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.4 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | B22 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.5 |
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