Third Women's Chess Grand Prix in Nalchik

Women's Grand Prix in Nalchik

The Third Women's Chess Grand Prix is taking place in Nalchik, Russia, from April 25th (arrival) to May 8th (departure) 2010. Games start at 15:00 Local Time (GMT+3). The participants are:

Results of the first three rounds

Four games in the first round ended with victories for the players with the white pieces. The big surprise was the defeat of the leader of the Grand Prix Series, Zhao Xue, at the hands of an outsider from Turkey, Juldiz Betul. The Chinese player chose the Alekhine Defense and easily equalized, but then Zhao committed a blunder.

Yildiz,B (2244) - Zhao Xue (2490) [B03]
FIDE GP w Nalchik RUS (1), 26.04.2010
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.exd6 exd6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Ne2 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Nbc3 Bg4 11.f3 Bf5 12.b3 Re8 13.Bf2 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 a5 15.Rad1 d5 16.c5 Nc8 17.Qb5 Rb8 18.Nf4 N8e7 19.Rfe1 Qd7 20.Qa4 Bh6 21.Nd3 Nf5 22.Ne5 Nxe5 23.Rxe5 Qxa4 24.Nxa4 Rxe5 25.dxe5 c6 26.g3 Ng7 27.Kg2 Ne6 28.f4 Bf8 29.Kf3 f6 30.exf6 Kf7 31.Rc1 Kxf6 32.Be1 Ra8 33.Bc3+ Kf7 34.Be5 Be7 35.g4 Rf8 36.Ke3 Ke8 37.Rc2 Rf7 38.a3 Bf6 39.Bxf6 Rxf6 40.Rf2 Nc7 41.Nc3 Re6+ 42.Kd3 Kf7 43.b4 Re1 44.Rb2 Ne6 45.f5 gxf5 46.gxf5 Nf4+ 47.Kd2 Re7 48.bxa5 Kf6 49.Rb6 d4 50.Na4 Nd5 51.a6

51...Nxb6?? You have to take the pawn, Xue! You simply gotta. 52.cxb6 Kxf5. 52...bxa6 53.Nc5 Kxf5 54.b7 Rxb7 55.Nxb7 wins for White. 53.a7 Re8 54.Nc5 Ke5 55.Nd7+ Ke4 56.Nb8 Rg8 57.a8Q Rg2+ 58.Kc1 Rg1+ 59.Kb2 d3 60.Qa4+ Ke3 61.Qa5 Rf1 62.Qe5+ Kd2 63.Nxc6 Kd1 64.Qe3 1-0.

Russian GM Tatyana Kosintseva played a sharp variant of the French Defense against the vice-world champion Hou Yifan from China. Tatyana took the initiative and got an advantage in the middlegame. However, Hou managed to balance the position after the series of exchanges. But in time trouble the Chinese player chose a false plan on the 34 move and, having received the advantage a second time, Kosintseva confidently won the game.

Once again there were only white wins in round two, and again there was a big upset. Top seed Koneru Humpy came a cropper* against WGM Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mogolia, two hundred points her inferior on the Elo scale. Humpy typically chose a sharp line of the Sicilian but then overreached.

Munguntuul,B (2428) - Koneru,H (2622) [B43]
FIDE GP w Nalchik RUS (2), 27.04.2010
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 b5 7.0-0 b4 8.Na4 Bb7 9.Re1 Bd6 10.g3 Nf6 11.Bf3 Nc6 12.Bg2 0-0 13.Be3 Na5 14.Nb3 Nc4 15.Bc5 e5 16.Bf1

16...Nxe4 17.Rxe4 Bxc5 18.Nbxc5 [18.Rxc4 Qc6 leads to mate] 18...Bxe4 19.Nxe4. Two pieces for a rook and pawn – but Black does not have enough attacking potential. 19...Qc6 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Nd6 Qc6 22.c3 bxc3 23.Nxc3 Rab8 24.Rc1 Rb4 25.Ne2 Qf3 26.Qd2 Rb6 27.Nc3 Rc6 28.Re1 Qf6 29.Rd1 Qe6 30.b4 Rb8 31.Nce4 h6 32.a4 Qb3 33.b5 axb5 34.axb5 Rc2 35.Qd5 Qf3 36.b6 Rb2 37.b7 Kf8 38.Rc1 Rxf2 39.Rc8+ Ke7 40.Qxe5# 1-0.

The third round was the most peaceful so far, with just one win, again with the white pieces.

Standings after three rounds

Nalchik – Kabardino-Balkaria

The city of Nalchik is situated at an altitude of 550 meters (1,804 ft) in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. It covers an area of 131 square kilometers (50.6 sq mi). Population: 275,000. The city is named after the Nalchik River, on the shores of which it is located. The word "Nalchik" literally means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian – it is a diminutive of nal, the Turkic and Turkish word for "horseshoe". Nalchik was chosen the "second cleanest city of Russia" in 2003.

There is a lot of chess activity in the above region. We have marked off twenty-two hotspots on the map, which you can find by moving your mouse cursor over it. Each is linked to a memorable event or story linked to the town Can you find them all?

A picture from the opening ceremony of the Women's Grand Prix

Russia's answer to the children's beauty pageants and the world of Little Miss Perfect

Press conference with FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov

Grand Prix leader GM Zhao Xue of China about to suffer a shock defeat against...

... Turkish WIM Betul Cemre Yildiz, 12th seed and rated 2244

Munguntuul Batkhuyag: This time I haven’t been anywhere yet, but two years ago we were taken to Chegemsky Waterfalls, Blue Lakes, Elbrus mountain – we even managed to climb up to the mountains. The impressions are unforgettable.

They are preparing in a very serious way. I can say that participants will be seated in the “Chinggis Khan” or “Kempinski” hotels, which have also good playing halls. I think we’ll have good conditions there.

Every member of a Mongolian family plays chess; it is loved in the country. My father used to play, taught my elder brother and sister, and then me. The elders gave up playing because of me.

You are absolutely right. I’m a fifth year student of the Russian State Social University.

Tatiana Kosintseva: I did not think about it, I just try to play each round with all efforts; I try to use all chances in each round. Then the choice of the tactics and game strategy depends on the results of the previous game.

First, these tournaments are absolutely different. Of course when your relatives are with you, you have great psychological support. Despite their absence I feel their support, I always ask Nadya for an advice.

I do not place an accent on the result. The quality of the game interests me. It is more important for me to play beautifully and productively.

Zhu Chen: The most important thing for me is to spend time with my kids, parents and husband. I used to devote most of my time to chess, that’s why I wanted now to do my duties.

I feel great. I hope that I have many of them around the world. We have a lot of amateur players, and I think they believe in me

I have my own page on the Facebook I have a lot of interesting friends there. I like Facebook, as far as you can find people you haven’t seen for a long time.

Schedule

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 the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!