Kazakhstan 2 – 1 France
Sets: 1-3, 3-1, 4-0
In the first set, things went quite well for the French squad. At the expense of some minor concessions in the centre, Deimante Daulyte-Cornette built a very dangerous attack with White, throwing her pieces towards Bibisara Assaubayeva’s king. Assaubayeva, who had not yet lost a game in this event, found herself under tremendous pressure. Daulyte-Cornette was a bit short of time towards the end, with only seconds on the clock, but her advantage was overwhelming, and she converted it without hesitation.
The second French victory came on the third board, also with the white pieces: the clash between Sophie Milliet and Alua Nurmanova was quite a rollercoaster and, in fact, Milliet was worse for most of the game. But at some point, the young Kazakhstani overlooked a simple tactical trick that allowed Milliet to capture the a-pawn and turn the tables, which meant France had achieved a 3-1 victory.
In this two-part course the emphasis will be on typical pawn-structures.

Kazakhstan’s top boards — Bibisara Assaubayeva sharing a laugh with Meruert Kamalidenova | Photo: Michal Walusza
Nurmanova took her revenge in the second set, which had a very different storyline. Nurmanova completely outplayed her opponent with the white pieces in a very instructive attacking game. Short of time and against the ropes, Milliet had to resign. Earlier in the match, Mitra Hejazipour had blundered a pawn in the opening, and Amina Kairbekova had been merciless in the conversion. With the remaining two games ending in a draw, the match was to be decided in the blitz tie-break.
It was clear that the result and the emotions of the second rapid set affected the mood and confidence of the players as they entered the playing hall for the tie-break. Kazakhstan was on a roll, and the youngsters got a clean sweep in the blitz games. Reaching the final is no doubt a fair and well-deserved result for the Kazakhstani players, who completely dominated the pool stage, but a bitter end for a French team that was one of the revelations of the event.

Amina Kairbekova (Kazakhstan) beat Natacha Benmesbah (France) with white in the tiebreaker | Photo: Michal Walusza
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.d3 Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.e5 Ne8 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Be3 b6 10.h3 Nc7 11.Qd2 Re8 12.Bh6 Bh8 13.Ne4N 13.Rae1 Be6 14.Ng5 f6 15.exf6 exf6 16.Nge4 Nd5 17.Re2 Nxc3 18.Nxc3 Qd7 19.Rfe1 13...Ne6 14.Rfe1 Nd4 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Ng5 16.f4 Bg7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.a4 16...Qd5 17.Qf4 Bb7 18.e6 f6 19.h4 c5 19...Rac8!? 20.f3! Bc8 20...fxg5? 21.Qf7# 21.h5 Bg7! 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Nf7 23.h6+ Kg8 24.Qe4 Rd8 23...g5 23...Bxe6 24.Qh6+ Kg8 25.Re5 Qxe5 26.Nxe5 gxh5 27.Kf2+- 23...Qxh5= 24.g4 Qd5 24.h6+ Kg6 24...Kg8 25.Qg4 Rf8 25.Nxg5!± Qf5 26.Qxf5+ 26.Nh3!+- Qxf4 27.Nxf4+ Kg5 28.g3 26...Kxf5 27.Ne4 27.Nxh7? Bb7 28.Nxf6 Kxf6-+ 27.Nh3!± 27...Kg6 27...Kxe6 28.Nxc5+ Kf7 28.Ng3 Bb7 29.Kf2 Bd5? 29...Rac8± 30.f4 Kxh6 31.Rh1+ Kg6 32.f5+ 32.Rh5+- Rad8 33.f5+ Kg7 34.Rh4 32...Kg7? 32...Kg5± 33.Nh5++- Kh8 34.Nf4 Bb7 35.Rh4 Rg8 36.Ng6+ Kg7 37.Nxe7 Rh8 38.Rah1 h5 39.Rxh5 Rxh5 40.Rxh5 Re8 41.Ng6 Bd5 42.Nf4 Bc6 43.Rh4 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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Daulyte-Cornette,D | 2360 | Assaubayeva,B | 2469 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Kamalidenova,M | 2351 | Savina,A | 2339 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Milliet,S | 2391 | Nurmanova,A | 2347 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Kairbekova,A | 2212 | Hejazipour,M | 2323 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Assaubayeva,B | 2469 | Daulyte-Cornette,D | 2360 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Savina,A | 2339 | Kamalidenova,M | 2351 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Nurmanova,A | 2347 | Milliet,S | 2391 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Hejazipour,M | 2323 | Kairbekova,A | 2212 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Daulyte-Cornette,D | 2360 | Assaubayeva,B | 2469 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Kamalidenova,M | 2351 | Savina,A | 2339 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Hejazipour,M | 2323 | Nurmanova,A | 2347 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Kairbekova,A | 2212 | Benmesbah,N | 2267 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
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Georgia 2 – 1 USA
Sets: 2½-1½, 1½-2½, 3½-½
We could say that Georgia took control of the first set from early on, as Lela Javakhishvili delivered a brilliant blow to Atousa Pourkashiyan’s position. Curiously enough, Javakhishvili didn’t find the best continuation to follow up on her attack, and little by little, her advantage vanished, being this the only game to end in a draw. However, being aware that they were probably going to lose on the fourth board was something that weighed on the American players.
Tatev Abrahamyan went wrong in a drawish position and lost to Nino Batsiashvili. Anna Zatonskih defended a slightly inferior position against Meri Arabidze, falling behind on the clock. Arabidze was very smart and broke through with 66.e4 at the right time, provoking a mistake from Zatonskih. The only victory for the Americans came on board one, where Alice Lee collected yet another scalp, outplaying Bella Khotenashvili with White in a very fine game.
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.

