Goryachkina grabs the lead

A crucial win in Game 8

In games six and seven of the competition, Goryachkina had the black pieces twice in a row and was able to successfully neutralize her opponent's first-move advantage. In game eight, the challenger successfully took the initiative when it was her turn to move first. In a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, Goryachkina was able to demonstrate the advantages of her bishop and a compact pawn structure.

With this victory, the 21-year-old Goryachkina has come a big step closer to winning the world title. Ju must now win at least one of the four remaining games to defend her title.

Power Play 8 - Knights and Bishops

When we are starting out in chess we are told that knights and bishops both have a value of three points, but it is quite clear that in some positions a bishop is clearly superior to a knight - and vice versa. After watching this 8th Power Play DVD you’ll have a better idea of how to play positions with knights and bishops – what to look for, what to avoid, and how to place your pawns.

A clash of styles: Shanghai and Vladivostok | Photo: Official site

Match standings

Click or tap any result to open directly via Live.ChessBase.com

All games and commentary

Greatest Hits Vol. 1

Nigel Short takes us on an electrifying journey through a very rich chess career, which saw him beat no less than twelve world champions. His experience in tournaments and matches all over the world – Short has visited a total of 89 countries – can be seen in the narratives that precede the games which he annotates with humour and instructive insights.

Commentary by Nigel Short and Hou Yifan

Translation from German: Macauley Peterson

Links

• Official site
• Regulations