
Neva Women's Grand Prix in Geneva
The Neva Foundation in partnership with the Internation Chess Federation
(FIDE) has organised the first leg of the official Women's Grand Prix series
for the first time in Geneva. From May 3 to May 15, twelve of the best women
players featuring current Women World Champion Anna Ushenina from Ukraine,
will confront each other at the N'vY
Manotel. The tournament is an eleven-round all-play-all at classical
time controls.
Round four report
It was a day of sacrifices: in four out of six games Kateryna Lahno, Tuvshintugs
Batchimeg, Olga Girya, Vikrtorija Cmilyte sacrificed knights, and Bela Khotenashvili
sacrificed an exchange. Viktorija Cmilyte had a very strong attack, but
missed her chances against Hou Yifan. Tatiana Kosintseva defeated Bela Khotenashvili.
The biggest sensation of the round became the draw between Ushenina and
Girya. The world champion had a huge advantage and confidently transferred
the game into an ending with an extra bishop and knight against the bare
king. Surprisingly, Olga Girya managed to survive!
| Round 4 on Monday, May 6th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
0-1
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
½-½
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
½-½
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
1-0
|
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
1-0
|
WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
1-0
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |

Kateryna Lahno (above), playing the black side of a Sicilian Sheveningen,
allowed Alexandra Kosteniuk win a piece for two pawns. In return the Ukrainian
GM had tremendous pressure and her opponent found it hard to defend against
all the threats, especially under the time pressure. One of the chances
to hold the position for White was to play 35.Qg2 instead of 35.Ng2.
Georgian GM Anna Dzagnidze (above) got a comfortable position on the white
side of a Grundfeld. Her opponent Batchimeg Tuvshintugs sacrigiced a knight
for three pawns and came under piece pressure in the endgame. She collapsed
with a critical mistake on move 26.

GM Tatiana Kosintseva (above) had to face the Caro-Kann for the second
time in a row and managed to get a slight advantage. Her opponent IM Bela
Khotenashvili missed an interesting opportunity to equalize the game with
the move 18…f6. In the time trouble, when things became very dangerous,
Bela sacrificed an exchange but it didn’t change outcome of the game.
Summaries of all games are available on
the official web site, which also provides analysis of key games by
GM Adrian Mikhalchishin. Adrian sent us his analysis of a key game in this
round:


