Rostov R5: Four wins, three with the black pieces

by ChessBase
8/8/2011 – The appropriate headline would have been: "Yifan draws!" But let us give the others their due: Alisa Galliamova beat Ruan Lufei; Humpy beat Alexandra Kosteniuk, Elina Danielian blundered against Kateryna Lahno and lost, and Tatiana Kosentseva beat Ekaterina Kovalevskaya out of an equal position. Hou Yifan leads by a full point, followed by Lahno. Big pictorial report.

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The Rostov Chess Federation in collaboration with FIDE and Global Chess is organising the first event for the 2011/2012 Women's Grand Prix series. The tournament is being held in the Don-Plaza Hotel and runs from August 1st (arrival, opening) until August 15 (departure). The eleven rounds are between August 2nd and 14, with rest days on the 6th and 11th. The start of the games from of rounds 1-10 is 3:00 p.m. local time, round 11 at starts at noon local time. The winner receives 6,500 Euros out of a total prize fund of 40,000 Euros, and the overall winner of the Women's Grand Prix will win a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series.

Round five report

Round five: Sunday August 07 at 15:00
Galliamova Alisa
1-0
Ruan Lufei
Kosteniuk Alexandra
0-1
Koneru Humpy
Muzychuk Anna
½-½
Stefanova Antoaneta
Kosintseva Nadezhda
½-½
Hou Yifan
Danielian Elina
0-1
Lahno Kateryna
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
0-1
Kosintseva Tatiana

Alisa Galliamova-Lufei Ruan was an English Opening with a bishop fianchetto. Black defended accurately, exchanging queens and reaching an equal position. However, 17.b4 brought a slight stable advantage to White, which Galliamova used to win a pawn before the first time control. The Russian Champion converted this into a technically winning ending and victory.


Kateryna Lahno, now in sole second place

Elina Danielian-Kateryna Lahno was also an English Opening, with Lahno taking control around move 14 and gaining a clear advantage by move 23. Danielian tried to sharpen the position by sacrificing a pawn on e2, and succeeded in equalising. But the Armenian missed 27.Qf7+ and ended up simply a pawn down. She resigned in a completely hopeless position after move 36.

Ekaterina Kovalevskaya-Tatiana Kosintseva saw White choosing a closed position, but Black vigorously attacking her kingside fianchetto. At the time control Black had a clear space advantage. Kosintseva took over the queenside and pushed her b-pawn to promotion. She ended it on move 50 a queen and bishop up and a forced mate on the board.


Humpy Koneru and Alexandra Kosteniuk in the press conference after their game

Alexandra Kosteniuk-Humpy Koneru was a Ruy Lopez Breyer, with the Indian GM gaining a clear advantage by the first time control. However Black played an inaccurate 40th move (exchanging queens instead of protecting hers with the king). However the former women's world champion did not seize the opportunity to enter a drawish endgame and Humpy took over again to win her second game in this tournament.

[Event "Rostov Women GP"] [Site "Rostov-on-Don RUS"] [Date "2011.08.07"] [Round "5"] [White "Kosteniuk, A."] [Black "Koneru, H."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C95"] [WhiteElo "2497"] [BlackElo "2614"] [PlyCount "136"] [EventDate "2011.08.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. a4 Bg7 16. Bd3 c6 17. Bg5 Nf8 18. Qd2 Ne6 19. Bh6 Nd7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Bc2 Qf6 22. Red1 Rad8 23. axb5 cxb5 24. d5 Nf4 25. Qe3 Rc8 26. Nd2 h5 27. Rdc1 Rc7 28. Bd1 Nc5 29. Nf3 h4 30. Nf1 Qe7 31. Bc2 f5 32. exf5 Nxd5 33. Qe1 gxf5 34. Ne3 Nxe3 35. fxe3 Bxf3 36. gxf3 e4 37. Qd2 exf3 38. Qd4+ Kf7 39. Bxf5 Qg5+ 40. Qg4 Qxg4+ (40... Kf6 41. Qxg5+ ({or} 41. e4 Rg7 42. Qxg5+ Rxg5+) 41... Kxg5 {would be enough to win.}) 41. Bxg4 Rxe3 42. Rf1 Na4 43. Bxf3 Kg7 44. Kf2 Rd3 45. Rg1+ Kf8 46. Be4 $2 (46. Rxa4 bxa4 47. Ke2 Rxf3 {would have led to a very drawish endgame.} 48. Kxf3) 46... Rf7+ 47. Kg2 Rg3+ 48. Kh2 Rf2+ 49. Bg2 Rxb2 50. Raf1+ Ke7 51. Rf4 Nxc3 52. Rxh4 Rg7 53. Re1+ Kd7 54. Rg4 Rxg4 55. hxg4 b4 56. g5 Re2 57. Rxe2 Nxe2 58. Bf1 Nc1 59. Bxa6 b3 60. g6 Ke7 61. Bb7 b2 62. Be4 Ne2 63. Bd3 Nc3 64. Kg3 Kf6 65. Kf4 b1=Q 66. Bxb1 Nxb1 67. Ke4 Nc3+ 68. Kd4 Nb5+ 0-1

