Women’s Candidates R10: Lei wins again, shares the lead with Tan

Lei beats a direct contender

Aleksandra Goryachkina, the top seed in the Women’s Candidates, remained dangerously close behind tournament leader Tan Zhongyi in the standings. In round 10, though, the Russian GM suffered her first loss of the event, as she was defeated by an in-form Lei Tingjie. Goryachkina is now tied for third place with Kateryna Lagno, a full point behind Tan and Lei.

Co-leaders Tan and Lei coincidentally played in the final of the latest edition of the Women’s Candidates — which had been played as a knockout tournament. In the all-Chinese match, Lei obtained a clear 3½-1½ victory to gain the right to face Ju Wenjun in the 2023 match for the Women’s World Championship.

Tan and Lei have already faced each other twice in Toronto, with both games ending decisively, each favouring the player marshalling the black pieces. In the remaining four rounds, Tan has a more difficult schedule, as she still has to face Goryachkina and Lagno.

One more game ended decisively on Monday. Nurgyul Salimova got a clear advantage and then a completely winning position playing white against Vaishali R. However, the Bulgarian IM lost her advantage, and then failed to readjust to the new situation, as she kept pushing for more, which resulted in Vaishali getting the upper hand. Vaishali made the most of her unexpected winning chances to end up prevailing in a wild 88-move encounter.

Results - Round 10

	Name	Rtg.	Nt.	Pts.		Pts.		Name	Rtg	Nt.
GM	Goryachkina,A GM Goryachkina,A 2553 1 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 2 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 3 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 4 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 5 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 6 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 7 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 8 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 9 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 10 GM Lei,T 2550 0 Ø 2520 5.5/10	2553		5½	0-1	5½	GM	Lei,T GM Lei,T 2550 1 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 2 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 3 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 4 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 5 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 6 GM Koneru,H 2546 1 7 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 8 GM Tan,Z 2521 1 9 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 10 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 1 Ø 2510 6.5/10	2550
GM	Tan,Z GM Tan,Z 2521 1 GM Lei,T 2550 1 2 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 3 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 4 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 5 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 6 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 7 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 8 GM Lei,T 2550 0 9 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 10 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ Ø 2519 6.5/10	2521		6	½-½	4	GM	Koneru,H GM Koneru,H 2546 1 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 2 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 3 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 4 WGM Salimova,N 2432 0 5 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 6 GM Lei,T 2550 0 7 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 8 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 9 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 10 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ Ø 2513 4.5/10	2546
GM	Lagno,K GM Lagno,K 2542 1 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 2 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 3 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 4 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 5 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 6 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 7 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 8 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 9 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 10 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ Ø 2522 5.5/10	2542		5	½-½	3½	GM	Muzychuk,A GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 2 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 0 3 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 4 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 5 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 6 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 7 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 8 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 9 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 10 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ Ø 2515 4/10	2520
WGM	Salimova,N WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 2 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 3 GM Vaishali,R 2475 0 4 GM Koneru,H 2546 1 5 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 6 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 0 7 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 8 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 9 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 10 GM Vaishali,R 2475 0 Ø 2525 4/10	2432		4	0-1	2½	GM	Vaishali,R GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 2 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 3 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 4 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 5 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 6 GM Lagno,K 2542 0 7 GM Lei,T 2550 0 8 GM Koneru,H 2546 0 9 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 10 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 Ø 2516 3.5/10	2475

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.

Vaishali Rameshbabu beat Nurgyul Salimova after having suffered four losses in a row | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Goryachkina 0 - 1 Lei

Analysis by André Schulz

Goryachkina, Aleksandra2553

0–1

Lei, Tingjie2550

GM

FIDE Womens Candidates 2024 Toronto15.04.2024[Schulz,A]

