Arabidze edges Kiolbasa to win the European Women’s Championship

by Klaus Besenthal
3/30/2023 – The European Women’s Championship came to an end on Wednesday in Petrovac, Montenegro. Since the games on the top boards finished drawn — albeit not without a fight — nothing changed in the standings relative to the previous rounds. Meri Arabidze from Georgia and Oliwia Kiolbasa from Poland tied for first place on 8½/11 points. Arabidze was declared the champion thanks to her victory over Kiolbasa in round 8. | Photos: European Chess Union
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Hard-fought draws

The game that the new European Champion, Meri Arabidze, played against her Georgian compatriot Salome Melia in the last round of the tournament was an exciting affair. It was a draw that could have ended differently, as Arabidze actually had a clear advantage near the end of the encounter.

Oliwia Kiolbasa did not have it easy on the second board, as she played a full-fledged imbalanced game against Greece’s Stavroula Tsolakidou. Meanwhile, on board 4, Aleksandra Maltsevskaya — a Russian-born IM now representing Poland — played fearlessly and defeated 2021 European champion Elina Danielian with black. Maltsevskaya’s win granted her third place in the final standings, as the player with the best tiebreak score out of the four that ended with 8 points.

Incidentally, Georgia, the home country of the European champion, considers itself a European country in terms of its cultural self-image, but due to its location on the southern slope of the Caucasus, many geographers consider it to be part of Asia, either in whole or in large part.

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,172,27354%2421---
1.d4951,24355%2434---
1.Nf3283,16356%2440---
1.c4182,99656%2442---
1.g319,77556%2427---
1.b314,39754%2427---
1.f45,92048%2377---
1.Nc33,83450%2384---
1.b41,76548%2379---
1.a31,22854%2405---
1.e31,07449%2409---
1.d395850%2378---
1.g466746%2361---
1.h445753%2378---
1.c343651%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411560%2464---
1.f39646%2431---
1.Nh39166%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3 h6 13.Bc2 Nb8 14.b4 Nbd7 15.Bb2 Rc8 16.Qb1 Nh5
17.c4?! It doesn't look like the most natural move. Probably better was: 17.a4 c6= 17...Nf4 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.cxb5 axb5 20.Re3?! Also here 20.a4 seems reasonable. 20...g6?! It was time for 20...c5! 21.Nxe5 dxe5 22.Nb3 Qg5 23.Qf1 h5 24.Rg3 Qf6 25.Kh2
25...h4 It made sense to consider 25...c5= since the loss of the bishop pair was to be tolerated - the effectiveness of the white bishops is limited. 26.Rf3 Qg5?! 26...c5! is winning 27.g3? but one needed to calculate long lines to make sure everything worked out: cxb4 28.Bb1 bxa3 29.Bxa3 Bxa3 30.Rxa3 Qe7-+ 27.g3 Qh5?! 27...Ne6 was better. 28.Bd1 28.g4!± would have resulted in a significant advantage for White. The black queen is stopped cold for a while, while the white queen gets the b5-pawn. 28...Ne6 29.Rxf7 Also complicated was 29.Qxb5 Bxe4 30.Rf4 hxg3+ 31.fxg3 Bd3 32.Qxd3 Nxf4 33.gxf4 Qh4 34.Bxe5 Qf2+ 35.Kh1 Bg7= 29...Qh6 30.Rd7? 30.Rf6!= This rook could capture the e6-knight to play Nc5 later. 30...Bc6? First 30...Bd6 and then Bc6! 31.Bc1 Qh8 32.Rd3 Bxe4 33.Re3 This rook has completed an incredible round trip! Bc6 34.Bg4 Rcd8 35.Bb2 Nd4 36.Nxd4 exd4 37.Rxe8 Bxe8 38.Qe2 Qf6 39.Rd1 Bf7 40.Kg1?
After this move, White is once again in trouble. 40.Qf3 would have provided relief: either the queens will be exchanged or the white queen will be placed on a good square. 40...hxg3 41.fxg3 Bc4 To start with 41...Bb3 was stronger: 42.Re1 Bc4 43.Qe4 Bg7 Probably the rook can only return to d1. 42.Qe4 Bg7 43.Rd2 Qe5? Now the advantage is gone again. 43...Qd6! 44.Kh2 Be5-+ The black pieces are in fantastic positions and d4-d3 is in the air. 44.Qxe5 Bxe5 45.Bf3 Kg7 46.Kg2 Bf6 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Melia,S2366Arabidze,M2433½–½2023European Women-ch 202311.1
 

