Women’s Candidates R6: Tan on the attack

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/11/2024 – All four games ended decisively in round 6 of the Women’s Candidates, with Tan Zhongyi, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno and Lei Tingjie all collecting full points. Tan remains as the sole leader after obtaining a magnificent, attacking victory over Anna Muzychuk. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza
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Wins for Tan, Goryachkina, Lagno and Lei

A round of four draws was followed by a round of four decisive games at the Women’s Candidates in Toronto. After all was said and done, Tan Zhongyi kept her spot atop the standings, still a half point ahead of Aleksandra Goryachkina. The latter is set to play white against the leader in the marquee matchup of the seventh round.

The most exciting game of the day was the one featuring the tournament leader, as Tan successfully attacked Anna Muzychuk’s king to claim her third win of the event.

Earlier in the day, Kateryna Lagno had taken advantage of a blunder by Vaishali R to obtain her maiden win in Toronto — Lagno came from missing big chances in the previous two rounds.

The remaining two encounters reached the endgame phase, as Lei Tingjie needed 48 moves to take down Humpy Koneru, while Goryachkina got the better of Nurgyul Salimova in a game lasting 60 moves.

With eight rounds to go, it is still all to play for in the Women’s Candidates, though Humpy and Muzychuk will need to start collecting wins soon if they want to catch an in-form Tan.

Results - Round 6

NameRtg.Nt.Pts.Pts.NameRtgNt.
Salimova,N
2432
2½
0-1
3
Goryachkina,A
2553
Tan,Z
2521
3½
1-0
2
Muzychuk,A
2520
Vaishali,R
2475
2½
0-1
2½
Lagno,K
2542
Koneru,H
2546
2
0-1
2
Lei,T
2550

Aleksandra Goryachkina

In sole second place — Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Tan 1 - 0 Muzychuk

Analysis by André Schulz

Tan, Zhongyi25211–0Muzychuk, Anna2520
FIDE Womens Candidates 2024
Toronto10.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 b6 7.Bb2 Bb7 The opening was already known over 120 years ago: 7...Be7 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Nd2 Qc7 11.f4 Bb7 12.a4 a6 13.Qe2 Delmar, E-McCutcheon,J NY State CA Midsummer NY-PA 1898 1-0 8.Nbd2 Rc8 9.a3 Be7 9...cxd4 10.exd4 g6 11.Qe2 Bg7 12.Ne5 0-0 13.Rac1 Ne7 14.a4 Nf5 15.c3 Re8= Bluebaum,M (2670)-Carlsen,M (2862) Opera Euro Rapid Prelim 2021 (3) 0-1 10.Ne5 cxd4 11.exd4 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Qg4 g6 14.b4 a5 15.Nf3 0-0 16.Rae1 axb4 17.axb4
17...Ra8 The pawn sacrifice 17...d4!? came into consideration here in order to free the b7-bishop. 18.h4 Ra4 18...h5 19.Qf4+- with weaknesses around the black king's position. 19.h5 Rxb4 20.Nd4
Now hxg6 and Bxg6 are already threatened. 20...g5 21.Bc3 Ra4 22.f4 Qc8 Black throws a few more smoke bombs, but the game is over due to White's superiority on the kingside. 23.Bb2 Nc5 24.f5?! Stronger was 24.fxg5 Nxd3 25.cxd3 with the threat of g6. 24...exf5 25.Bxf5
25...Qd8? The queen is not well-placed on d8. A better defence was 25...Qe8 which covers the f7-square 26.h6 Bc8 and 27.e6 does not work: 27.Bc1± 27...fxe6 28.Rxe6 Rxf5 29.Qxf5 Nxe6 30.Qe5 Bc5-+ 26.h6 Bc8 27.e6 f6
The black king's position is now shattered. 27...fxe6 28.Rxe6 Nxe6 28...Rxf5 29.Qxf5 Nxe6 30.Qf7+-+ 29.Bxe6+ Kh8 30.Nc6+ d4 31.Nxd8 Black will be checkmated. 28.Bxh7+ Kxh7 29.Qf5+ Kh8 30.Nc6 Qe8 31.Qxg5 Rg8 32.Rxf6 Bxf6 33.Qxf6+ Kh7 34.Ne7 Re4 35.Rxe4 Nxe4 36.Nxg8 Qxg8 37.Qf7+ 1–0

Tan Zhongyi

Tan Zhongyi | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by WIM Svitlana Demchenko

Lagno 0 - 1 Vaishali

Analysis by André Schulz

Vaishali, Rameshbabu24750–1Lagno, Kateryna2542
FIDE Womens Candidates 2024
Toronto10.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 White allows the Marshall Attack. There are many ways to avoid the Marshall Attack. 8.h3!? 8.a4!? 8.d4!? 8...d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.d3 The principled answer is 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 12.d3!? 10...Bb7 11.a4 White's playing style is not bad, but seems improvised. b4 12.a5 Kh8 13.d4 bxc3 14.bxc3 exd4 15.cxd4 Ncb4
Black has come out of the opening without any problems and has good piece play. 16.Bc4 c5 17.Bb2 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nbd2 Qf6 17...cxd4 18.Qxd4 Bf6 19.Qd2 Bxb2 20.Qxb2 Nf4 Black offers the knight on b4, which White would be better off not capturing. However, the white position is not easy to play.
21.Qxb4? 21.Re3 is still playable according to the engines: Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Qd1+ 23.Bf1 Nc2 24.Rxf4 Rae8 25.Nc3 Qxa1 26.Qxc2 Re1 27.Qd3= 21...Bxf3 22.g3 22.gxf3 Qg5+ and mate. 22...Qd4 22...Nh3+ 23.Kf1 Qd4 24.Ra2 Rfc8-+ 23.Ra2 23.gxf4 Qxa1-+ 23...Nd3 All roads lead to Rome. 23...Nh3+ See above. 23...Rab8-+ 24.Rd2 Nxb4 25.Rxd4 Nc2 26.Rdd1 Nxe1 27.Rxe1 Rfe8 28.Rc1 Rac8 29.Nd2 Bd5
0–1

Kateryna Lagno

Kateryna Lagno | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Standings after round 6

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TBPerf.
1
Tan,Z
2521
4.5
6
½
1
½
1
½
1
11.50
2704
2
Goryachkina,A
2553
4.0
6
½
½
1
½
½
1
10.00
2636
3
Lagno,K
2542
3.5
6
½
½
½
1
½
½
10.25
2585
4
Lei,T
2550
3.0
6
0
½
½
½
1
½
8.00
2519
5
Salimova,N
2432
2.5
6
½
0
½
0
1
½
6.75
2471
6
Vaishali,R
2475
2.5
6
0
½
0
1
½
½
6.50
2462
7
Koneru,H
2546
2.0
6
½
½
½
0
0
½
7.25
2387
8
Muzychuk,A
2520
2.0
6
0
0
½
½
½
½
5.75
2387
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

All games

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
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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