
The European Individual Women Chess Championships are being held from 2 to
13 March, 2012, in the Anatolian Hotel in Gaziantep, Turkey. The event will
be followed by the European Rapid Championship and European Blitz Championship
(15-18 of March). The EIWCC consists of eleven games. The rate of is 90 minutes
for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30
seconds per move, starting from move one. Games start at 16:00h local time.
Organizers and prize fund: The Turkish Chess Federation,
with the sponsorship and support of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality,
under the auspices of the City of Gaziantep and the European Chess Union, provided
a prize fund of 150,000 Euro for all three events. This is the biggest prize
fund in the history of European Women's Chess events. For the first time in
the chess history the European Women's Champion will get a higher prize sum,
20,500 Euros, than the Champion of the (Open or "Men's") European
Individual Championship, which will be held in Plovdiv after this event.
Free day

Thursday (March 8th, International Women's Day) was a day off. Most of the
participants, trainers and organizers embarked on the rest-day's activities
but some of them preferred to stay in the hotel and relax before round seven.
The cultural program included visiting of Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the Medusa Museum,
the Cuisine Museum, Gazientep Castle and Coppersmiths' Bazaar.

The Deputy General Secretary of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Ibrahim
Evrim,
who loves the history of his region and knows a lot about it...

was the very special guide for players and guests in the Zeugma
Mosaic Museum,
the biggest mosaic museum on the world.

The famous "Gypsy
Girl" is in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum. Some archaeologists
think this may be the face of Alexander the Great.

Valentina Gunina and Anastasiya Savina climb up to Gaziantep Castle...

...which was built in the 6th century A.D.

Coppersmiths' Bazaar (Bakircilar Çarsisi), where artisans work at and
sell their crafts

At the end of the cultural program all guests were invited to one of the
best restaurants
in Gazientep, "Imamcagdas", where everyone could taste traditional
Turkish baklava.
Round seven

On the first board, playing white, Valentina Gunina beat the leader Thanh
Trang
Hoang and replaced her opponent on first place.

[Event "European Women's Championship"]
[Site "Gazaintep"]
[Date "2012.03.09"]
[Round "?.1"]
[White "Gunina, Valentina"]
[Black "Hoang, Thanh Trang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 d5 6. O-O Bd6 7. b3 Qe7 8. Bb2 O-O
9. Ne5 b6 10. a4 a5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Ba3 Bxa3 13. Nxa3 Bb7 14. Qc2 g6 15. e3
Rc8 16. Qb2 Na6 17. Rac1 c5 18. Nb5 Nb4 19. Rfd1 Ba6 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. Nd3 Nxd3
22. Rxd3 Rab8 $2 {This is where things went wrong for the Vietnamese/Hungarian
GM.} 23. Rxd5 $1 Bxb5 (23... Nxd5 {is not possible because of} 24. Bxd5+ Kf8
25. Qh8#) 24. axb5 Rxb5 25. Re5 Qg7 $2 26. Qe2 $1 Ng4 (26... Rxb3 27. Qc4+ Qf7
28. Bd5 Nxd5 29. Qxb3 $18) 27. Rxf5 $1 gxf5 28. Qxb5 Qb2 29. Rf1 Qd2 30. Bb7
Rc7 31. Bd5+ $1 Kg7 (31... Qxd5 32. Qb8+) 32. Qb8 Qxd5 33. Qxc7+ Kg6 34. Qf4
Qxb3 35. e4 Nf6 36. Qxf5+ Kg7 37. e5 Nd5 38. e6 Nc3 39. Qe5+ Kh6 40. e7 {
Professionally played by the Russian IM.} 1-0

Cristina-Adela Foisor defeated Viktorija Cmilyte in a game that lasted 93
moves

On the third board Marie Sebag could have obtained good winning chances in
the game against Solvanian IM Anna Muzychuk (above), but did not play aggressively
enough. Later on Muzychuk got a comfortable position, increased her edge and
was able to chalk up a victory. As a result rating favorite Anna Muzychuk improved
her tournament situation and shares the third place together with Thanh Trang
Hoang.
Round eight

Cristina-Adela Foisor and Valentina Gunina agreed to a draw after 42 moves
Cristina-Adela Foisor, who now leads with Valentina Gunina and Anna Muzychuk
Thanh Trang Hoang, playing white against Anna Muzychuk, tried to transfer the
game into the equal ending. But her Slovenian opponent played precisely and
got a decisive advantage.


