Tea in the Desert

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Humpy Koneru
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 3rd stage; Monte Carlo, February 24, 2025
Spanish Game C82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Qd7 10. Nbd2 Rd8 11. Qe2 Nc5 12. Nd4 Bg4 13. Qe3 Ne6 14. Nxc6 Qxc6 15. Qg3 Bf5 16. Nf3 Bc5 17. Kh1 Bd3 18. Re1 Qb6 19. Be3 0-0 20. Rad1 Bxe3 21. Rxe3 Be4 22. Ng5 Nxg5 23. Qxg5 Qg6 24. h4 c6 25. f3 h6 26. Qf4 Bc2 27. Rd2 Bxb3 28. axb3 Rfe8 29. b4 Re6 30. Kh2 Rde8 31. Rde2 h5 32. Re1 Ra8 33. Qg5 a5 34. f4 Qxg5 35. hxg5 g6 36. bxa5 (36. Ra1!? a4 37. Kh3⩲)
36. ... Rxa5 37. g4 hxg4 38. Kg3 Kg7 39. Kxg4

39. ... Ra8?⊕ (39. ... Re8 40. Rh3 Ra4 41. Reh1 Re4=)
40. Rh3 Ree8 41. Reh1 Kf8

42. e6! Ra4 (42. ... fxe6 43. Rh7 b4!? 44. cxb4 Rab8 45. R1h6 Rxb4? 46. Ra7!+−)
43. exf7 Re7 (43. ... Ree4 44. Rh8+! Kxf7 45. R1h7+ Ke6 46. Rf8 Kd6 47. Rg7+−)

44. Rh8+! Kxf7 45. R1h6 Ree4 46. R6h7+ Ke6 47. Rf8 Kd6 48. Rg7 b4 49. Rxg6+ Kc5 50. Rgf6 Re2 51. Rc8 Ra6 52. cxb4+ Kxb4 53. Rcxc6 Ra1 54. Rfd6 Rd1 55. g6 d4 56. Kf5 Rg2 57. Rc7 d3 58. Rcd7 d2 59. g7 Rdg1 60. Rxd2 Rxd2 61. Rxd2 Rxg7 62. Kf6 1–0.

It was like a pool of quicksand after a long walk in the desert. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

End of the Line

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal tie-break game 4; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Monte Carlo, October 30, 2022

Tarrasch Defence D32

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. Qxd5 Nf6 8. Qd1 Bc5 9. e3 0-0 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Be2 Rd8 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. Qc2 Rac8 14. a3 Ne5 15. Nd4 Ng6

The diagrammed position — a basically theoretical one — was reached in the crucial fourth tie-breaker game between Koneru and Muzychuk. After three tense draws, Indian Grandmaster was the first to succumb to a nervous breakdown, tragically blundering a piece:
16. Bd2?? Bxd4 17. exd4 Qxe2 0 : 1.

It took four tie-breaker games, but in the end it is Muzychuk to move onto the semifinal against 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

In Extremis

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 4; Monte Carlo, October 29, 2022

6k1/3R3p/p3pPpP/4q3/P5Q1/7K/2r2PP1/8 b - - 4 40

Position after 40. Kh2-h3

In a must-win situtation, and in the middle of a mutual time-scramble, Muzychuk was lucky enough to be the one who made the next-to-last mistake! White’s 40th move, in fact, was a mistake, but Black’s reply is, alas for Koneru, a much more grave error:
40. ... Qf6? 40. ... Rxf2! would have probably saved a draw (41. Qg3 Qh5+ 42. Qh4 Rxf6=) and given the match victory to Koneru. Now White, thanks to back rank mate threats, wins the a-Pawn and the game, thus taking the match to a tie-breaker tomorrow.
41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ e5 45. Qh4 Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 47. Qg5 Re8 48. Rxa6

48. ... Kg8. If 48. ... Qxf2? then 49. Qxe5+! Rxe5 50. Ra8+ followed by mate in two.
49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3

54. Qd5+ Kh8 55. Qd4 Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kh8 57. Rf7 Qc3 58. Qd7 1 : 0.

In a must-win game, the elder of the Muzychuk sisters gave proof of her best qualities. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Monte Carlo Methods

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 1; Monte Carlo, October 25, 2022

