Lagno leads, Humpy among chasers
For the seventh round of the Grand Prix tournament in Monaco, three basketball players from the local basketball association visited to promote women's sports.
In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.Additionally, Inna Bazhenova, the founder of TEAX, one of the tournament's main sponsors, was present and played a game against the chief organiser, Jean-Michael Rapaire.
The round of the Women's Grand Prix in Monaco then featured a very short game, a very long game, and a game with a highly eventful course and a bizarre ending.
The shortest game was played by Elisabeth Paehtz and Aleksandra Goryachkina. After just 13 moves, the players repeated their moves and agreed to a draw. The Mega Database contains two other short draws by Goryachkina with the same move sequence.
In contrast, Tan Zhongyi and Kateryna Lagno played the longest game of the day, lasting 107 moves.
The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.
In the Fianchetto Variation of the King's Indian Defence, Lagno deviated from the main theoretical paths with 6...a5 but then followed a well-known idea in this variation with 7...Bf5 and 8...Ne4. After an early queen exchange, a tough middlegame without queens emerged, leading to a bishop endgame with opposite-coloured bishops and five pawns on each side by move 35. Both players sought their chances. After an error by Lagno (34....Bd4?), Tan missed the best opportunity (35.f4), which would have led to a clearly won position. This turned into an exciting passed pawn race.
Both players promoted a passed pawn to a queen, with Lagno having to sacrifice her bishop. After an exchange of the newly promoted queens, another passed pawn race ensued, with both players eventually queening a third time. By then, only 60 moves had been played. Over the next 47 moves, Tan attempted to convert the endgame with a queen and bishop against a queen and pawn, and later a queen and bishop against a queen. On move 107, Black forced a draw by stalemate.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nf3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.Nc3 a5 7.0-0 Bf5 8.h3 Ne4 9.Nd5 c6 10.Ne3 Bc8 11.Qd3 Nf6 12.b3 e5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bb2 e4 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Rad1 Re8 17.Nd2 Nbd7 18.g4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Bxb2 20.Nxe4 Be5 21.f4 Bg7 22.Rd3 Nf6 23.Nd6 Re7 24.Bh3 Ne4 25.Nxe4 Rxe4 26.Rd8+ Bf8 27.Rf3 Kg7 28.g5 Bc5 29.Kf2 Bg4 30.Rxa8 Bxf3 31.Rxa5 Bd4 32.exf3 Bxe3+ 33.Ke2 Re7 34.Re5 Rxe5 35.fxe5 35...Bd4? 