Final standings

Rk. Name Pts.  TB1 
1 Arabidze, Meri 8,5 1
2 Kiolbasa, Oliwia 8,5 0
3 Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra 8 0
4 Tsolakidou, Stavroula 8 0
5 Melia, Salome 8 0
6 Kulon, Klaudia 8 0
7 Javakhishvili, Lela 7,5 0
8 Garifullina, Leya 7,5 0
9 Toncheva, Nadya 7,5 0
10 Sargsyan, Anna M. 7,5 0
11 Guichard, Pauline 7,5 0
12 Daulyte-Cornette, Deimante 7,5 0
13 Cyfka, Karina 7,5 0
14 Danielian, Elina 7 0
15 Buksa, Nataliya 7 0
16 Socko, Monika 7 0
17 Bivol, Alina 7 0
18 Gunina, Valentina 7 0
19 Osmak, Yuliia 7 0
20 Wagner, Dinara 7 0
21 Mkrtchian, Lilit 7 0
  Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina 7 0
23 Sliwicka, Alicja 7 0
24 Brunello, Marina 7 0
25 Mammadova, Gulnar 7 0
26 Zaksaite, Salomeja 7 0
27 Ovod, Evgenija 7 0
28 Khotenashvili, Bella 6,5 0
29 Bulmaga, Irina 6,5 0
30 Mkrtchyan, Mariam 6,5 0

