Monaco GP: Humpy escapes with a draw

Humpy survives a scare

For the third consecutive round, four decisive results and two draws have taken place. Humpy maintained her lead by a half point after surviving against Dzagnidze where the Indian felt that her opponent was better throughout the game.

Dzagnidze misses many opportunities

Humpy opted for the Queen's Indian Defence. She had trouble getting her light square bishop out in the play for the major part of the game which she admitted. Within 26 moves majority of the pieces got exchanged and the game arrived at Rook, bishop and many pawns endgame.

A strategic weapon against 1.d4: The Queen's Indian Defense

The Queen's Indian Defense is one of the most solid and rich openings against 1.d4. Together with the Nimzo-Indian and the Catalan it forms the so called "Classical Setup", which any player should know. Victor Bologan calls the b7 bishop “the soul of the opening, the most important piece...keep it active”. Every chess enthusiast, from beginner to high level player, can profit from this DVD. Enrich your chess vocabulary, be open to new ideas: play the Queen’s Indian!

Here Dzagnidze defended the d4-pawn with 26.♖d1, instead she should have activated the king with 26.♔e3 and if black wanted to exchange the rooks with 26...♜e8+ 27.♔d2 ♜xe1 28.♔xe1 then white is doing completely fine, but maybe the Georgia no.1 did not want to have a bishop ending.

In a post-game interview, Humpy said,

It was not easy. It was a completely positional game but better for white throughout the game. Somehow I finally managed to bring my bishop into the game. It's important to maintain the rook or else it's lost.

Dzagnidze went with 27.c5 however she should have taken the c6-pawn with 27.♗xc6 ♝xc4 28.d5 and white has fantastic advantage.

White missed her final winning chance when she played 38.♖a8 instead of pushing her passed pawn on the kingside with 38.h4.

Humpy talks about her game against Dzagnidze | Video: FIDE

Anna Muzychuk beats Lagno in a long gruelling battle

The most interesting and the longest game of the round was Anna Muzychuk's. She fought for almost five hours before converting her winning advantage.

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

During her analysis, Anna revealed that she played the 5...b5, 6...♝b7 variation in the Ruy Lopez for the very first time in her life. 

Anna felt that White should have retreated her knight with 14.♘h2.

In the game, Black continued with 22...fxe5, however Anna felt 22...dxe5 was interesting. 23.♖d1+ ♚c8 24.♗f7, and she was unsure about this.

Here Black played 23...♜h6, however there was an interesting alternative, can you find it?

White continued with 24.♕f7 ♜f6 and it was all over, Black got a completely winning position and then it became just a matter of time and technique to convert it into a win.

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

Anna converted her advantage with ease | Photo: Karol Bartnik / FIDE

Cramling converts too

Germany no.1 Elisabeth Paehtz started well against Pia Cramling, however she made a few inaccuracies and eventually she blundered in the time pressure.

The Sicilian Kan Variation

This dynamic and flexible opening starts with moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6. Through carefully selected games and analysis made for that system, the author will help you understand the opening without the need to memorize tons of moves.

White continued with 19.♕xc4, but instead white should have played 19.♖f2 ♝e6 20.e5 ♞e8 21.♘d5 ♝xd5 22.♗xd5

Here White should have exchanged the queens with 27.♕c8+ ♛e8 28.♕xe8 ♞xe8 29.a4. If anyone then it is white who has chances of winning.

White lost the a-pawn soon and eventually the game after blundering her queen in time pressure

Pia Cramling talks about a lot of things | Video: FIDE

Gunina's woes continue

Zhao Xue scored her first victory of the tournament against Valentina Gunina. Zhao got a pleasant position out of the opening after Gunina misplayed early in the game.

Gunina should have taken the pawn at d5 with 11...exd5 and things would have been fine for her. However, after 11...♞c5, white continued with 12.dxc6 ♞xd3 13.♖e4 ♛c7.

White continued here with 14.♘c4, however 14.♖xd4 would have been completely crushing for black.

The ABC of the Bogo Indian

After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ Black develops smoothly and prepares to castle. He retains maximum flexibility with his central pawns. You do not need to know an enormous amount of theory to play.

Zhao Xue scored her first victory of the tournament | Photo: Karol Bartnik / FIDE

Goryachkina beats Harika

Both Harika and Goryachkina kept exchanging pieces at regular interval. Within 25 moves, the game arrived to a Rook, bishop and many pawns ending.

The Semi-Slav: A GM guide for the tournament player

The Semi-Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6) can arise via various move orders, has decided World Championships, and is one of Black's most fascinating replies to 1 d4. Magnus Carlsen's second, Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen explains in detail what this opening is all about.

Harika played 22.♔f1 and Black exchanged on e3 with 22...♝xe3 23.fxe3 resulting in an isolated pawn. Instead, she should have played 22.♗d2

Due to the isolated e3 pawn and black's better placed king, Goryachkina used the right technique and converted it into a victory.

Goryachkina talks about the game (Russian audio) | Video: FIDE

Kosteniuk vs Mariya had a very short draw

In Caro-Kann Defence, Alexandra Kosteniuk and Mariya Muzychuk made a very short draw in just 23 moves.

Mariya-Kosteniuk game was over way too soon | Photo: Karol Bartnik / FIDE

The eleven-round event continues on Saturday. The games start at 14:00 UTC (15:00 CET).

Pairings of Round 4

	Name	Rtg.	Nt.	Pts.		Pts.		Name	Rtg	Nt.
	Koneru,H	2574		6	1-0	7		Goryachkina,A	2572
	Lagno,K	2547		5½	1-0	5½		Cramling,P	2461
	Kosteniuk,A	2483		6	1-0	4		Paehtz,E	2475
	Muzychuk,M	2559		5	½-½	4½		Dzagnidze,N	2520
	Zhao,X	2485		4	1-0	5½		Harika,D	2518
	Muzychuk,A	2537		5½	½-½	1½		Gunina,V	2492

Standings after Round 4

Rk.		Name	Rtg.	Nt.	Pts.	n	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TB	Perf.
1		Koneru,H	2574		3.0	4			½	½			1				1		2.00	2720
2		Goryachkina,A	2572		2.5	4						0		1	1	½			2.00	2603
3		Muzychuk,A	2537		2.5	4	½			½			½			1			1.50	2645
4		Dzagnidze,N	2520		2.5	4	½		½					½				1	1.50	2621
5		Cramling,P	2461		2.5	4						½		½	½			1	1.50	2585
6		Kosteniuk,A	2483		2.0	4		1			½		½				0		2.00	2521
7		Muzychuk,M	2559		2.0	4	0		½			½				1			1.00	2535
8		Harika,D	2518		2.0	4		0		½	½							1	1.00	2507
9		Zhao,X	2485		2.0	4		0			½						1	½	0.50	2500
10		Lagno,K	2547		1.5	4		½	0				0				1		0.50	2453
11		Gunina,V	2492		1.0	4	0					1			0	0			1.00	2329
12		Paehtz,E	2475		0.5	4				0	0			0	½				0.50	2174
TBs: Koya, Wins with black, Wins

All games and commentary

Live commentary by GM Iossif Dorfman and WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili along with GM Bartlomiej Heberla | Video: FIDE

Links

• Official site
• All stories on the Women's Grand Prix in Monaco