35...Bxg5 36.c5 f5 37.exf6+ Kxf6 38.Bc8 Ke5 39.Bxb7 Kd5 40.b4 Kc4 41.a3 Bc1= 36.Kd3? 36.f4 Kf8 37.Kd3 c5 37...Bc5 38.Bc8 b6 39.Bb7 Ke7 40.Bxc6 38.Bc8 b6 39.Ke4 Ke7 40.Kd5 Kd8 41.e6 fxe6+ 42.Bxe6 Be3 43.Kc6 Bxf4 44.Bg8 Bxg5 45.Bxh7 Kc8 46.Kxb6 Be7 47.Bxg6 36...Bxe5 37.c5 Bc7 38.Kd4 f5 39.gxf6+ Kxf6 40.Bc8 b6 41.Bd7 h5 42.Bxc6 Kf5 43.b4 Kf4 44.a4 h4 45.Bd7 Kxf3 46.b5 g5 47.Kd5 bxc5 48.Kc6 c4 49.Kxc7 c3 50.Bc6+ Kf2 51.b6 c2 52.b7 c1Q 53.b8Q 53...Qf4+ 54.Kb7 Qxb8+ 55.Kxb8 g4 56.a5 g3 57.a6 h3 58.a7 g2 59.a8Q g1Q 60.Qa7+ Kf1 61.Qa1+ Kf2 62.Qd4+ Kf1 63.Qd3+ Kf2 64.Qd2+ Kg3 65.Qg5+ Kh2 66.Qd2+ Kg3 67.Qd6+ Kh4 68.Qh6+ Kg3 69.Qg6+ Kh2 70.Qc2+ Kg3 71.Qd3+ Kh4 72.Qh7+ Kg3 73.Kc8 Qd4 74.Qc2 Qg4+ 75.Bd7 Qd4 76.Qb3+ Kf4 77.Bxh3 Qc5+ 78.Kb7 Qe7+ 79.Kc6 Qe4+ 80.Kd7 Qd4+ 81.Kc8 Qc5+ 82.Kd8 Qf8+ 83.Kd7 Qg7+ 84.Kc6 Qd4 85.Be6 Qe4+ 86.Bd5 Qg6+ 87.Kc5 Qg1+ 88.Kd6 Qg6+ 89.Be6 Qg3 90.Qc4+ Ke3+ 91.Kc6 Qe5 92.Qc1+ Kf2 93.Bd5 Qe8+ 94.Kd6 Qf8+ 95.Ke5 Qg7+ 96.Ke4 Qg4+ 97.Kd3 Qg3+ 98.Kd4 Qg4+ 99.Kc3 Qc8+ 100.Bc4 Qh8+ 101.Kb3 Qd4 102.Qh1 Kg3 103.Qh6 Qf4 104.Qg6+ Qg4 105.Qd6+ Qf4 106.Qc5 Kh2 107.Bd5 107...Qe3+ 107...Qe3+ 108.Qxe3 ½–½ The players could not be accused of a lack of fighting spirit.
However, the drama of the game between Tan and Lagno was even surpassed by the encounter between Humpy Koneru and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh.
In this video course, GM Surya Ganguly joins IM Sagar Shah and drawing from his colossal experience, shares some uncommon endgame wisdom. The material mostly features positions with rook against rook and a pawn, and starts by covering the fundamentals.
In an unusual variation of a type of Bogo-Indian Defence, Koneru achieved a superior position and then sought to decide the game with an attacking piece sacrifice. In exchange for a knight, Koneru gained a significant number of pawns. Despite maintaining a superior position, the Indian player then transitioned into an endgame where her winning chances were significantly diminished.
After an eventful course with inaccuracies from both sides and in mutual severe time trouble, Khadem, after long and tenacious defence, ultimately made a decisive mistake. Humpy reached a clearly winning position, but with the final move of the game, 74.Rh5?, she threw it away.
