Women’s Candidates R4: Tan barely escapes, Salimova beats Humpy

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/8/2024 – Despite fighting chess being the norm in round 4 of the Women’s Candidates, only one game finished decisively, with underdog Nurgyul Salimova (pictured) beating third seed Humpy Koneru. Tan Zhongyi survived a clearly inferior position against Kateryna Lagno, while Anna Muzychuk missed great winning chances for a second day in a row. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza
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Tan still the sole leader

A couple of missed chances were seen in round 4 of the Women’s Candidates. After winning two games and safely signing a draw on Saturday, Tan Zhongyi was in deep trouble playing black against Kateryna Lagno. The Russian GM faltered in the endgame, though, allowing Tan to remain as the sole leader going into the first rest day of the event.

Meanwhile, Anna Muzychuk failed to make the most of a clearly superior position for a second day in a row. Muzychuk had the black pieces against second seed Lei Tingjie. After splitting the point, both players kept their minus-one scores.

The one player who succeeded in profiting from an advantageous position was underdog Nurgyul Salimova. Playing white against Humpy Koneru, the 20-year-old first dealt proficiently with her opponent’s aggressive intentions and then showed good technique in the ensuing position with a material advantage.

Tan now stands a half point ahead of Aleksandra Goryachkina, who kept her sole second place after signing a 40-move draw against Vaishali R. On Tuesday, Tan will play white against Salimova, while Goryachkina will play black against Humpy.

Results - Round 4

NameRtg.Nt.Pts.Pts.NameRtgNt.
Lagno,K
2542
1½
½-½
2½
Tan,Z
2521
Goryachkina,A
2553
2
½-½
1½
Vaishali,R
2475
Salimova,N
2432
1
1-0
1½
Koneru,H
2546
Muzychuk,A
2520
1
½-½
1
Lei,T
2550

Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Lagno ½ - ½ Tan

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Lagno, Kateryna2542½–½Tan, Zhongyi2521
FIDE Womens Candidates 2024
Toronto07.04.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 Be6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.a4 b6 12.h3 Qc7 13.Qd3 Rfc8 14.Rec1 Qb7 15.Bf3 Rc7 16.Nd2 Nc5 17.Qe2 h6 18.b4 Ncd7 19.Qd3 Rac8 20.Ra3 Bc4 21.Nxc4 Rxc4 22.Rb3 Qc7 23.Bd2 d5 24.Nxd5 Nxd5 25.exd5 Nf6 26.Qf1 Qd7? Black has played the last few moves very energetically, but that's a mistake. Better was 26...e4 e.g. 27.Be2 Rxc2 28.Rc3 Rxc3 29.Rxc3 Qd7 30.Rxc8+ Qxc8 31.Bxa6 Qc2 with approximate equality. 27.c3 Qxa4 28.Rbb1 Qa2 29.Rd1 R4c7 30.Ra1 Qc2 31.Be3 Rd7 32.Rdc1 Qb2 33.Rab1 Qa3 34.Ra1 Qb2 35.Qd3 e4 36.Bxe4 Nxe4 37.Qxe4 Rxc3 38.Rxc3 Qxa1+ 39.Rc1 Qf6 40.Rc6 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 Bf8 42.Rxb6
The time control has been reached, White is a pawn up and has a dangerous passed pawn on d6 - White is winning. 42...Rd8 43.Bf4 Qa2 44.d6 a5 45.Ra6 Qxf2 46.bxa5 g5 47.Bg3 Qf6 48.Qd5 h5 49.Qf3 Qg6 50.Ra8 Rxa8 51.Qxa8 h4
52.Be5? White hasn't found a clear path to the win in the last few moves, but with this move she spoils the advantage for good. After the surprising 52.Bf2 Black can win the d-pawn with check, but then the a-pawn is strong enough to secure a win for White. Qxd6+ 53.Kh1 Kg7 54.Qa7 and White should win. The white king is safe and Black cannot stop the a-pawn. 52...Qe6 53.Qe4 Bxd6 54.Qa8+ Kh7 55.Bxd6 Qxd6+ 56.Kh1 Qd1+ White cannot escape the checks. ½–½

Kateryna Lagno, Tan Zhongyi

Kateryna Lagno v. Tan Zhongyi | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Salimova 1 - 0 Humpy