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 a6 7. b3 Nbd7 8. Be2 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Bf3 Bxf3!? A good novelty. If, instead, 10. ... Qc7 then 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. Bb2⩲ 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Aronian, 2nd Online Speed Chess Championship Main Event, chess.com, December 6, 2021, Quarterfinal match game 5 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move).
11. Qxf3 Bd6 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Ba3 Qb8 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qc6+ Ke7 16. Nd2

16. ... Rc8!? Simpler and safer is 16. ... Qb7! 17. Qxb7+ Nxb7 18. Bb2 f6 with approximate equality.
17. Qf3 Bxh2+!? Even a Pawn may well prove a temptation hard to resist.
18. Kh1

18. ... Bd6? It was probably wiser to return the Pawn by 18. ... Be5 19. Rac1 Kf8 20. Ne4 Kg8 21. Nxc5 bxc5 22. Bxc5 a5 with near equality.
19. Nc4 Kf8? And here is the losing move. 19. ... Ke8! was called for, reserving the square f8 for the Bishop.
20. Rad1 Be7 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Rd7. Threatening to trap the queen with Rd7-b7.
22. ... Ra7

23. Nd6! Qxd6. If 23. ... Bxd6 then 24. Qxf7#.
24. Rxa7 1 : 0.

A Knight, a Knight! My kingdom for a Knight! Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Boondi

Humpy Koneru – Nana Dzagnidze

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Round of 16 match game 8; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, July 6, 2022

Queen’s Indian Defence E17

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. b3 d6 8. Bb2 Nbd7 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Qc2 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 f5 12. Rad1 Qc8 (12. ... Be4 13. Qb2 Qe8 14. e3 Qg6 15. Ne1 Bxg2 16. Nxg2 Bf6 17. Nf4 Qf7 18. d5 e5 19. Ne6 Rfc8 20. f4 e4 21. b4 Bxc3 22. Qxc3 c5 23. b5 Nf8 24. Nxf8 Rxf8 25. a4 a5 26. Kh1 ½ : ½ Khusnutdinova – Charkhalashvili, 15th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-18, Oropesa del Mar 2001) 13. Ne1 Bf6 14. e4 fxe4 15. Bxe4 Bxe4 16. Qxe4 e5 17. Nf3 exd4 18. Bxd4 Nc5 19. Qd5+ Kh8 20. Rfe1 a5 21. Bxf6 Rxf6 22. Ng5 Qf8 23. f4 Re8 24. Qc6

24. ... Rd8? A grave error, after which Black’s position falls apart like a card castle. The right move was 24. ... Re7! still defending stubbornly. 25. Qxc7 h6 26. Ne4 Nxe4 27. Rxe4 d5 28. Rxd5 Rxd5 29. cxd5 Qa3

30. Re8+ Kh7 31. Qc2+ 1 : 0. For after 31. ... Rg6 32. Kg2! (alternatively, 32. Re6 Qc5+ 33. Qxc5 bxc5 34. Rc6+−) 32. ... Qd6 33. Qe4 Qf6 34. Re6 Qf7 35. g4! h5 36. g5 Black is in zugzwang.

Judgment of Solomon

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Humpy Koneru

1st Online Chess Olympiad Final India – Russia; Match 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess.com, August 30, 2020

Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

In the end, FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich made a Solomonic decision to make everyone equally happy, and both India e Russia were awarded the gold medal of the 1st Online Chess Olympiad. The decision was due to an Internet outage India suffered in the Match 2, which caused Divya Deshmukh and Nihal Sarin to lose on time.
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 Ba6 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Qxd5. 9. ... exd5 is vintage theory: 10. 0-0 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Bd6 12. Ng5 g6 13. Nh3⩲ Ed. Lasker – A. van Foreest, Scheveningen 1913.
10. 0-0 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 c5 12. e4 Qb7 13. d5 exd5 14. exd5 Nd7 15. d6!? A very interesting novelty instead of 15. Rfe1 Rfe8 16. b3 Bf6 17. Rad1 b5 18. h4 h6 19. g4 Nf8? (Black should absolutely have sought counterplay with 19. ... c4! 20. bxc4 Nc5∞) 20. g5 hxg5 21. hxg5 Bb2 22. Be5! Ba3 (22. ... Bxe5 23. Nxe5 would give White a powerful Knight outpost at c6) 23. Nh4! Bb4 24. Re3 Qd7 25. Nf5 c4 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Qc2 Bc5 28. Bxg7! Bxe3 (after this White’s attack triumphs) 29. fxe3 Ng6 30. Bc3 Nh4 31. Nh6+ Kf8 32. Qh7 Ke7 33. Bf6+ Kd6 34. Nxf7+ Kc5 35. Bd4+ Kb5 36. Rb1+ Ka5 37. Bc3+ Ka6 38. Qh6+ 1 : 0 Korobov – 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī), 5th World Rapid Chess Championship, Doha 2016.
15. ... Bf6 16. Ng5 Bxg5 17. Bxg5 Ne5 18. Qg3 f6 19. Bf4 Rfe8 20. Rad1 Qd7 21. Bxe5 Rxe5 22. Qb3+ Kh8 23. Rd2 Rae8 24. h3 h6? A horrible decision, at least from a positional standpoint. 24. ... g6 followed by ... Kh8-g7 would give a much better formation.
25. Rfd1 R8e6 26. Qf3 Re8 27. b3 Kg8 28. a4! a6? Is Koneru thinking about ... b6-b5? 28. ... Rd8(!) 29. Qd3 Qe6 was quite a solid option for Black.
29. Rd5 R5e6 30. Qd3. White could have played 30. a5! right now, without giving Black the opportunity to prevent it. In any event, after 30. a5! bxa5 31. Qd3 Qb5 32. Qf5 Qd7 33. Qc2 there arises a position similar to that in the game, which is clearly better for White.
30. ... Ra8? Good or bad, 30. ... a5 had to be played.

31. a5! bxa5. If 31. ... Qc6 then 32. Qc4! b5 (Black can do nothing else than give up a Pawn against the double threat of d6-d7 and b3-b4) 33. Qxc5 Qxc5 34. Rxc5 with an easily won ending for White.
32. Rxc5 Rd8 33. Rd5 a4 34. bxa4 Qxa4 35. d7. Here 35. Qc3! would be very strong and probably a better preparation for what is going to follow, but now both opponents will repeatedly miss their best chances for happiness. Except for Black’s last mistake no punctuation is given:
35. ... Re7 (35. ... Qb4!)
36. g3 (36. Qc3!)
36. ... a5 (36. ... Qc6!)
37. Rd6 (37. Qc3!)
37. ... Qa2? Koneru misses her last chance to defend herself with 37. ... Qb4! — here is a sample line: 38. Qd5+ Kf8 39. Rd4 Re5 40. Qc5 Qc6 41. Rxf6+! Kg8 (41. ... Ke7? 42. Re6+!+−) 42. Rfd6 Qxc6 43. Rxc6 Kf7 44. Rc8 Ke7 45. Rc7 Re6 46. Ra7 Rd6 47. Rxd6 Kxd6 48. Rxa5 Rxd7 with a likely draw.
38. Qc3! Finally! In the throes of emotion, Goryachkina didn’t even notice that 38. Rc1! (followed by Rc1-c8) would have won on the spot.
38. ... Qf7 39. Qc7 Qf8 40. Qxa5 f5 41. Qd5+ Kh8 42. Qd4 Kh7 43. h4 f4 44. Qxf4. Another way was 44. g4 Qf7 45. h5 with a strategic zugzwang position, but Goryachkina feels confident enough to play the cat and mouse in a four-Rook endgame with two extra Pawns.
44. ... Qxf4 45. gxf4 Rf7 (45. ... Re4 46. R6d4+−)
46. R6d4 Kg8 47. Kg2 Kf8 48. Kg3 Ke7 49. Re4+ Kf8. Not 49. ... Kf6?? on account of 50. Rd6+ Kf5 51. Re5#.
50. Red4 Ke7 51. Kg4 Rf6 52. Re4+ Kf7 53. Re5 Rg6+ 54. Kf3 Rb6 55. Rd3 Rb7 56. Red5 Ke7 57. Kg4 Rb6 (57. ... Kf7 58. h5+−)
58. h5 (58. Re3+ Kf7 59. Rf5+ Rf6 60. Rd3 Ke6 61. Rxf6+ Kxf6 62. h5+−)
58. ... Kf7 59. Rf5+ Ke7 60. Re5+ Kf7 61. f5 Rb4+ 62. f4 Rb7 63. Red5 Rb1 64. Rd6 Rb5 65. R6d5 Rb6 66. Kf3 Rb7 67. Ke4 Rb4+ 68. R3d4 Rb6 69. Rd6 Rb5 70. R4d5 Rb4+ 71. Ke3 Rb3+ 72. Rd3 Rb5 73. R6d5 Rb6 74. Kf3 Rb1 75. Rd2 Rb3+ (75. ... Rh1 76. Ke4! Rxh5 77. Ke5+−)
76. Kg4 Rb6 77. Rd6 Rb5 78. R2d5 Rb1

