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Swedish chess legend Pia Cramling had the best start at the Swedish National Championships which took place in Helsingborg at the beginning of July. After five rounds Cramling led with 3.5/5 and had beaten the eventual champion Jung Min Seo in round four.
In round six, Pia Cramling drew against Jonathan Westerberg, while Jung Min Seo won against Axel Smith to catch up to Cramling at the top. Both leaders drew in round seven.
In round 8 Jung Min Seo won an important game against veteran Jonny Hector, Swedish Champion of 2002.
42.Qc2 Qh3 43.Bd4 Rb8?! Black refrains from sacrificing the bishop. However, after 43...Bxg3 44.fxg3 Qxg3+ 45.Kf1 (or 45.Rg2 Qe1+ 46.Kh2 Qh4+) 45...Qf3+ 46.Rf2 Qh1+ 47.Ke2 Re8+ 48.Be3 Qh5+ 49.Kd2 Qxd5+ 50.Ke2 Qh5+ Black has a perpetual.
44.Rd1 a3 45.Qe2 More precise was 45.Qe4 Qh5 46.Re1.
45...Qh5 46.Qf1
46... Rb2? Better was 46...Qf3= with the idea 47.Re1 Bxg3
47.Re1! Preventing 47...Bxg3 because of 48.Re8+ and 49.Rh8#. 47...Qxd5 Black takes a pawn and defends c4 but allows the white queen to join the attack.
48.Qh3 Threatening mate on h8 - White has a devastating attack.
48...f6 49.Bxf6 Bf8 50.Qh8+ Kf7 51.Bd4 1–0
Meanwhile, Pia Cramling lost a long game against Tiger Hillarp Persson.
45...Rxc4 46.Qxc4 Qf3+ 47.Ka2? The wrong square. After 47.Ka4 Qxh1 48.b6 Qa1+ (48...cxb6 49.Kb5) 49.Kb3 cxb6 50.Qe2 Qa7 51.Qe6 Qc7 52.Kc4 Kg7 53.Kb5 Kh7 54.Qf6 it is hard to see how Black can win.
47...Qxh1 48.Ka3 48.b6 cxb6 49.Kb3 Qf3+ 50.Ka4 Qg4 and Black is winning.
48...Qa1+ 49.Kb3 Qd1+ 50.Ka3 Qe1 Or 50...Qg4+–
51.Ka2 Qa5+ 52.Kb1 Qb4 53.Qe2 Qxh4
54.Qe6 Threatening b6.
54...Kh6 More precise was 54...Qd8
55.b6 cxb6 56.Qxd6 Qe4+ 57.Ka1 h4 58.Qf8+ Or 58.Qd7 Qd3 59.d6 h3 60.Qd8 Kh5 61.d7 h2 (But not 61...Kg4? 62.Qc8=) 62.Qh8+ Kg4 63.Qxh2 Qxd7 and Black should win.
58...Kh5 59.d6 h3 60.Qe7 Qxe7 61.dxe7 h2 62.e8Q h1Q+
63.Ka2 Qd5+ The endgame is won for Black.
64.Ka3 Qd3+ 65.Ka2 Qc4+ 66.Ka1 Qa6+ 67.Kb1 Qd3+ 68.Ka2 b5 69.Qc6 Qc4+ 70.Ka1 b4 71.Qf3+ Kh6 72.Qh3+ Kg7 73.Qd7+ Qf7 74.Qd3 b3 75.Kb1 Qf5 76.Kc1 Qf4+ 77.Kb1 c4 78.Qd7+ Kh6 79.Qh3+ Kg5 80.Qg2+ Kf6 81.Qc6+ Ke7 82.Qb7+ Kf8 83.Qc8+ Kg7 84.Qd7+ Kh6 85.Qh3+ Kg5 86.Qg2+ Qg4 87.Qd2+ Kh4 88.Qh2+ Qh3 89.Qf2+ Qg3 90.Qd4+ Kh3 91.Qd7+ Qg4 0–1
The number one seed Hillarp Persson had a bad start into the tournament but in the end finished on second place. Jung Min Seo and Hillarp Persson met in the last round and with a draw in this crucial game Jung Min Seo became Swedish Champion 2021.
After her loss in round 8 Pia Cramling also lost in round 9 against Martin Lokander and finished on shared fifth place.