[Event "Fondation Neva Women's Grand Prix"] [Site "Geneva"] [Date "2013.05.06"]
[Round "4.4"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Cmilyte, Viktorija"] [Result
"1-0"] [ECO "B52"] [Annotator "MIKHALCHISHIN"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate
"2013.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:03:09"] [BlackClock "0:01:04"] {Hou Yifan
lost in round three against an outsider from Mongolia, got a strong reprimend
from her mother, who accompanies her to most tournaments and was ready
to strike back. But she had not played too convincingly against Viktoria
Cmilyte in the past - we remember fantastic win of Viktoria in a Sicilian
last year in Kazan. Viktoria used the same approach as I taught my pupil
Betul Yildiz in recent years: Hou Yifan is fantastic, fine technical player,
and the only way to play successfully against her is to challenge her
from the start. It means to attack as soon as possible. But it is tremendousely
difficult. You have to show her that you are not afraid of her.} 1. e4
c5 2. Nf3 d6 {Usually the former World Champion plays main lines, but
sometimes she returnes to her junior weapon.} 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7
5. O-O ({A very modern way here is to transfer to Maroczy structure:}
5. c4 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. Be3) 5... Nc6 ({The Chinese
Champion had one interesting game here} 5... Nf6 6. e5 dxe5 7. Nxe5 Qc7
8. d4 cxd4 9. Bf4 Qd8 10. c3 d3 11. Qa4+ Nc6 12. Na3 Qc8 13. Rad1 e6 14.
Rxd3 Be7 15. Bg5 Qc7 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Nxc6 Qxc6 18. Qxc6+ bxc6 19. Nc4
{and obtained sweet endgame in Hou,Y (2158)-Fontaine,R (2539)/ Shenzhen
2005.}) 6. Qe2 Nf6 7. Rd1 g5 $5 {Typical modern attitude - attack on the
flank in the opening . But still I would prefer more timid developing
moves:} (7... Rc8) (7... g6) (7... e5) 8. c3 ({There are two possible
direct approaches to refute Black's counterattack immediately:} 8. e5
g4 9. Ne1 dxe5 10. c3 O-O-O 11. Na3 h5 12. d3 Nd5 13. Nc4 Bg7 14. Be3
Nf4 15. Qc2 Qd5 16. Qa4 h4 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. Bxf4 f5 19. Nc2 Bxf4 20.
Qxf4 Qd7 {with very good position in Pridorozhni,A (2485)-Nevostrujev,V
(2510)/Tomsk 2003.}) ({Very risky seems} 8. d4 $2 g4 9. Ne5 dxe5 10. dxe5
Nd4 11. Rxd4 cxd4 12. exf6 exf6 13. Bf4 Bg7 14. Nd2 O-O 15. Qd3 Rac8 16.
Nf1 Qa4 17. Rc1 Qxa2 18. Ng3 Qxb2 19. Nf5 Rc3 {and the White attack is
completely stopped, Yandemirov,V (2380) -Amonatov,F (2590)/Moscow 2011.})
(8. Nxg5 $2 Nd4) 8... g4 9. Ne1 ({Much more dangerous for Black seems
to be another retreat} 9. Nh4 Qe6 10. d3 (10. Re1 d5 11. d3 dxe4 12. dxe4
O-O-O 13. Na3 Qxe4 14. Qxe4 Nxe4 15. Bf4 Nd6 16. Bxd6 Rxd6 17. Nc4 Rd7
18. Re4 h5 19. g3 e6 {White has no real compensation for the pawn, Bojkovic,N
(2390)-Korbut,E (2430)/Zlatibor 2006}) 10... O-O-O 11. Bf4 d5 12. Nd2
Nh5 13. Bg3 Nxg3 14. hxg3 h5 15. Nb3 b6 16. d4 c4 17. Nd2 Bh6 18. Nxc4
Kb8 19. a4 dxc4 20. d5 Qc8 21. dxc6 Qxc6 22. Nf5 {where the white knight
is very well placed, Delchev,A (2629)-Morozevich,A (2762)/Porto Carras
2011}) 9... Qe6 10. d3 h5 ({It is possible here to lanch a central counterstrike}
10... d5 11. Bg5 (11. Be3 d4 12. cxd4 cxd4 13. Bg5 $11) 11... O-O-O 12.
Nd2 Rg8 13. Bxf6 exf6 {'!'} 14. Nc2 f5 15. Re1 (15. Qe3 dxe4 16. dxe4
f4 {'!'} 17. Qe2 (17. Qxf4 $2 Bh6) 17... Ne5 18. f3 h5 19. Kh1 g3 20.
Nf1 Rxd1 21. Rxd1 Be7 22. Rd5 gxh2 23. Qd2 Qf6 {with advantage, Collutiis,D
(2451)-Vocaturo,D (2480)/Palau 2009}) 15... dxe4 16. dxe4 f4 17. Rad1
Ne5 18. f3 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qxb2 {White has just some trick chances here,
Fressinet,L (2675)-Edouard,R (2565)/Paris 2009}) ({ More risky is} 10...
c4 11. d4 (11. Nd2 cxd3 12. Qxd3 a6 13. Nc2 Ne5 14. Qe2 h5 15. Nd4 Qc8
16. Nf1 Bh6 17. Bxh6 Rxh6 18. Nf5 Rg6 19. Rxd6 Qc4 20. Qxc4 Nxc4 21. Rd4
{The white pieces are much better placed, Sarana Hungeling,O (2231) -Huppertz,A
(1842)/Germany 2008}) 11... d5 12. e5 Nd7 13. b3 Na5 14. Nd2 Nb6 15. Nc2
Bh6 16. bxc4 Nbxc4 17. Nxc4 Nxc4 18. Bxh6 Qxh6 19. Qxg4 {The black king
will not be safe in the center, Brochet,P (2389)-Bernard,C (2364)/France
2008}) 11. Bg5 Rg8 12. Bh4 Bh6 ({Possible was immediate} 12... O-O-O)
13. Nd2 O-O-O 14. Nf1 Nd5 $5 ({A risky but interesting knight transfer.
For me the logical idea was to exchange bishops, which blocks the black
pawns on the kingsside.} 14... Bg5 15. Bxg5 Rxg5) 15. Qc2 Nf4 16. d4 ({Black
would have had fantastic play after} 16. Ne3 Ng6 17. Nf5 Nxh4 18. Nxh4
Bg5 19. Nf5 Kb8 20. Qe2 d5) 16... d5 ({Very good was} 16... cxd4 17. cxd4
d5 18. b4 Qxe4) 17. exd5 Rxd5 18. Ne3 Nh3+ $3 ({Completely logical was
the simple retreat} 18... Rdd8 19. dxc5 Ng6 {but Cmilyte saw some fantastic
attacking possibility.}) 19. gxh3 gxh3+ 20. Kf1 Bxe3 21. fxe3 Qg4 $2 ({Black
would keep very strong attack after the correct} 21... Qxe3 22. Bf2 Qf4
23. Qh7 Rg6 24. Rd3 Rf5 25. Rf3 Qxh2 26. Rxf5 Qh1+ 27. Ke2 Qe4+) ({Another
way to attack was not so convincing, but still playable} 21... Rf5+ 22.
Ke2 Rg1 23. d5 Rxd5 24. Rxd5 Qxd5 25. Qd3 Qe6) 22. e4 $1 {The only way
to refute the opponent's attack.} Qf4+ ({Black could still create a lot
of problems after} 22... Rd6 $1 23. e5 Nxe5 24. dxe5 Qg1+ 25. Ke2 Qxh2+
26. Kf3 Qxe5 27. Qe4 h2) 23. Bf2 Rdg5 $2 ({Here better was} 23... Rd6)
24. Qd3 $1 f5 ({After} 24... Qxh2 {a very strong answer was} 25. Nf3)
25. Qxh3 cxd4 (25... Rg1+ 26. Ke2 Qxe4+ 27. Qe3 R1g4 28. Qxe4 Rxe4+ 29.
Kf1 { promised nothing.}) 26. cxd4 Rg1+ 27. Ke2 Qxe4+ 28. Qe3 Qg4+ 29.
Nf3 Rg2 30. Rg1 $1 {After this exchange it becomes clear that Blacks attack
is in the past. } f4 31. Qe4 Qh3 32. Rxg2 Rxg2 33. d5 Nb8 34. Rc1+ Kd8
35. Qe5 1-0
Trainings DVDs by Adrian Mikhalchishin in the ChessBase Shop