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Salimova, Nurgyul24321–0Koneru, Humpy2546
FIDE Womens Candidates 2024
Toronto07.04.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 Ne4 6.0-0 f5 7.b3 Nc6 8.Ba3 Bf6 9.e3 h5 10.Nfd2 h4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Nc3 hxg3 13.hxg3 Qd7 14.Rc1 Qf7 15.f3 exf3 16.Qxf3 Bd7 17.Nb5 Rc8 18.Rcd1 Qg6 19.Nc3 Kf7 20.Ne2
Black set the tempo at the beginning of the game, but White gradually took control. Black's threats on the kingside are harmless and the black pieces are uncoordinated. 20...Qh6 21.e4 g5 22.Kf2 g4 23.Qc3 fxe4 24.Ke1 Kg7 25.Bxe4 Qg5 26.Bc1 Qa5 27.Qxa5 Nxa5 After the exchange of queens White is almost winning. 28.Rf4 Rh2 29.Rxg4+ Kh8 30.Rg6 Bg7 31.Bf4 Nc6 32.g4 Rh3 33.Rg5 Rf8 34.Bg2 Rh7 35.Bxc7
White is two pawns up and doesn't relinquish his advantage as the game progresses. 35...Bh6 36.Rh5 Be8 37.Rh3 Bg6 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Bf4 Bxf4 40.Nxf4 Rxh3 41.Bxh3 Bc2 42.Rd2 Rxd4 43.Nxe6 Re4+ 44.Kf2 Rxe6 45.Rxc2 Nb4 46.Rd2 Ra6 47.a4 Rb6 48.a5 Rf6+ 49.Kg3 b6 50.Rd7 bxa5 51.Rxa7 Nc6 52.g5 Rg6 53.Ra8+ Kg7 54.Kf4 Nd4 55.Rxa5 Nxb3 56.Ra7+ Kf8 57.Bg2 Rb6 58.Bd5 Nc5 59.Kf5 Rb1 60.g6 Rf1+ 61.Ke5 Rg1 62.Rf7+ 1–0

Humpy Koneru

Humpy Koneru | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by WIM Svitlana Demchenko