...136 players

All games - Round 11

 
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1.e4 3 c5 45 2.Nf3 17 Nc6 5 3.d4 28 cxd4 7 4.Nxd4 3 Nf6 8 5.Nc3 4 d6 6 6.Bg5 10 e6 7 7.Qd2 33 a6 8 8.0-0-0 3:00 Bd7 15 9.Nxc6 40 Bxc6 2:22 10.f3 15 h6 5:33 11.Bf4 16 e5 16:01 12.Be3 18 b5 34 13.Kb1 8:38 White is more active. B66: Sicilian: Richter-Rauzer: 7...a6 8 0-0-0 h6. Be7 2:14 14.g4 2:03 Qa5 9:00 14...Qc7 15.h4!± 8:01
White is better. 15...Rb8N 12:01 Predecessor: 15...b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bd7 18.Qf2 Rb8 19.Rg1 g6 20.f4 Bf6 21.Bd3 Bb5 22.fxe5 Bxe5 ½-½ Jovanovic,Z (2539)-Danner,G (2450) Schwarzach op-A 2009 (8) 16.Bd3 22:21 b4 4:50 17.Ne2 2 d5 4:45 18.g5 11 hxg5 5:14 18...dxe4± keeps fighting. 19.gxf6 exd3 20.fxg7 Rg8 19.hxg5+- 5       Discovered Attack Rxh1 17 20.Rxh1 1 Nd7 18
21.g6! 5:57       fxg6 7:57
22.Bg5 4:56 22.Ba7?! Ra8 23.Be3 23.exd5 Bxd5 24.Bxg6+ Kd8 23...Nf8± 22.Nc1!+- 22...dxe4 8:08 23.fxe4 5 Qc5 2:25 24.Nc1 4:36       White has strong compensation. 24.Bxa6? Bxg5 25.Qxg5 Bxe4-+ 24...Qd6 2:42 25.Rh8+ 4:24 25.Bxa6 Qxd2 26.Bxd2 Bxe4 25...Bf8 4:32 Better is 25...Nf8 26.Qh2 5:45 26.Bxa6?! Qxd2 27.Bxd2 Bxe4= 26.Qg2 26...Nc5 3:36
27.Bc4 17:51 White should play 27.Be3!± And now Rxf8+! would win. Kd7 28.Bxc5 Qxc5 29.Rg8 29.Bxa6 Bxe4 30.Bd3 Bf5= 27...Kd7! 1:02 28.Qf2 4:06 Bxe4 4:18 29.Nb3 32       White has good play. The board is on fire. Qd1+ 2:19 30.Bc1 1 Nxb3?? 1:07       30...Kc6!= and Black has nothing to worry. 31.Bxb3+- 8 Qa7+ is the strong threat. 31.axb3 Kc6 32.Rh2 Rd8= 31...Qd6 1:11 32.Qf7+ 1:41 Be7 1:16 33.Rxb8 4:22       Deflection Not 33.Qxg7 Rxh8 34.Qxh8 a5= 33...Qxb8 4 34.Qe6+ 17 34.Qxg7 Qd6= 34...Kd8 1:21 35.Qg8+? 2:30 And not 35.Qxa6 Qd6 36.Qc4 Bf5= 35.Be3!+- Black must now prevent Ba4! Qd6 36.Bb6+ Ke8 37.Qc8+ Bd8 38.Ba4+ Kf7 39.Qxd8 39.Bxd8? Qd1# 39...Qxd8 40.Bxd8 35...Kc7= 9 aiming for ...Qxg8. 36.Qxg7 7 Kd6 36 36...Kd7= 37.Qf7! 3:05 Threatening mate with Qe6+. Qc8 29 Wards off Qe6+ 38.Qf2 58 Qc6 28 Prevents Qb6. The position is equal. 39.Bd2 23 a5 29 40.a3 0 bxa3 0 41.Bxa5 3:29 Threatens to win with Bb4+. Qb5 13:26 Wards off Bb4+ 42.Qd2+ 4:05 Kc6 55 43.Qc3+ 2:36 Qc5 2:17 44.Qe1 11:44 Bxc2+ 13:26 45.Bxc2 10 a2+! 6       Deflection 46.Kxa2 34 Qxc2 29 White really could win this. An exciting game. Weighted Error Value: White=0.29 (precise) /Black=0.27 (precise) ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Milliet,S2404Schulze,L2277½–½2023B66European Women-ch 202311.1
Melia,S2366Arabidze,M2433½–½2023C93European Women-ch 202311.1
Dylag,E2052Spalir,M21251–02023D11European Women-ch 202311.1
Kiolbasa,O2406Tsolakidou,S2358½–½2023B90European Women-ch 202311.2
Narva,M2389Rudzinska,M2212½–½2023B12European Women-ch 202311.2
Lomaia,D1950Allahverdiyeva,A2124½–½2023E21European Women-ch 202311.2
Guichard,P2379Javakhishvili,L2443½–½2023D37European Women-ch 202311.3
Zaksaite,S2187Beydullayeva,G23881–02023B87European Women-ch 202311.3
Petrova,I2123Skvortsova,A2032½–½2023B40European Women-ch 202311.3
Danielian,E2431Maltsevskaya,A23880–12023D30European Women-ch 202311.4
Vega Gutierrez,S2361Unuk,L22971–02023C60European Women-ch 202311.4
Hajiyeva,L2118Donghvani,N20251–02023B30European Women-ch 202311.4
Kulon,K2290Buksa,N24051–02023B30European Women-ch 202311.5
Jarocka,L2181Mammadova,G23580–12023C76European Women-ch 202311.5
Walter,E2048Dwilewicz,K21140–12023B40European Women-ch 202311.5