Bella Khotenashvili (Georgia) | Photo: Michal Walusza
For the second set, the coach of the US team decided to bench Anna Zatonskih, who was replaced by Annie Wang. This proved to be the right call, as Wang scored the crucial victory for her team in a London System against Nino Batsiashvili. As all the other games ended in a draw, this victory allowed the USA to force a tie-break.
The blitz games were quite one-sided, with the Americans failing to show their A-game. Abrahamyan managed to neutralise Arabidze, reaching a quick draw. However, Pourkashiyan blundered a pawn against Javakhishvili, while Wang blundered a whole piece and gifted the full point to Batsiashvili. In the remaining game, on the first board, Lee also fell for a simple tactical trick that left her one exchange down — she resigned shortly after. In the final, the Georgians will get a chance to further increase their impressive track record in women’s competitions.

Nino Batsiashvili (Georgia) got the better of Annie Wang (USA) with black in the blitz decider | Photo: Michal Walusza
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Qc2 Bb4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.Nd2 Nxg3 11.hxg3 Nb6 12.a3 Be7 13.0-0-0 Be6 14.e4 c6 15.e5 Qd7 16.Bd3 0-0-0 17.f4 gxf4 18.gxf4 Bg4 19.Rde1 Kb8 20.Nb3 h5 21.Nd1 Bxd1 22.Qxd1 h4 23.f5 Rdg8 24.Qf3 Na4 25.f6 Bf8 26.Bf5 Qd8 27.Rh3 a6 28.Kb1 c5 29.dxc5 Nxc5 30.Nxc5 Bxc5 31.Rc1 Qb6 32.Qxd5 Be3 33.Rc3 Rd8 34.Qxf7 Bd4 35.Rb3 Qc6 36.Rb4 Rhf8 37.Rxd4 Rxf7 38.Rxd8+ Ka7 39.e6 Qc7 40.exf7 Qxd8 41.Bc2 Qf8 42.Bb3 Qd6 43.Ka2 a5 44.Rd3 Qf8 45.a4 b5 46.Rd7+ Kb6 47.Re7 bxa4 48.Be6 h3 49.gxh3 Qh6 50.Re8 a3 51.f8Q 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Lee,A | 2388 | Khotenashvili,B | 2480 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Arabidze,M | 2440 | Zatonskih,A | 2364 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Abrahamyan,T | 2262 | Batsiashvili,N | 2478 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Javakhishvili,L | 2446 | Pourkashiyan,A | 2288 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.1 |
Khotenashvili,B | 2480 | Lee,A | 2388 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Abrahamyan,T | 2262 | Arabidze,M | 2440 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Batsiashvili,N | 2478 | Wang,A | 2356 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Pourkashiyan,A | 2288 | Javakhishvili,L | 2446 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.2 |
Lee,A | 2388 | Khotenashvili,B | 2480 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Arabidze,M | 2440 | Abrahamyan,T | 2262 | ½–½ | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Wang,A | 2356 | Batsiashvili,N | 2478 | 0–1 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
Javakhishvili,L | 2446 | Pourkashiyan,A | 2288 | 1–0 | 2023 | | FIDE-WWTC-KO 2023 | 2.3 |
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Knockout bracket
In this video course, twenty-nine examples with multiple questions are presented in the interactive format, which is ideal for a range of playing strengths. Step by step you will be taken through the complex positions.

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