Rostov R6: T. Hou Yifan resumes winning streak

by ChessBase
8/9/2011 – She's back to her old ways, after a single draw in round five. Women's world champion Hou Yifan from China wrung a full point from GM Elina Danielian from Armenia. Russian GM Tatiana Kosentseva won a second game in this event and moved up to Kateryna Lahno in shared second place, 1.5 point behind the leader. Hou's performance so far: 2953. Round six 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 six report

Round six: Monday August 08 at 15:00
Ruan Lufei
0-1
Kosintseva Tatiana
Lahno Kateryna
½-½
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Hou Yifan
1-0
Danielian Elina
Stefanova Antoaneta
½-½
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Koneru Humpy
½-½
Muzychuk Anna
Galliamova Alisa
½-½
Kosteniuk Alexandra

Lufei Ruan-Tatiana Kosintseva 0:1
The game was a Scheveningen in which White played the thematic e5 push on move 19 but found herself clearly worse after the exchanges that followed. Black was able to focus on a debilitating weakness in her opponent's camp, the weak pawn on d3, which she was able to capture on move 31, gaining an essentially winning position. The endgame took Tatiana all the way to move 63, but she had a forced mate when her opponent at last resigned.

[Event "Rostov Women GP"] [Site "Rostov-on-Don RUS"] [Date "2011.08.08"] [Round "6"] [White "Ruan Lufei"] [Black "Kosintseva, T."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B84"] [WhiteElo "2479"] [BlackElo "2557"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventDate "2011.08.01"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. f4 O-O 9. Kh1 Qc7 10. a4 Nc6 11. Be3 Re8 12. Bd3 Nb4 13. a5 Bd7 14. Nf3 Rac8 15. Qe1 Bc6 16. Bb6 Qb8 17. Bd4 Nd7 18. Qg3 Bf8 19. e5 Nxd3 20. cxd3 dxe5 21. Nxe5 Qd6 22. Nxc6 Rxc6 23. Be5 Qe7 24. Ne4 f5 25. Nd2 Nxe5 26. fxe5 Rd8 27. Nc4 Qb4 28. Rf3 Rc5 29. Qh3 Rcd5 30. g4 Qb3 31. gxf5 Rxd3 32. Ne3 exf5 33. Qg3 g6 34. Re1 Bg7 35. Qh4 Qe6 36. Ng2 R3d4 37. Rf4 Rd2 38. Rf2 Rd1 39. Rfe2 R8d4 40. Qg3 R4d3 41. Nf4 Qc6+ 42. Qg2 Rxe1+ 43. Rxe1 Qxg2+ 44. Kxg2 Rd2+ 45. Kf3 Kf7 46. Re3 g5 47. Nh5 Bh6 48. Rb3 Kg6 49. Nf6 g4+ 50. Kg3 Bg5 51. Rb6 Be3 52. Ne4+ Bxb6 53. Nxd2 Bxa5 54. Nc4 Be1+ 55. Kf4 b5 56. Nd6 Bd2+ 57. Kg3 h5 58. Ne8 h4+ 59. Kg2 h3+ 60. Kh1 f4 61. e6 g3 62. hxg3 fxg3 63. e7 g2+ 0-1


Lufei Ruan and Tatiana Kosintseva in their press conference after the game

Kateryna Lahno-Ekaterina Kovalevskaya ½:½
A Tarrasch in the QGD in which Black played an interesting line with 6...cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qb6. A clearly well prepared Ekaterina Kovalevskaya had everything under control and after some heavy exchanges was able to force a draw by repetition. It was her third half-point in this tournament.


Kateryna and Ekaterina – in the press conference after their game


Chinese GM Hou Yifan, now with 5.5/6 and a 2953 performance


Opponent Elina Danielian in the press conference after the game

Hou Yifan-Elina Danielian 1-0
The reigning women's world champion chose the 6.c3 line in the Caro-Kann Advance Variation and forced her opponent to play with double pawns in the f-file. Black's attempt to brake up the white position with 19...c5 was ill-fated and gave Yifan a full pawn and a winning edge. The game is well worth replaying, especially with a chess engine explaining the tactical nuances.