Sargsyan,A2371Daulyte-Cornette,D2344½–½2023C54European Women-ch 202311.6
Ovod,E2305Gaponenko,I23491–02023B31European Women-ch 202311.6
Makropoulou,M2102Shuqja,K1884½–½2023B01European Women-ch 202311.6
Cyfka,K2350Khotenashvili,B24911–02023E90European Women-ch 202311.7
Sieber,F2217Brunello,M23460–12023B94European Women-ch 202311.7
Tsotsonava,E2030Pogorelskikh,S21020–12023B31European Women-ch 202311.7
Eric,J2230Mammadzada,G2472½–½2023B90European Women-ch 202311.8
Toncheva,N2192Efroimski,M24511–02023B22European Women-ch 202311.8
Golsta,R1760Kobak,P18150–12023E20European Women-ch 202311.8
Sliwicka,A2272Osmak,Y2445½–½2023C77European Women-ch 202311.9
Abdulla,K2221Stefanova,A24350–12023C68European Women-ch 202311.9
Bulmaga,I2438Garifullina,L23720–12023B22European Women-ch 202311.10
Kubicka,A2211Badelka,O24281–02023C67European Women-ch 202311.10
Kejzar,P2128Humbatova,N17371–02023A29European Women-ch 202311.10
Fataliyeva,U2427Chelushkina,I22071–02023A30European Women-ch 202311.11
Mkrtchian,L2379Bivol,A2365½–½2023D02European Women-ch 202311.11
Slaba,A2061Aydin,G20390–12023E71European Women-ch 202311.11
Mkrtchyan,M2343Gunina,V24780–12023D17European Women-ch 202311.12
Zhukova,N2322Lehaci,M22021–02023D31European Women-ch 202311.12
Karaivanova,P1875Pavlidou,E21781–02023B45European Women-ch 202311.12
Savina,A2345Socko,M24320–12023E49European Women-ch 202311.13
Klek,H2314Richterova,N21901–02023C48European Women-ch 202311.13
Tsirulnik,M2121Silva,M19200–12023E04European Women-ch 202311.13
Wagner,D2411Sandu,M22111–02023E11European Women-ch 202311.14
Zimina,O2295Froewis,A21231–02023A07European Women-ch 202311.14
Hapala,E2072Kostina,V1855½–½2023C07European Women-ch 202311.14
Krasteva,B2292Koridze,L21220–12023D00European Women-ch 202311.15
Pirvulescu,E2032Bakalarz,G18471–02023B33European Women-ch 202311.15
Koljevic,N2042Zhapova,Y2269½–½2023B12European Women-ch 202311.16
Popovic,M1832Mashchenko,T19561–02023E69European Women-ch 202311.16
Mamedjarova,T2229Zawadzka,J2391½–½2023E57European Women-ch 202311.17
Makka,I1949Silva,A1792½–½2023C78European Women-ch 202311.17
Gajcin,M2215Lazarne Vajda,S2294½–½2023C50European Women-ch 202311.18
Huseynova,L1694Manova,I19230–12023C90European Women-ch 202311.18
Lach,A2170Urh,Z2294½–½2023B11European Women-ch 202311.19
Gamal,A1748Maione,M2028½–½2023E60European Women-ch 202311.19
Zherebtsova,A2155Hrebenshchykova,Y22890–12023E36European Women-ch 202311.20
Bluebaum,J1954Zhezhovska,M17611–02023D37European Women-ch 202311.20
Gaboyan,S2160Antolak,J2276½–½2023A04European Women-ch 202311.21
Bassari,S1524Ivanovic,T14720–12023C95European Women-ch 202311.21
Radeva,V2247Ivekovic,T21321–02023C02European Women-ch 202311.22
Saraci,R1503Recica,J1231½–½2023D00European Women-ch 202311.22
Olde,M2234Paasikangas,J21151–02023E71European Women-ch 202311.23
Petrovska,K1907Maras,M10511–02023B23European Women-ch 202311.23
Vidic,T2097Garcia Martin,M23060–12023B69European Women-ch 202311.25
Shpanko,N2164Abdinova,N2090½–½2023A06European Women-ch 202311.26
Mayrhuber,N2162Valkova,A20551–02023D35European Women-ch 202311.27
Hrescak,I2127Ter-Avetisjana,A19741–02023B12European Women-ch 202311.28
 

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Klaus Besenthal is computer scientist, has followed and still follows the chess scene avidly since 1972 and since then has also regularly played in tournaments.
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