Nadezhda Kosintseva-Yifan Hou saw Black going for a Najdorf and showing that she knew the variation perfectly: her first 23 moves were executed in just a minute and a half. After that Hou launched an enterprising attack, but Kosintseva had a way out and ended up a pawn up in a drawn ending (which her opponent knew how to play).

[Event "Rostov Women GP"] [Site "Rostov-on-Don RUS"] [Date "2011.08.07"] [Round "5"] [White "Kosintseva, N."] [Black "Hou Yifan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B97"] [WhiteElo "2560"] [BlackElo "2575"] [PlyCount "112"] [EventDate "2011.08.01"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 h6 11. Bh4 dxe5 12. fxe5 Nd5 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. e6 Bxe6 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Be2 Be7 17. Bh5+ Kd8 18. Bxe7+ Qxe7 19. O-O Nd7 20. Rf7 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Rf8 22. Rxg7 Rc8 23. h3 Rc6 24. Qxh6 Kc8 25. Bg4 Qxc2 26. Re1 Qc3 27. Rxe6 $6 {In a sharp but equal position White chooses a dubious continuation.} Rxe6 28. Bxe6 Rf1+ 29. Kh2 Qe5+ 30. Rg3 Qe1 {Who wouldn't feel deadly uncomfortable in a mate-in-one position like this? But White has a way out:} 31. Qh8+ Kc7 32. Qc3+ Qxc3 33. Rxc3+ Kd6 34. Bxd7 Kxd7 35. h4 Ke6 36. h5 Kf6 37. Rc7 Kg5 38. Rxb7 Kxh5 39. Rb6 d4 40. Rxa6 d3 41. Rd6 Ra1 42. Kg3 Rxa2 43. Rd5+ Kg6 44. Rxd3 Ra6 45. Rd4 Rb6 46. Kf4 Ra6 47. Kg3 Rb6 48. Rg4+ Kh6 49. Kh4 Ra6 50. Rg8 Kh7 51. Rg5 Kh6 52. g4 Rb6 53. Rc5 Kg6 54. Rg5+ Kh6 55. Rh5+ Kg6 56. Rg5+ Kh6 1/2-1/2

Anna Muzychuk-Antoaneta Stefanova was a game between the only two players who skipped the free day excursion (see below) in order to have more time for their preparation. The game produced an interesting line of the Caro-Kann in which White launched a thematic kingside attack. However when queens came off the board (on move 14) it was Black who had a distinct advantage. But with small inaccuracies around move 28 she let her opponent off the hook and the game ended after 68 moves in a draw.


Our friends in the press room of Rostov: Bambusha Nominkhanova (in red) and...

... Kema Goryaeva from Kalmykia. She worked for FIDE for about ten years – actually she ran the FIDE office in Elista, and then for UEP for three years, helping to organise a number of big events (like the 2008 Anand-Kramnik World Championship in Bonn). Today Kema freelances occasionally at chess tournaments, and also organises international boxing events in Elista (the next is in October). "BTW boxing is a very interesting game," she writes us, "more actions, more emotions."

Current standings


Free day


On the free day (Saturday) the players are taken into the city to get a feel for Rostov-on-Don


The newly restored Holy Virgin Protection Church in Pokrovsky Park

The first church on this site was the wooden Church of the Intercession was built in 1735 with logs from the fortress of St. Anna, abolished by Dimitry Rostovsky. The last church on this site was completely destroyed in the 1930s and the current "temple" was built in 2005 with money provided by the residents of Rostov-on-Don. There is a beautiful picture of the church here.


An arial vies of Pokrovsky Park and the church (click to view larger map)


The participants gather around a map showing how the town was founded from a
serfdom settlement and given the name Rostov-on-Don in the year 1806


Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, Tatiana and Nadezhda Kosintseva on the outing


In Pokrovsky Park: Ruan Lufei takes a picture of Hou Yifan and her mother...


... and now someone takes a picture of the WGM , the mom and the GM WCh


In 1865 Rostov-on-Don becaime one of the first Russian cities to introduce a water
supply system with five kilometres of pipes – a revolution that allowed housewives...