[Event "Rostov Women GP"] [Site "Rostov-on-Don RUS"] [Date "2011.08.08"] [Round "6"] [White "Hou Yifan"] [Black "Danielian, E."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2575"] [BlackElo "2521"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2011.08.01"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. c3 Nd7 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. O-O Ngf6 9. h3 Bh5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Nc4 Qc7 12. Qc2 Bg6 13. Bg5 Rfe8 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Nh4 Kh8 16. Kh1 Rg8 17. Ne3 Rae8 18. Ng4 exd4 19. cxd4 c5 20. Nxg6+ fxg6 21. Bb5 Rgf8 22. dxc5 Be7 23. b4 a6 24. Ba4 b5 25. Bb3 Ne5 26. Ne3 Nc6 27. Nd5 Qe5 28. a4 Bd8 29. axb5 axb5 30. Qd3 Qxe4 31. Qxb5 Nd4 32. Qc4 Re5 33. Rae1 Qxe1 34. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 35. Kh2 Re4 36. Qd3 f5 37. Qc3 Bh4 38. Bc2 Be1 39. Qa1 Rh4 40. Qxe1 1-0

Antoaneta Stefanova-Nadezhda Kosintseva ½-½
A Queen's Gambit Ragozin saw Black temporarily sacrifice a pawn for an advantage in the development, but then lose heart and simplify the position by exchanging queens and returning the pawn. The resulting rooks + knight endgame did not give either of the players real winning chances, and a draw by repetition was the result after 44 moves.


Flowers in the hair – something you rarely see in men's events


Humpy Koneru-Anna Muzychuk ½-½

The Ukraining GM Anna Muzychuk, who now plays for Slovenia, chose the Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defence. Humpy Koneru played a double bishop fianchetto and disrupted the centre with 13.e4. Black went for the thematic counterattack a7-a5-a4, transferring her knight from a6 to b3 and playing 19...e5. By move 36 Humpy had a clearly better position with a rook for bishop and pawn, but she was not able to make headway and the game ended with the obligatory repetition after 48 moves.


The second strongest female player in history: Humpy Koneru

Alisa Galliamova-Alexandra Kosteniuk ½-½
The game was a classical Nimzo-Indian with 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5, which the former women's world champion messed up in the opening. "I could have resigned by move ten," said Alexandra Kosteniuk. We think that is exaggerated, but certainly by move 16 Alisa Galliamova had a winning advantage. However an error on move 22 turned everything around. GM Vitaly Kiselev, whose daily game summaries are very useful, has promised detailed analysis of this game on the official site on Tuesday.


Analyst in Rostov: GM Vitaly Kiselev

[Event "Rostov Women GP"] [Site "Rostov-on-Don RUS"] [Date "2011.08.08"] [Round "6"] [White "Galliamova, A."] [Black "Kosteniuk, A."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E35"] [WhiteElo "2492"] [BlackElo "2497"] [PlyCount "123"] [EventDate "2011.08.01"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. f3 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Bd6 11. O-O-O c6 12. e4 dxe4 13. fxe4 Qa5 14. Bc4 Na6 15. Qf2 f5 16. d5 Qc5 17. Qe2 b5 18. Bb3 b4 19. e5 Be7 20. Qh5+ Kd8 21. d6 Bf8 22. d7 $2 ({After} 22. Nf3 bxc3 23. Qf7 Bd7 24. Rhe1 {White has a winning position.}) 22... Bxd7 23. e6 Rh7 24. exd7 Re7 25. Nf3 bxc3 26. Rhe1 Kc7 27. Rxe7 Bxe7 28. Nd4 Kb6 29. Qe2 Nc7 30. Kb1 Rd8 31. bxc3 {Now it is Black who has the better chances.} Rxd7 32. Qb2 Qa3 $2 (32... Nb5 33. Nxb5 Rxd1+ 34. Bxd1 cxb5 {would have left Black a pawn up and the white position in shambles.}) 33. Qxa3 Bxa3 34. Nxf5 Rxd1+ 35. Bxd1 Bf8 36. g4 Nd5 37. Kc2 Kc5 38. Bf3 Ne7 39. Nd4 Kd6 40. c4 Bg7 41. c5+ Kd7 42. Nb3 Ke6 43. Kd3 Bb2 44. Na5 Ba3 45. Kd4 Bb2+ 46. Ke4 Ba3 47. Kd4 Bb2+ 48. Kc4 Kd7 49. Kb4 Bd4 50. Nb3 Be3 51. Kc4 Ng6 52. Kd3 Bg1 53. Be4 Ne5+ 54. Kc3 Kc7 55. Bf5 Nd7 56. Bxd7 Kxd7 57. Kd3 Ke6 58. Ke4 Bf2 59. Kf3 Bg1 60. Ke4 Bf2 61. Kf3 Bg1 62. Ke4 1/2-1/2


Anastasiya Karlovich, Alexandra Kosteniuk and Alisa Galliamova in the press conference

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

Current standings

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
0-1
Kosintseva Tatiana
Lahno Kateryna
½-½
Kovalevskaya Ekat.
Hou Yifan
1-0
Danielian Elina
Stefanova Antoaneta
½-½
Kosintseva Nadezhda
Koneru Humpy
½-½
Muzychuk Anna
Galliamova Alisa
½-½
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

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