GM

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 The Slav Exchange Variation has arisen after an alternative move order. White holds back the development of the g1-knight for the time being. Nc6 6.e3 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.e3 e6 6...Bf5 6...a6 7.Bd3 7.Bb5 The main line after 6.Bf5 goes 7.Qb3 Na5 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qc2 7...e6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.0-0 Rc8= 10.Ne5 Ndxe5 11.Bxe5 a6 12.Bxc6+ Rxc6 13.Rc1 f6 14.Bg3 Be7 The root of the variation is 14...Qd7 15.Ne2 Rxc1 16.Qxc1 Be7 17.Qc3 0-0 18.Rc1 Bd8 19.Bc7 Be7 ½-½ Bachmann,K (2325)-Kreutzkamp,R (2260) Oberliga NRW 9394 I Germany 1993 15.Na4 Rxc1 16.Qxc1

16...Kf7!? 16...0-0 17.Qd2 Qd7 18.Nc5 Qb5 19.a4 Qc6 20.Rc1 b6 21.Nxa6 Qxa4 22.Nc7 Rc8 23.h3 Kf7 24.Qc3 Qb4 25.Qxb4 Bxb4 26.Rc6 Ba5 27.Bd6 b5 28.Ra6 Bxc7 29.Ra7 Bd3 ½-½ Kunicki,M (2147)-Gajewski,G (2388) POL-chT U19 33rd Laczna 2002 (9) 17.Qc3 h5 18.h3 h4 19.Bh2 Qd7 20.Nb6 Qb5 21.Qc7 Qxb2

22.Bd6 22.Qxb7 Kg6= 22...Re8 23.Rc1? Erlaubt ... 23.a3= 23.Qxb7 Bd3= 23...Kg6 ...since the c1-rook must also remain covered. 24.Bxe7 Rxe7 25.Qc5 The action on the queenside didn't go well for White. 25.Qxe7? Qxc1+ 26.Kh2 Qb2-+ was not an option. 25...Kh6 26.a4 a5 Another move that demonstrates the impotence of the white queen. 27.Nc8 Rd7 28.Qc3 Qb4!

29.Qc5 White must not exchange the queens with 29.Qxb4? axb4 30.Rc5 Bd3-+ 29...Kh7?! Strong was 29...Bd3! e.g.: 30.Nb6 30.Qc3 Bc4-+ 30...Rd6 31.Rd1 Rxb6 32.Rxd3 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Rb1 and mate. 30.Qa7 Qd2 31.Qc5 Bd3 32.Nb6 Rd6 Now this is no longer as effective as a few moves before. 33.Qxd6 Qxc1+ 34.Kh2 Bf5 35.Nd7 Qc2 36.Nf8+ Kh6

37.f3?? 37.Nxe6 Qxf2 38.Qxd5 b6= 37...Qf2-+ 38.Qf4+ 38.Nxe6 now fails due to Qg3+ 39.Qxg3 hxg3+ 40.Kxg3 Bxe6-+ 38...g5 39.Qc7 Qg3+ 40.Qxg3 hxg3+ 41.Kxg3 e5 and the white knight is trapped. 42.e4 dxe4 43.fxe4 Bc8? Easier was 43...Bxe4 44.dxe5 f5-+ 44.d5 Kg7 45.Ne6+ Kf7 Not 45...Bxe6?? 46.dxe6 Kf8 47.Kg4 Ke7 48.Kf5+- 46.Kf2 46.Nc5 46...b6 46...Bd7? 47.Nd8+ 47.g3 Bd7 48.h4 gxh4? More precise was 48...Bxa4 49.gxh4 Bxa4 50.h5 Bb5 51.Ke3 a4 52.h6 Kg6 53.Kd2 Kxh6 54.d6 Kh5 55.Nf8 Kg5 56.d7 Bxd7 57.Nxd7 a3 58.Kc2 b5 59.Kb3 b4 60.Ka2 f5

61.Nxe5?? The losing move. After 61.exf5 Kxf5 62.Nc5 e4 63.Na6 e3 64.Nxb4 e2 65.Nc2 Ke4 66.Kxa3 the game is drawn. 61...Kf4 62.Nd3+ Kxe4 63.Nxb4 f4 64.Na6 f3 65.Nc5+ Ke3 0–1

Understanding Material Imbalances

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by WIM Svitlana Demchenko

More photos from round 10

Humpy Koneru got a superior position against Tan Zhongyi | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Tan Zhongyi managed to escape with a draw | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

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.

