Russian Superfinals: Polina Shuvalova starts with 5.0/5!

Russian Superfinals, Round 5

In the only win of the round Maksim Matlakov demonstrated the potential of the Najdorf Sicilian.

Maksim Matlakov

Soon after the opening Black seized the initiative.

21.c4? White gives a pawn to stop Black from playing d6–d5. But it was better to wait with 21.f3.

21...bxc4 22.bxc4 Bxc4 23.Qg3 Qxe4 24.Bxh6 Qh7 25.Qg4 f5 26.Qd1 d5 27.Bg5 Giving Black a tempo. Better was 27.Bd2.

27...Qg6 28.b3 Qxg5 29.bxc4 d4

Black's central pawns give him the much better play.

30.c5 Rc6 31.Rc4 Rac8 32.Rac1 Kh7 33.g3 Rd8 34.Qa4 Qf6 35.Rd1 Rd5 36.Qb4 Qh6 37.h4 Qh5 38.Rd2 d3 39.Qa4 Qh6 40.g4 Rdxc5 Or 40...Rg6 41.c6 Qxh4 42.c7 Rh6 and Black mates.

41.Rxc5 Rxc5

42.g5 The rook ending after 42.Rxd3 Qxh4 43.Kg2 Qxg4+ 44.Qxg4 fxg4 is also lost.

42...Qh5 43.Rxd3 Rc1+ 44.Kh2 Qe2 45.Rg3 f4 46.Rg2 Qe1 47.Kh3 Qh1+ 0–1

This was Matlakov's first win in the tournament. 

Results

Table

Games

Women's Championship

Polina Shuvalova started the tournament with phenomenal 4.0/4, and in round 5 she had to face Valentina Gunina, who is known for her uncompromising style.

The endgame is rather complicated: 25...h6?! Better was 25...Re8 with advantage for Black.

26.Rb5 c3?! 26...hxg5 27.Rxd5 Rxh2 28.Rdxg5 Kd7=

27.Bxc3 Ne7 28.Nh3? After 28.Rxd5 Nxd5 29.Nf7+ Kd7 30.Nxh8 Rxh8 31.Bd2 Bxh2 32.Rg7+ White's bishop pair compensates the pawn deficit.

28...Bxh2 29.Rg4 Bd6 30.Nf4 h5?! 30...Bxa2 was probably better.

31.Rg5 Bxf4 32.exf4 c6 33.Rb2 Ke8 34.Rh2 h4 35.Bb4 Kf7 36.Bd6 Rh6 37.Be5 Rg8

38.Bd3 Better was 38.Be2!? with the idea 38...h3 39.Rh5.

38...h3 39.Rxg8 Kxg8 40.f5 Bg2 41.Kf2 Kf7 42.Kg3 Nd5 White is now basically an exchange down.

43.Be2 Rh7 44.Kg4 Nf6+ 45.Kf4 b5 46.Bd1 a5 47.Bb3+ Bd5 48.Bd1 a4 49.Ke3 Rh4 50.Kd3 Bg2 51.Bg3 Th8 52.Ke3 Nd5+ 53.Kd2 Ra8 54.Be5 Rg8 55.Bh5+ Ke7 56.Kd3 Rg5 57.Bg6 Rg4 58.Kd2 b4 59.Bh5 Rg8 60.Bd1 b3 61.axb3 a3 62.Kc1 Ra8 63.f6+ Kf8 64.Bd6+ Kg8 65.f7+ Kxf7

66.Kh5+ The game is basically over but White still gives some spite checks.

66...Ke6 67.Bxa3 Rxa3 68.Bg4+ Kd6 69.Bxh3 Bxh3 70.Kb2 Ra8 71.Rxh3 Kc7 72.Rh1 Kb6 73.Rc1 Rf8 74.Ka3 Rf4 75.Rc4 Rf2 76.Rc1 Rd2 77.Rc4 Nc7 78.b4 Nb5+ 79.Kb3 Rd3+ 0–1

Shuvalova's closest rival Aleksandra Goryachkina also won her game but had to work long and hard for it. Her opponent Yulia Grigorieva offered strong resistance and missed a couple of good chances. But in the end, the 18-year-old lost the thread and the game.

22.Kh1? 22.Ng3!? and after 22...Bxd2 23.Bxd2 Black has 23...Nf3+ 24.Rxf3 gxf3 25.Qg6+ Kd7 26.Qf7+ Kc8 27.Qxe6+ winning a rook.

22...Kd7 23.Qh7+ Kc8 24.Qf7 Bxd2? Best was first 24...Kb8 and after 25.Qxe6 dxc4 26.bxc4 Nxc4 27.Qxc4 Nf3. After 28.Rxf3 Black has 28...Qxc4 29.Nxc4 gxf3 and White's knight has nowhere to go: 30.Ng1 f2.

25.Qxe6+ Kb8 26.Bxd2 Nf3 27.Rxf3 Rxf3 27...gxf3 is not possible because the rook on h3 would be en prise.

28.Qxg4 28.Bxg5!? 28...Rff8 29.Bxg5 Rde8 30.c5 Rf2 31.Re1 Nc8 32.Bf4 White has two pawns for the exchange, and the chances in this tense position are about equal.

32...Qd3!? Threatening Qe4. 32...Qa5=

33.Kg1 Winning an exchange. 33...Rxe2 33...Rxf4 34.Qxf4 a6 35.Ng3 and White is two pawns up.

34.Qxe2 Qxd4+ 35.Qe3 Qb4 36.Bg3 White's king is too exposed to allow White to convert the extra-pawn.

36...Ne7 37.Qf2 Rg8 38.Kh1 a6 39.Rf1 d4 40.e6+ Ka7 41.Bd6 Nc8 White now gradually losens her grip on the game.

42.Qf4 Qb5 43.Re1 Nxd6

44.Qxd6? 44.cxd6 Dd5+ 45.Qe4 Qxd6=

44...Qd3 Threatening Qf3 Matt.

45.Qf4 Qc2 46.Qf3? 46.Rg1 Re8 47.Qxd4 Rxe6 and White can still fight for a draw.

46...d3 47.e7 Rh8 47...Re8!? 48.Qd1 Rxe7

48.Kg1 48.h3 Re8–+ 48...Qxh2+ 49.Kf1 Rg8 50.Qf2 Qh1+ and Black mates. 0–1

Results

Table

Games

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