New Delhi GP: Assaubayeva beats Vaishali

Three draws and a win

Following the haphazard start of the tournament, calm seems to have set in. In all likelihood, the tournament will continue with four games per day and a discreet quiescence related to the initial scandals. But who knows: Bobby Fischer, who also refused to play once or twice, is said to have done a lot for the (professional) chess community...

Improve your Tactics

The aim of this course is to help you understand how to make tactical opportunities arise as well as to sharpen your tactical vision - these selected lectures will help to foster your overall tactical understanding.

Three games ended in draws today, without ever leaving the ‘drawing range’ in the meantime: Aleksandra Goryachkina against Nana Dzagnidze (20 moves), Polina Shuvalova against Humpy Koneru (19 moves) and Harika Dronavalli against Zhu Jiner (52 moves, fought out to the end in a knight endgame).

It could have been a nice, trouble-free tournament — if everything had worked at the beginning | Photo: FIDE / Ismael Nieto

In the game between Vaishali and Assaubayeva, there was an interesting battle surrounding Vaishali’s weak, isolated pawn. In the end, Assaubayeva actually won a pawn, although it was not the one isolated in the centre:

 

Vaishali, Rameshbabu2433

0–1

Assaubayeva, Bibisara2440

FIDE Womens Grand Prix-III 2022-23 New Delhi27.03.2023[Besenthal,Klaus-Günther]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Bg7 6.Na3 cxd4 7.Nb5 Na6 8.cxd4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qd6 10.Bc4 0-0 11.0-0 Nc7 12.Re1 a6 13.Ne5 b5 14.Bb3 Be6 15.Bf4 Nh5 16.Ne4 Bxb3 17.axb3 Qd5 18.Nc3 Qb7

The opening phase didn't go too well for Vaishali: the isolated pawn seems more in need of protection than an assett to create a potential attack, and the light-squared complex looks good for Black, mainly due to her strongly placed queen. 19.Qd2? This is almost negligent. 19.Be3! secures the d4-pawn and prepares Qf3. 19...Rad8 20.Bh6 Ne6 21.Bxg7 Kxg7? This shrinks the black advantage quite a bit. It is not clear why Black refused to play 21...Rxd4 22.Nf3 Nf6 23.Re5 Rd6

But that's how it often is: a structural weakness of the opponent doesn't disappear because you made a weaker move yourself. The attack against the isolated pawn is still very much alive for Black, while White has to work hard to stabilise her position. 24.Rae1?! Once again, this is too optimistic. After 24.h3 Ne2 could have followed, keeping Black's advantage, but the d4-pawn would have been safe. An immediate Ne2 did not work, of course, because of Ng4. 24...Rfd8 25.Qe2 But at least: if Black attacks d4, White gets to attack e7. R8d7 25...Qc7! would have set up the treacherous threat of Ng4. 26.h3?! This eventually loses a pawn. 26.Ne4! Nxe4 27.Rxe4 would have provided relief. Covering a weak pawn with a rook placed on the side is often a good thing for the defender. Because of the queenside check on e5, Black is not allowed to capture on d4 here. 26...Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Rxd4 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Qxe7 Qxe7 30.Rxe7 Rb4 31.Ra7 Rxb3 32.Rxa6 Rxb2 33.Rb6 b4

In any case, this is a position that can be played wonderfully and calmly for a win with Black. 34.Nb5?! It is not clear what the knight actually wants here. 34.Na4 Rb1+ 35.Kh2 Ne4 36.f3 Nd2 37.Nc5 b3 might have offered a little more resistance. 34...Ne4 35.f3 Nc5 36.Nd6 b3 37.Nc4 Rc2 38.Ne3 Rc3 39.Kf2 b2 40.Nd1 Rc2+ 41.Ke3 41.Kg3 Na4 42.Rb4 Rd2-+ 41...Na4 42.Rb4 Rxg2 43.h4 h5 44.Kd3 Rh2 0–1

Results - Round 2

Standings - Round 2

All games

Links

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