Nurgyul Salimova | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

A smiling Lei Tingjie after joining the lead — will she get a rematch against Ju Wenjun? | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Standings after round 10

Rk.		Name	Rtg.	Nt.	Pts.	n	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	TB	Perf.
1	GM	Lei,T GM Lei,T 2550 1 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 2 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 3 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 4 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 5 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 6 GM Koneru,H 2546 1 7 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 8 GM Tan,Z 2521 1 9 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 10 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 1 Ø 2510 6.5/10	2550		6.5	10		0 1	½ 1	½	1	½ ½	½	1	31.50	2620
2	GM	Tan,Z GM Tan,Z 2521 1 GM Lei,T 2550 1 2 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 3 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 4 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 5 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 6 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 7 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 8 GM Lei,T 2550 0 9 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 10 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ Ø 2519 6.5/10	2521		6.5	10	1 0		½	½	½ ½	½	1	1 1	29.50	2629
3	GM	Goryachkina,A GM Goryachkina,A 2553 1 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 2 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 3 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 4 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 5 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 6 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 7 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 8 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 9 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 10 GM Lei,T 2550 0 Ø 2520 5.5/10	2553		5.5	10	½ 0	½		½ ½	½	1	1 ½	½	26.00	2556
4	GM	Lagno,K GM Lagno,K 2542 1 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 2 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 3 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 4 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 5 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 6 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 7 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 8 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 9 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 10 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ Ø 2522 5.5/10	2542		5.5	10	½	½	½ ½		½ ½	½	½ ½	1	26.00	2558
5	GM	Koneru,H GM Koneru,H 2546 1 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 2 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 3 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 4 WGM Salimova,N 2432 0 5 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 6 GM Lei,T 2550 0 7 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 8 GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 9 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 10 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ Ø 2513 4.5/10	2546		4.5	10	0	½ ½	½	½ ½		0	½	½ 1	22.00	2477
6	WGM	Salimova,N WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 2 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 3 GM Vaishali,R 2475 0 4 GM Koneru,H 2546 1 5 GM Tan,Z 2521 ½ 6 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 0 7 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 8 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 9 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 10 GM Vaishali,R 2475 0 Ø 2525 4/10	2432		4.0	10	½ ½	½	0	½	1		½ ½	0 0	21.00	2453
7	GM	Muzychuk,A GM Muzychuk,A 2520 1 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 2 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 0 3 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ 4 GM Lei,T 2550 ½ 5 GM Vaishali,R 2475 ½ 6 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 7 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 8 WGM Salimova,N 2432 ½ 9 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 10 GM Lagno,K 2542 ½ Ø 2515 4/10	2520		4.0	10	½	0	0 ½	½ ½	½	½ ½		½	19.50	2443
8	GM	Vaishali,R GM Vaishali,R 2475 1 GM Koneru,H 2546 ½ 2 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 3 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 4 GM Goryachkina,A 2553 ½ 5 GM Muzychuk,A 2520 ½ 6 GM Lagno,K 2542 0 7 GM Lei,T 2550 0 8 GM Koneru,H 2546 0 9 GM Tan,Z 2521 0 10 WGM Salimova,N 2432 1 Ø 2516 3.5/10	2475		3.5	10	0	0 0	½	0	½ 0	1 1	½		15.00	2406
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

All games

The intense clash of leaders

Master advanced Tactics and Calculations like a super Grandmaster

The Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi with an ELO of over 2700 (June 2023) is one of the best 20 players in the world. For the first time, the sympathetic top player presents himself in a video course. Let a world-class player show you tactical moti

Two rare interviews!

Watch tons of high-quality content on ChessBase India’s YouTube channel!

Links

• Official Candidates Tournaments website
• On the way to Toronto: Candidates’ performances in Wijk aan Zee
• FIDE publishes regulations for 2024 Candidates Tournaments
• Who will win the 2024 Candidates Tournament?