Khademalsharieh, however, resigned from what was a drawn position.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Bg5 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 4.Nc3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 h6 4...h6 5.Bh4 d5 5...c5 6.e3 cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.Ngf3 Nc6= 5...g5 6.Bg3 Ne4 7.Ngf3 h5 8.Qc2 f5 9.0-0-0!? 6.Rc1 dxc4 7.Rxc4 Be7 8.Qc1 0-0 9.e3 9.Rxc7? Nc6-+ 9...Nc6 10.Ngf3 Nd5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Rc5 Rd8 13.Bb5 Bd7 14.a3 a6 15.Bd3 Be8 16.0-0 Rac8 16...e5 17.Bc4 Nb6 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5+- 17.Bb1 Nb8 18.Qc2 g6 19.Qb3 19...Nd7 20.Rcc1 N7b6 21.Ne4 Ba4 22.Qa2 Nd7 23.b4 a5 24.bxa5 Ra8 25.Ng3 Bb5 26.Rfe1 Rxa5? 26...c5 27.e4 N5f6 28.Qd2 Rxa3 29.Qxh6 c6 30.e5 Nh7 30...Nd5 31.Ng5 Nf8 32.Nh5 gxh5 33.Bh7+ Kh8 34.Bg6+ Kg8 35.Bxf7++- 31.h4 31.Ne4!? 31...Bd3 32.Bxd3 Rxd3 33.Ne4 Qf8 34.Qf4 34.Qxf8+ Kxf8 34...Nb6 35.Nc5 Nd5 36.Qe4 Ra3 37.Nxb7 Nc3 38.Qg4 Rb8 39.Nc5 39.Nd6+- 39...Qh6 40.Rc2 Nd5 41.Nxe6 fxe6 42.Qxe6+ Kh8 43.Rxc6+- Nf4 44.Rc8+?! 44.Qg4+- -- 45.Ng5 44...Rxc8 45.Qxc8+ Qf8 46.Qxf8+ Nxf8 47.Ng5 Ra6? 47...Nh7 48.e6 Nf6 49.e7 Ne8 50.g3 Nh5 51.d5 Nhf6 48.g3 Nd5 49.Rb1 49.e6 Ne7 50.d5 Kg7 51.Rb1 Nxd5 52.Rb7+ Kg8 53.e7+- 49...Ra7 50.Kg2 Nd7 51.Rc1 Ne7 52.Kf3 52.Ne6!? -- 53.Rc7 52...Nb6 53.Rc2 Nbd5 54.Ne6 Kg8 55.Nf4 Ra3+ 56.Kg4 56...Ra4? 56...Nxf4 57.Kxf4 Kf7 58.Ke4 Ra1 59.Rd2 59.d5? Re1+= 59...Ke6 57.Nxd5 Nxd5 58.Rd2? 58.Kg5 Kg7 58...Rxd4 59.Kxg6 Ne7+ 60.Kf6 Nd5+ 61.Kg5+- 59.Rc6+- 58...Kf7? 58...Kg7 59.Kg5 Nc7 60.d5 Ra5 59.Kg5 59.Rd3 Kg7 60.Kg5 Nc7 61.Kf4 Nd5+ 62.Ke4 Ne7 63.g4+- 59...Rb4 60.g4 60.Rd3 Ra4 61.f4 Rb4 62.h5+- 60...Nc3? 60...Nc7 61.d5 Rb5 61.f3 Nd5 62.h5? 62.f4 Nc7 63.f5+- 62...gxh5 63.gxh5 63...Rb3 63...Nc7 64.d5 Rb5 63...Rb1 64.Rg2 Rf1 65.Rg3 Nc7 64.Kf5 Re3? 64...Rxf3+?? 65.Ke4+- 64...Rb1 65.h6? 65.Ra2 Ne7+ 66.Kf4 Rd3 67.Ke4 Rd1 68.Ra6+- 65...Ne7+ 66.Kf4 Nd5+ 67.Kg4 Re1 68.h7 Rh1 69.Ra2 Ne7 70.Ra7 70...Ke6? 70...Rxh7 71.d5 Kf8 72.d6 Rg7+ 73.Kh3 Nc6= 71.f4 Rxh7 72.f5+ Nxf5 73.Rxh7 Nxd4 74.Rh5? 74.Rh5 Kd5 75.Kf4 Ne6+ 76.Ke3 Ng7 77.Rg5 Ne6 1–0 Thomas Paehtz, who has been following the tournament closely with his daughter, recalled a similar incident nine years ago, also at a Grand Prix tournament, involving the same player (and the same commentator back then).
71...Ra6 72.Bb7 Rxh6 73.Kxg3 Kd4 74.Kf3 Rh3+ 74...Rh3+ 75.Kf2 Rb3 76.Bg2 Rb2+ 77.Kf3 Rc2 78.Bh1 Rc3+ 79.Kf2 0–1 The two remaining games ended in draws without any major drama. Batkhuyag Munguntuul and Harika Dronavalli split the point, as did Alexandra Kosteniuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva. After a King's Indian opening, the game transitioned into an endgame with a rook and a pair of bishops on each side, where Kosteniuk had the more active position but could not convert her advantage into a win.
Round 7 results
Standings
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