79. f6! Rg1+. Of course, neither 79. ... gxf6 80. Kf5 nor 79. ... g6 80. Re5 would make any difference.
80. Kf5 Rh1 81. fxg7 Rxh5+ 82. Kg4 Rh1 83. Rc6 Rg1+ 84. Kf5 Rxg7 85. Rxh6 Ke7 86. Re6+ Kf8 87. Rf6+ Kg8 88. Rg6 1 : 0.

Goryachkina at the Central House of Chess in Moscow, Russia, which hosted all the Russian team’s games. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Virtuality

12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk won the fourth and final leg of the 1st Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Grand Prix by narrowly beating Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru 7–5 in the final for first and second. And thus finally Kosteniuk herself and 14th Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina will be battling for the virtual “Speedy Crown” in tomorrow’s super-final. Screenshot from the live stream.

Humpy Koneru – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

1st Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Grand Prix; fourth leg; match game 4; time control: 3 seconds plus 1 second per move; chess.com, July 19, 2020

2r3k1/p4ppp/2N1b3/8/4p3/bPB1P3/P4PPP/3R2K1 w - - 3 21

Position after 20. ... Ra8-c8

In the position of the diagram, White, who is to move, has a Pawn ahead and a technical “near-win”. It just takes a bit of patience, for instance, by 21. b4! (Δ Nc6-e7+) 21. ... Kf8 22. b5±/+− with great advantage to White. But Koneru makes it too easy, as her childish solution turns out to be a cruel illusion: 21. Rd8+?? Rxd8 22. Nxd8 Bd5! Sic et simpliciter: White’s Knight is dominated. 23. Bd4 a6 24. Bb6 Kf8 25. Ba5 Be7 0 : 1. White resigns, for there follows ... Kf8-e8 winning the Knight.

立体主义 (Cubism)

Humpy Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
1st Online Nations Cup; China – India (25+10); chess.com, May 6, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

As 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) alternate on China’s fourth board, it happened today that two old acquaintances met again: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 c6 7. e3 Be7 8. Bd3 Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Qc2 Ndf6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Ne5 Re8 13. Rfe1 Bf5 14. Rac1 Nxc3!?TN (14. ... g6 ½ : ½ Riazantsev – M. Adams, Grand Prix 2017, 3rd stage, Geneva 2017) 15. Qxc3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Ne4. Even thus, it’s a more or less equal game balance. 17. Nf3 a5 18. Nd2 Nd6 19. a4 g6 20. h3 Kg7 21. Rc5 Qd8 22. Rcc1 Qb6 23. Qc3 Ne4 24. Nxe4 Rxe4 25. Rb1 Qb4 26. Qxb4 axb4 27. b3 f5 28. f3 Re6 29. Kf2 Kf6 30. h4 Ke7 31. Rbd1 Kd6 32. Rd3 b6 33. g3 Rae8 34. Red1 Rf8 35. R3d2 Rfe8 36. Rd3 Rf8 37. R3d2

37. ... Rfe8 38. Rd3 ½ : ½.