Standings after round 4

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TBPerf.
1
Tan,Z
2521
3.0
4
½
1
½
1
5.25
2721
2
Goryachkina,A
2553
2.5
4
½
½
½
1
4.25
2617
3
Lagno,K
2542
2.0
4
½
½
½
½
4.25
2535
4
Vaishali,R
2475
2.0
4
0
½
1
½
4.00
2513
5
Salimova,N
2432
2.0
4
0
1
½
½
3.00
2523
6
Koneru,H
2546
1.5
4
½
½
½
0
3.50
2406
7
Lei,T
2550
1.5
4
0
½
½
½
3.00
2420
8
Muzychuk,A
2520
1.5
4
0
½
½
½
2.75
2432
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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1.e4 8 c5 18 2.Nf3 22 Nc6 13 3.Bb5 1:19 d6 25 4.0-0 2:02 Bd7 1:23 5.Re1 1:04 Nf6 23 6.c3 3:17 a6 35 7.Bf1 1:43 e5 37 8.Na3 13:14 8.h3 8...Be7= 4:30 9.Nc2 1:27       0-0 3:05 10.h3 4:32 The position is equal. Re8 2:53 11.d3 6:08 h6 10:09 12.Ne3 1:44 Bf8 57 13.Nh2 3:23 Be6 7:53 14.Qf3 2:30 Ne7 15:48 15.Nhg4 3:49 Nxg4 3:25 16.hxg4 51 g6 24 16...Qd7 17.Nf5 14:00 Kh7 8:01 18.Ng3 5:12 Bg7 2:19 19.g5 5:24 Better is 19.Nf5= 19...h5 2:11 20.Be2 1:50 Rf8 3:46 21.Bd1 1:33 Qd7 6:44 22.Bb3 2:34 Bxb3 57 23.axb3 2 Qe6 16 24.Qd1 2:15 Rad8 5:37 25.Be3 30 Nc6 16 26.Nf1 1:34 f5 6:51 27.gxf6 1:14 Qxf6 8 28.Qd2 3:43 Qe6 18 29.Bg5 3:44 Bf6 2:05 30.Bxf6 1:22 Rxf6 4 31.Ne3 27 Rdf8 3:19 32.Re2 4:26 R6f7 4 Of course not 32...Qxb3?! 33.Nd5 a5 34.Ra3± 34.Nxf6+ Rxf6 35.Qg5 Kg7 33.Nd5 1:40 Qg4 42 34.Ne3 34 Qe6 4 35.Nd5 22 Qg4 5 36.Ne3 21 Qe6 4 Weighted Error Value: White=0.11 (very precise) /Black=0.12 (very precise) . Mistake: White=1 Black=2 Inaccurate: White=4 Black=3 OK: White=12 Black=16 Black should try 36...Qh4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Goryachkina,A2553Lagno,K2542½–½2024B51FIDE Womens Candidates 20241.1
Muzychuk,A2520Salimova,N2432½–½2024C43FIDE Womens Candidates 20241.2
Lei,T2550Tan,Z25210–12024D35FIDE Womens Candidates 20241.3
Vaishali,R2475Koneru,H2546½–½2024C54FIDE Womens Candidates 20241.4
Tan,Z2521Vaishali,R24751–02024B13FIDE Womens Candidates 20242.1
Lagno,K2542Koneru,H2546½–½2024C88FIDE Womens Candidates 20242.2
Salimova,N2432Lei,T2550½–½2024D27FIDE Womens Candidates 20242.3
Goryachkina,A2553Muzychuk,A25201–02024D14FIDE Womens Candidates 20242.4
Koneru,H2546Tan,Z2521½–½2024D02FIDE Womens Candidates 20243.1
Muzychuk,A2520Lagno,K2542½–½2024C88FIDE Womens Candidates 20243.2
Lei,T2550Goryachkina,A2553½–½2024C51FIDE Womens Candidates 20243.3
Vaishali,R2475Salimova,N24321–02024C42FIDE Womens Candidates 20243.4
Goryachkina,A2553Vaishali,R2475½–½2024D33FIDE Womens Candidates 20244.1
Lagno,K2542Tan,Z2521½–½2024B92FIDE Womens Candidates 20244.2
Salimova,N2432Koneru,H25461–02024E06FIDE Womens Candidates 20244.3
Muzychuk,A2520Lei,T2550½–½2024C01FIDE Womens Candidates 20244.4
Tan,Z2521Salimova,N2432½–½2024B12FIDE Womens Candidates 20245.1
Lei,T2550Lagno,K2542½–½2024C55FIDE Womens Candidates 20245.2
Vaishali,R2475Muzychuk,A2520½–½2024C54FIDE Womens Candidates 20245.3
Koneru,H2546Goryachkina,A2553½–½2024D27FIDE Womens Candidates 20245.4
Salimova,N2432Goryachkina,A25530–12024E05FIDE Womens Candidates 20246.1
Tan,Z2521Muzychuk,A25201–02024D05FIDE Womens Candidates 20246.2
Koneru,H2546Lei,T25500–12024E97FIDE Womens Candidates 20246.3
Vaishali,R2475Lagno,K25420–12024C89FIDE Womens Candidates 20246.4
Goryachkina,A2553Tan,Z2521½–½2024D30FIDE Womens Candidates 20247.1
Lagno,K2542Salimova,N2432½–½2024C60FIDE Womens Candidates 20247.2
Muzychuk,A2520Koneru,H2546½–½2024C70FIDE Womens Candidates 20247.3
Lei,T2550Vaishali,R24751–02024C54FIDE Womens Candidates 20247.4
Tan,Z2521Lei,T25500–12024D02FIDE Womens Candidates 20248.1
Koneru,H2546Vaishali,R24751–02024D97FIDE Womens Candidates 20248.2
Lagno,K2542Goryachkina,A2553½–½2024C78FIDE Womens Candidates 20248.3
Salimova,N2432Muzychuk,A2520½–½2024E01FIDE Womens Candidates 20248.4
Lei,T2550Salimova,N2432½–½2024C41FIDE Womens Candidates 20249.1
Koneru,H2546Lagno,K2542½–½2024D38FIDE Womens Candidates 20249.2
Vaishali,R2475Tan,Z25210–12024B22FIDE Womens Candidates 20249.3
Muzychuk,A2520Goryachkina,A2553½–½2024C67FIDE Womens Candidates 20249.4
Tan,Z2521Koneru,H2546½–½2024C45FIDE Womens Candidates 202410.1
Lagno,K2542Muzychuk,A2520½–½2024C83FIDE Womens Candidates 202410.2
Goryachkina,A2553Lei,T25500–12024D14FIDE Womens Candidates 202410.3
Salimova,N2432Vaishali,R24750–12024D90FIDE Womens Candidates 202410.4
Lei,T2550Muzychuk,A2520½–½2024C54FIDE Womens Candidates 202411.1
Tan,Z2521Lagno,K25421–02024E06FIDE Womens Candidates 202411.2
Koneru,H2546Salimova,N24321–02024D12FIDE Womens Candidates 202411.3
Vaishali,R2475Goryachkina,A25531–02024B22FIDE Womens Candidates 202411.4
Salimova,N2432Tan,Z2521½–½2024A11FIDE Womens Candidates 202412.1
Lagno,K2542Lei,T2550½–½2024C02FIDE Womens Candidates 202412.2
Muzychuk,A2520Vaishali,R24750–12024C84FIDE Womens Candidates 202412.3
Goryachkina,A2553Koneru,H2546½–½2024E05FIDE Womens Candidates 202412.4
Vaishali,R2475Lei,T25501–02024B51FIDE Womens Candidates 202413.1
Salimova,N2432Lagno,K2542½–½2024E05FIDE Womens Candidates 202413.2
Tan,Z2521Goryachkina,A2553½–½2024D50FIDE Womens Candidates 202413.3
Koneru,H2546Muzychuk,A2520½–½2024D30FIDE Womens Candidates 202413.4
Muzychuk,A2520Tan,Z2521½–½2024B28FIDE Womens Candidates 202414.1
Lagno,K2542Vaishali,R24750–12024C78FIDE Womens Candidates 202414.2
Lei,T2550Koneru,H25460–12024E24FIDE Womens Candidates 202414.3
Goryachkina,A2553Salimova,N2432½–½2024C41FIDE Womens Candidates 202414.4

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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