... to fetch water from an outlet instead of the local ponds


In the Natural History Museum: GMs Lahno, Kosteniuk, Danielian, T. Kosentseva


Hey, watch out, Katya, you are being attacked!


Photo with photographer: Katya, Elina and Anastasiya Karlovich shooting into a mirror


Chess players in the park – a typical scene anywhere in Russia


A special gala lunch for the players and officials


Gifts for the international guests


Hand painted wall plaques and plates


Souvenirs are always welcome – Kateryna Lahno, Ruan Lufei


A final picture from the outing, with all participants and a proud chess player from the park

Pictures by Anastasiya Karlovich and
Kema Goryaeva with kind permission of FIDE

Schedule and results

Round one: Tuesday August 02 at 15:00
Stefanova Antoaneta
½-½
Ruan Lufei
Koneru Humpy
0-1
Hou Yifan
Galliamova Alisa
0-1
Lahno Kateryna
Kosteniuk Alexandra
½-½
Kosintseva Tatiana
Muzychuk Anna
½-½
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Kosintseva Nadezhda
½-½
Danielian Elina
Round two: Wednesday August 03 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
1-0
Danielian Elina
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
0-1
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Kosintseva Tatiana
½-½
Muzychuk Anna
Lahno Kateryna
½-½
Kosteniuk Alexandra
Hou Yifan
1-0
Galliamova Alisa
Stefanova Antoaneta
½-½
Koneru Humpy
Round three: Thursday August 04 at 15:00
Koneru Humpy
1-0
Ruan Lufei
Galliamova Alisa
1-0
Stefanova Antoaneta
Kosteniuk Alexandra
0-1
Hou Yifan
Muzychuk Anna
1-0
Lahno Kateryna
Kosintseva Nadezhda
½-½
Kosintseva Tatiana
Danielian Elina
1-0
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Round four: Friday August 05 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
½-½
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Kosintseva Tatiana
½-½
Danielian Elina
Lahno Kateryna
1-0
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Hou Yifan
1-0-
Muzychuk Anna
Stefanova Antoaneta
½-½
Kosteniuk Alexandra
Koneru Humpy
½-½
Galliamova Alisa
Round five: Sunday August 07 at 15:00
Galliamova Alisa
1-0
Ruan Lufei
Kosteniuk Alexandra
0-1
Koneru Humpy
Muzychuk Anna
½-½
Stefanova Antoaneta
Kosintseva Nadezhda
½-½
Hou Yifan
Danielian Elina
0-1
Lahno Kateryna
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
0-1
Kosintseva Tatiana
Round six: Monday August 08 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
-
Kosintseva Tatiana
Lahno Kateryna
-
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Hou Yifan
-
Danielian Elina
Stefanova Antoaneta
-
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Koneru Humpy
-
Muzychuk Anna
Galliamova Alisa
-
Kosteniuk Alexandra
Round seven: Tuesday August 09 at 15:00
Kosteniuk Alexandra
-
Ruan Lufei
Muzychuk Anna
-
Galliamova Alisa
Kosintseva Nadezhda
-
Koneru Humpy
Danielian Elina
-
Stefanova Antoaneta
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
-
Hou Yifan
Kosintseva Tatiana
-
Lahno Kateryna
Round eight: Thursday August 11 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
-
Lahno Kateryna
Hou Yifan
-
Kosintseva Tatiana
Stefanova Antoaneta
-
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Koneru Humpy
-
Danielian Elina
Galliamova Alisa
-
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Kosteniuk Alexandra
-
Muzychuk Anna
Round nine: Friday August 12 at 15:00
Muzychuk Anna
-
Ruan Lufei
Kosintseva Nadezhda
-
Kosteniuk Alexandra
Danielian Elina
-
Galliamova Alisa
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
-
Koneru Humpy
Kosintseva Tatiana
-
Stefanova Antoaneta
Lahno Kateryna
-
Hou Yifan
Round ten: Saturday August 13 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
-
Hou Yifan
Stefanova Antoaneta
-
Lahno Kateryna
Koneru Humpy
-
Kosintseva Tatiana
Galliamova Alisa
-
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Kosteniuk Alexandra
-
Danielian Elina
Muzychuk Anna
-
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Round eleven: Sunday August 14at 12:00
Kosintseva Nadezhda
-
Ruan Lufei
Danielian Elina
-
Muzychuk Anna
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
-
Kosteniuk Alexandra
Kosintseva Tatiana
-
Galliamova Alisa
Lahno Kateryna
-
Koneru Humpy
Hou Yifan
-
Stefanova Antoaneta
 

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

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