Munich GP: Four winners on day one

Twelve players, eight nationalities

Four pairings in round 1 of the Munich Grand Prix had compatriots facing each other, as two representatives from China, Germany, India and Ukraine have made their way to the Bavarian capital. In the case of the Ukrainian contest, the players are not only compatriots but also sisters — Anna and Mariya Muzychuk unsurprisingly drew their game.

While Harika Dronavalli and Humpy Koneru also drew, the all-Chinese and all-German matchups did see one of the players prevailing on Thursday. Tan Zhongyi defeated Zhu Jiner and Elisabeth Paehtz got the better of Dinara Wagner. In both cases, the more experienced player managed to defeat her younger opponent.

Making the right decisions in chess - Fundamentals

In a total of 6 chapters, we look at the following aspects: the right decision based on tactical factors, decisions in exchanges and moves, complex and psychological decisions in longer games and in defence.

Paehtz and Tan were not the only winners of the day, though, as Alexandra Kosteniuk and Nana Dzagnidze also scored full points in their first games of the tournament. Kosteniuk defeated Alina Kashlinskaya in what would have been an all-Russian encounter a year ago (Kashlinskaya, who was born in Russia, transferred to Poland last year), while Dzagnidze defeated the often-streaky Zhansaya Abdumalik.

The main sponsor of the event, Roman Krulich, played the first move in the game between the Muzychuk sisters. Krulich’s real estate company not only supports chess in Munich, but also sponsors the ‘Powergirls’ program, which helps young female players from Germany to make the most of their potential.

Roman Krulich playing Mariya Muzychuk’s first move | Photo: David Llada

Paehtz gets more than she expected

Long-standing German number one in the women’s ranking, Elisabeth Paehtz, prepared a poisonous opening with white, which worked even better than she had probably hoped.

 

Paehtz, Elisabeth2464

1–0

Wagner, Dinara2413

FIDE Womens Grand Prix-II 2022-23 Munich02.02.2023[Schulz,A]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 A clever waiting move. The Najdorf player now has a problem if she wants to get into his usual variations with 4.d4. Nf6 3...a6 4.g3!? 4.e5!? A poisonous move that requires precise play from Black. 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 would enter the Najdorf. 4...dxe5 5.Nxe5 Qc7?! The queen becomes the object of attack . 5...a6!? 6.d4 e6? This game probably caught Elisabeth Paehtz's eye during her preparation: 6...cxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bf4 Qb6 10.0-0-0 Qxd4 11.Rxd4 e6 1-0 (71) Espinosa Aranda,A (2506)-Wagner,D (2354) Chess.com INT 2020 7.Bf4

Plenty of threats in the air. 7...Qa5? Better chances would have offered 7...Nc6 8.Bg3 No need to hurry with 8.Ng6? Qa5 9.Nxh8 due to cxd4 10.Bd2 dxc3 11.Bxc3 Bb4-+ 8...Qd8 and if 9.Nb5 there is Nd5 10.c4 cxd4 11.a3 11.cxd5? Qa5+-+ 11...Qa5+ 12.b4 Ncxb4 13.axb4 Bxb4+ 14.Ke2 Qxb5 15.cxb5 Nc3+ 16.Kd2 Nxd1+ 17.Kxd1 f6 18.Nc4 e5 with three pawns for the piece, but White has the better coordination. 8.Nc4 Also good was 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Qf3 a6 10.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.Qxb7 Qd8 13.0-0-0 8...Qd8 9.Nb5 Nd5 10.Bg3 Nc6 11.Nbd6+ Bxd6 12.Nxd6+ Ke7 13.dxc5 13.Qh5!? g6 14.Qh4+ 13...Qa5+ 14.Qd2 Qxc5 14...Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 b6 was perhaps a bit tougher. 15.Qg5+ Kf8 16.0-0-0 Qa5 17.Qh5 Qc7 18.Ne4 Nf4 19.Qc5+ Kg8 20.Qg5 e5 21.Bxf4 exf4

22.Rd7! Using the motif with Nf6 in a nice way. Qb6 23.Bc4 h6 23...Bxd7 24.Nf6+ Kf8 25.Nxd7++- 24.Nf6+ 1–0

Elisabeth Paehtz and Dinara Wagner | Photo: David Llada

Abdumalik and Dzagnidze play sharp Sicilian

In a fierce tactical battle, Nana Dzagnidze defeated Zhansaya Abdumalik from the black side of a Sicilian. Abdumalik missed a chance to miraculously save a draw, though!