[Event "European Women's Championship"]
[Site "Gazaintep"]
[Date "2012.03.10"]
[Round "?.2"]
[White "Hoang, Thanh Trang"]
[Black "Muzychuk, Anna"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Nf3 d5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bg3 Bxg3 8.
hxg3 Qd6 9. Bb5 Ng4 10. Qa4 c4 11. b3 cxb3 12. axb3 Bd7 13. Qa3 Qxa3 14. Rxa3
Ke7 15. Ke2 a6 16. Bd3 e5 17. dxe5 Ncxe5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. f4 Nxd3 20. Kxd3 {
This endgame is basically equal - Black does get a great position for her
bishop.} Rac8 21. Nf3 Bf5+ 22. Kd2 h5 $1 {Gaining space and fixing the weak
white pawn on g2.} 23. Ra5 Be4 24. Rh2 f6 $1 {Now white will not be able to
exchange the powerful bishop. Black is clearly better.} 25. Nd4 g5 26. Ra1 Rcg8
27. Ne2 Kf7 28. Rah1 Kg6 29. Nd4 Rh7 30. g4 h4 31. f5+ Kf7 32. Ne6 Rc8 33. b4
Ke7 34. Ra1 Kd6 35. Nc5 Ke5 36. Ra3 (36. Nxe4 $2 Kxe4 37. Rhh1 Rhc7 38. Ra3 Rc4
{wins the g4-pawn (after ...Ke5)}) 36... Rhc7 37. Ne6 Rc4 38. Nd4 Kd6 39. Ne2
Ra8 40. Nd4 b6 41. Ra1 Rcc8 42. Ra3 a5 43. b5 Rc4 44. Ke2 Rac8 45. Kd2 R8c5 46.
Rb3 {After this White has no more moves - everything loses material or fatally
weakens her position.} Ra4 47. Rb2 Ra3 48. Ne2 a4 49. g3 Ra1 50. gxh4 a3 51.
Rb4 a2 52. Ra4 Rxb5 53. c4 Rb2+ 54. Kc3 Rc2+ 0-1
As a result of her win Anna Muzychuk climbed to equal first in the the standings,
joining a group of three leaders with 6.5/8 points each.
Viktorija Cmilyte (above) defeated Nazi Paikidze, who didn't play accurately
in the opening and let her opponent to create strong attack on her king. Viktorija
Cmilyte, Tatiana Kosintseva, Nino Khurtsidze share the fourth place with six
points.
Top standings after eight rounds
# |
Sd |
Ti. |
Name |
Rtng |
FED |
Pts |
Perf |
BH. |
BH. |
wins |
1 |
31 |
IM |
Foisor Cristina-Adela |
2398 |
ROU |
6½ |
2679 |
39 |
39½ |
5 |
2 |
8 |
IM |
Gunina Valentina |
2511 |
RUS |
6½ |
2663 |
36½ |
40 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
IM |
Muzychuk Anna |
2583 |
SLO |
6½ |
2653 |
35 |
38 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
GM |
Kosintseva Tatiana |
2513 |
RUS |
6 |
2595 |
37½ |
42 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
GM |
Cmilyte Viktorija |
2497 |
LTU |
6 |
2582 |
35½ |
39 |
6 |
6 |
20 |
IM |
Khurtsidze Nino |
2447 |
GEO |
6 |
2581 |
35 |
