Rostov R7: Hou Yifan continues her stratospheric flight

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 seven report

Alexandra Kosteniuk-Ruan Lufei (½-½)
This was a Berlin Defence in the Ruy Lopez, with White avoiding the main lines by playing 4.d3. Black completed her development without any serious problems, but at move 19 she was a pawn down. However, this was not enough in the ensuing rook and bishop ending, especially since the bishops were of opposite colour. The Chinese player defended confidently and the game was drawn after 47 moves.

Anna Muzychuk-Alisa Galliamova (1-0)
In a Sicilian Scheveningen White launched a thematic attack on the weakened queenside, with a black counterattack using the b-pawn. By move 30 Alisa Galliamova was doing fine, with the advantage of a pair of bishops, but a mistake in time trouble cost her two pawns and ultimately the game.

Nadezhda – the older and slightly less famous of the Kosintseva sisters

Nadezhda Kosintseva-Humpy Koneru (½-½)
In a Closed Ruy Lopez (Borisenko Variation) both opponents placed their pieces in the center and after massive exchanges the rook, bishop and knight endgame with equal pawns on the kingside was clearly drawn.

Elina Danielian-Antoanetta Stefanova (0-1)
Black played a Slav Tchebanenko and White in its turn chose the system with her bishop developed on g2. Elina Danielian gained an advantage in development and broke in the center by playing 14.e4, to which Black replied strongly with 14...d4. White sacrificed two pawns for piece activity, but blundered in time-trouble, allowing her opponent to grind out a 83-move win.

Her opponent Ekaterina Kovalevskaya hardly seem brimming with confidence

Ekaterina Kovalevskaya-Yifan Hou (0-1)
The Women's World Champion surprised her opponent with the French Defence (Steinitz Variation), a line that has rarely been seen at high levels recently. White got a pleasant position from the opening, but allowed her opponent to get dangerous passed pawn on the d-file. Hou Yifan picked up a pawn on move 47 and skillfully used it to bring home yet another full point.

Tatiana Kosintseva-Kateryna Lahno (½-½)
A Berlin Defence in the Ruy Lopez where, as in Kosteniuk-Ruan Lufei, White used the unambitious move 4.d3 to get an equal battle with the pieces concentrated in the centre. Black would have had promising play after 26...Nf6, but instead Kateryna Lahno swapped queens (and a centre pawn) and the position became very drawish. The games ended without a decision after 40 moves.

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

Current standings

On Thursday Hou Yifan faces Tatiana Kosintseva, who is in 2nd-3rd place. Just two weeks ago the two played each other in the Women's Supertournament in Hangzhou: at that time the Russian player managed to defeat the world champion, so this is going to be a grudge match. On Friday Yifan has black against Kateryna Lahno, the other GM in the follow-up berth. These are going to be the must-watch encounters.

Schedule and results

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN 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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