Replay all games of the round
Select games from the dropdown menu above
the board
Current standings
The victory of Katerina Lahno over Alexandra Kosteniuk put the Ukrainian
player in the sole lead.

Information and photos supplied by FIDE Press Officer
Anastasiya Karlovich
Schedule and results
| Round 1 on Friday, May 3rd 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
½-½
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
½-½
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
1-0
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
½-½
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
½-½
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
1-0
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| Round 2 on Saturday, May 4th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
½-½
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
½-½ |
| GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
½-½
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
1-0 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
½-½
|
GM |
1-0 |
2522 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
1-0
|
WGM |
½-½ |
2298 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
1-0
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
½-½ |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
½-½
|
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
0-1 |
| Round 3 on Sunday, May 5th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
½-½
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
1-0
|
GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
1-0
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
½-½
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
½-½
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
0-1
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| Round 4 on Monday, May 6th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
0-1
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
½-½
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
½-½
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
1-0
|
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
1-0
|
WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
1-0
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
| Round 5 on Wednesday, May 8th 2013 at 14:00 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
|
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
|
GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| Round 6 on Thursday, May 9th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
|
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
|
WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
| Round 7 on Friday, May 10th 2013 at 14:00 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
|
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
| WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
|
GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
| GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| Round 8 on Saturday, May 11th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
|
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
| Round 9 on Monday, May 13th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
|
WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
| WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
| GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
|
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
|
GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| Round 10 on Tuesday, May 14th 2013 at 14:00 |
| GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
|
GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
| GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |
|
WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
| GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
|
GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
| IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
|
GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
| WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
|
WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
| GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
|
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
| Round 11 on Wednesday, May 15th 2013 at 12:00 |
| GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2585 |
|
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2491 |
| WGM |
Olga Girya |
2463 |
|
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2522 |
| GM |
Kateryna Lagno |
2548 |
|
WGM |
Tuvshintugs Batchimeg |
2298 |
| GM |
Anna Ushenina |
2491 |
|
IM |
Bela Khotenashvili |
2505 |
| WGM |
Wenjun Ju |
2544 |
|
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2517 |
| GM |
Yifan Hou |
2617 |
|
GM |
Nana Dzagnidze |
2545 |