38 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
GM |
Stefanova Antoaneta |
2531 |
BUL |
5½ |
2536 |
35 |
39 |
4 |
8 |
21 |
GM |
Hoang Thanh Trang |
2438 |
HUN |
5½ |
2522 |
35½ |
39 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
GM |
Danielian Elina |
2478 |
ARM |
5½ |
2498 |
30 |
33 |
4 |
10 |
3 |
GM |
Lahno Kateryna |
2546 |
UKR |
5½ |
2497 |
31½ |
34½ |
3 |
11 |
22 |
WGM |
Batsiashvili Nino |
2438 |
GEO |
5½ |
2483 |
33 |
36½ |
4 |
12 |
17 |
WGM |
Pogonina Natalija |
2449 |
RUS |
5½ |
2483 |
30½ |
33½ |
3 |
13 |
10 |
IM |
Khotenashvili Bela |
2490 |
GEO |
5½ |
2477 |
31 |
34 |
5 |
14 |
34 |
WGM |
Kovanova Baira |
2392 |
RUS |
5½ |
2437 |
28 |
30½ |
5 |
15 |
7 |
GM |
Sebag Marie |
2512 |
FRA |
5 |
2533 |
40½ |
44½ |
4 |
16 |
51 |
WGM |
Schleining Zoya |
2326 |
GER |
5 |
2492 |
35 |
35½ |
3 |
17 |
33 |
WGM |
Guramishvili Sopiko |
2395 |
GEO |
5 |
2468 |
35½ |
38½ |
4 |
18 |
15 |
IM |
Mkrtchian Lilit |
2458 |
ARM |
5 |
2451 |
31½ |
35 |
4 |
19 |
57 |
WIM |
Bulmaga Irina |
2307 |
ROU |
5 |
2441 |
29½ |
32½ |
4 |
20 |
41 |
WGM |
Vojinovic Jovana |
2356 |
MNE |
5 |
2439 |
33 |
35½ |
4 |
21 |
14 |
IM |
Paehtz Elisabeth |
2459 |
GER |
5 |
2436 |
33½ |
37 |
4 |
22 |
2 |
GM |
Dzagnidze Nana |
2559 |
GEO |
5 |
2435 |
33 |
35 |
4 |
23 |
30 |
IM |
Melia Salome |
2400 |
GEO |
5 |
2430 |
30½ |
33 |
3 |
24 |
13 |
IM |
Skripchenko Almira |
2468 |
FRA |
5 |
2427 |
29½ |
33 |
3 |
25 |
24 |
IM |
Romanko Marina |
2417 |
RUS |
5 |
2421 |
29½ |
32½ |
3 |
26 |
23 |
GM |
Zhukova Natalia |
2435 |
UKR |
5 |
2403 |
27 |
30 |
3 |
27 |
4 |
GM |
Kosintseva Nadezhda |
2535 |
RUS |
5 |
2363 |
30½ |
34 |
4 |
28 |
48 |
IM |
Gvetadze Sofio |
2334 |
GEO |
5 |
2359 |
32½ |
34 |
3 |
29 |
46 |
WIM |
Goryachkina Aleksandra |
2341 |
RUS |
5 |
2358 |
31 |
31½ |
3 |
30 |
29 |
WGM |
Paikidze Nazi |
2406 |
GEO |
5 |
2350 |
32½ |
34½ |
3 |
Remaining schedule
Sunday |
March 11 |
15:00 |
9th Round |
Monday |
March 12 |
15:00 |
10th Round |
Tuesday |
March 13 |
11:00, 19:00 |
11th Round, Closing Ceremony |
Wednesday |
March 14 |
| Departure-Arrival Day |
Thursday |
March 15 |
| Rapid |
Friday |
March 16 |
| Rapid |
Saturday |
March 17 |
| Blitz |
Sunday |
March 18 |
| Blitz |
Monday |
March 19 |
| Departure Day |
All photos by WGM Anastasiya Karlovich, with kind permission
of the TCF
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