 

Abdumalik, Zhansaya2496

0–1

Dzagnidze, Nana2517

FIDE Womens Grand Prix-II 2022-23 Munich01.02.2023[Schulz,A]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Once the main move against the Najdorf variation. e6 7.f4 h6 Leading to the famous poisoned pawn variation is 7...Qb6 7...Nbd7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bh4 e5 is a different move order. 8.Bh4 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 with good stats for Black. 8...Nbd7 9.Qf3 e5 10.fxe5?! More frequently we see 10.Nf5 10...Nxe5 11.Qe2 Be7 White has not done well in this variation so far. 12.0-0-0 Bg4 13.Nf3 Rc8 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Rxc3

The famous Sicilian exchange sacrifice on c3. Black already has enough compensation with the splitting of the pawns in front of the white king. 16.bxc3 Qa5 17.Qe3 White can suffer greatly after: 17.Kb2? d5 18.Bxf6 Qa3+ 19.Kb1 Nc4-+ 17...Qxa2 18.Rg1?! With 18.f4 Ng6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.e5 dxe5 21.Qc5 White can hold things together. 18...0-0 19.Rd4 Rc8 20.Kd2 Qa3 20...Nfg4!? 21.fxg4 Bxh4-+ 21.Be2 b5 22.f4 Ng6 23.Bg3? Better was 23.Rxg6 fxg6 24.e5 dxe5 25.fxe5 Nd5 26.Bxe7 Nxe7 27.Bg4 Nf5 28.Bxf5 gxf5 29.e6 and the game is not over yet. 23...d5 After opening the position in the centre, White is dismantled. 24.exd5 Bc5 25.Bf3 b4 26.Bf2 Bxd4 27.Qxd4 Rxc3 Even stronger was 27...bxc3+ 28.Ke2 Qb2 29.Qa4 Rb8 30.-- Rb4-+ 28.Be4 Nxe4+ 29.Qxe4 Rf3 30.Be3 More resistance would have offered 30.Qe8+!? Kh7 31.Bd4 Rxf4 32.Qe3 Qxe3+ 33.Kxe3 Rh4 30...Qc3+ 31.Ke2 Rxh3 32.d6 Rh2+ 33.Kf3

33...Nh4+? This move actually gives White a chance to save the draw. 33...Nf8-+ 34.Kg3 Re2 35.Kxh4? White returns the gift. White had to start with 35.Qe8+ forcing a draw: Kh7 36.Kxh4 Rxe3 37.Qxf7 with counterplay against g7 and with the passed pawn. White can force a repetition of the position. Rh3+ 38.Kg4 h5+ 39.Kg5 Qe3 40.Rg2 Qf3 41.Rg1 Qe3 35...Rxe3 36.Qf5 Re2 37.Kg4 g6 38.Qd5 Rd2 0–1

Sicilian Dragon: The Real Deal! Part 1-3

In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas whereas Part 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge!

Nana Dzagnidze | Photo: David Llada

Kosteniuk’s brilliant tactic

While under pressure on the kingside, Alina Kashlinskaya blundered on move 31, allowing Alexandra Kosteniuk to show her great tactical eye with a good-looking manoeuvre.

31...Ne7 gave way to the merciless 32.Rf6, and after 32...Qe8 White grabs a piece with 33.Rxe6, since the rook cannot be captured due to the mate threat on g7. Black resigned.

Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: David Llada

Standings after round 1

All games

Links

• Tournament page
• Kateryna Lagno wins Astana Women’s Grand Prix