By Monday

The award ceremony of the 2nd Cairns Cup took place February 17, 2020 at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States. Seated, from left, second row are: Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno, Dronavalli Harika, Nana Dzagnidze, 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip), and Irina Borisivna Krush; seated, from left, first row are: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, Humpy Koneru, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina. Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Episodic memory

Humpy Koneru – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
2nd Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 15, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D48

Gunina, the winner of last year’s inaugural Cairns Cup, this year has for some mysterious reason decided to throw away a game after another. And fairly enough, she did not make an exception for Koneru. 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. 0-0 a6 10. e4 c5 11. d5 c4 12. Bc2 Qc7 13. dxe6 fxe6 14. Ng5 Qc6?! This is well known to be a very doubtful line. Best is 14. ... Nc5! 15. e5! Qxe5 16. Re1 Qd6 17. Qxd6 Bxd6 18. Be3 0-0 19. Rad1 Be7 20. Bxc5 Bxc5 21. Nxe6 Rfc8 22. h3! Bf8?! (22. ... Rab8 23. g4 Bf3 24. Rd2 b4 25. Na4 Ba7 26. g5 Nd5 27. Re5 Rb5 with a draw agreed to at move 41, Topalov – Lautier, 6th Torneo Ciudad de Dos Hermanas, Dos Hermanas 1994) 23. g4 h6 24. f4 Bf3 25. Rd2 Bc6 26. g5 hxg5 27. fxg5 Nd7 28. Nxf8 Nxf8 29. Rd6 b4 30. Ne4 Be8?! 31. Ng3! Rd8 32. Nf5 Rxd6 33. Nxd6 Bg6 34. Bxg6 Nxg6 35. Nxc4 Rd8 36. Re4 b3 37. axb3 Rd3 38. Kg2 Rxb3 39. h4 Nf8 40. Re8 1 : 0 Karpov – Kramnik, 12th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Ciudad de Linares, Linares 1994. 15. Qf3! h6. 15. ... Bc5 16. Qh3 Ke7 17. Nf3 b4 18. Ne2 Nxe4 19. Ned4 Qb6 20. Bxe4 Bxe4 21. Qg4 Bxd4 22. Qxe4 Bf6 23. Qxc4 didn’t work out in Black’s favour either, Gligorić – Ljubojević, 3rd Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Ciudad de Linares, Linares 1981. 16. Qh3 hxg5. So far Koneru only had to recall her memories: 16. ... Nc5 17. Be3 Bc8 18. e5! hxg5 19. Qxh8 Bb7 20. f3 Nfd7 21. Bxg5 Nxe5 22. Rad1 Nf7 23. Bg6 Nd3 24. Qh5 Ne5 25. Be4 Qc5+ 26. Kh1 g6 27. Qh4 Bc6 28. Bxc6+ Qxc6 29. Ne4 Bg7 30. Bf6 Kf8 31. Bxg7+ Kxg7 32. Qf6+ Kg8 33. Rd4 Rf8 34. Rfd1 Kh7 35. Ng5+ Kg8 36. Nxe6 1 : 0 Koneru – Karpov, 7th Cap d’Agde Rapid Chess Tournament, Cap d’Agde 2006. 17. Qxh8 Ne5? Gunina’s “theoretical novelty” tellingly shows that she had prepared nothing for today. 17. ... g4 18. Bg5 Kf7 (18. ... 0-0-0 is probably a little better, though not much: White would likewise continue with 19. Qh4) 19. Qh4 gave White a huge advantage, Maksimenko – Bjerring, 16th Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 1994. 18. Bxg5+− Nf7 19. Qh4 Be7 20. Rad1 Qc5

21. e5! Nxe5. 21. ... Qxe5 22. Bg6! is nonetheless catastrophic. 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Qh5+ Ke7 24. Be4. Koneru’s move is most characteristic of her technical attitude, but also its “opposite” 24. Qh3! may be worth considering. 24. ... Bc6. The fact that Black had nothing better than 24. ... Nd3 25. Qxc5+ Nxc5 26. Bxb7 Nxb7 27. Rfe1 leaving White a clear Exchange up and a technically winning position is enough for Gunina to beg for a less exhausting ordeal. 25. Bxc6 Qxc6 26. Rfe1 Nd3 27. Nd5+ Kf8 28. Nxf6 gxf6 29. Qh8+ Kf7 30. Qh7+ Ke8 31. Re3 Nf4 32. Qg8+ Ke7 33. Qg7+ Ke8 34. Rd4 c3 35. bxc3 1 : 0.

Fourteen years after (no matter what), history almost repeated itself. Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Pink and Mate

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru
2nd Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 8, 2020
Russian Defence C43

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Nd7 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6. Another line is 7. ... Nxe5 8. dxe5 Bc5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qh5 g6 11. Qh6 Re8 12. Bg5 Be7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Rae1 c5 15. c4 dxc4 16. Bxc4 Bf5 17. c3 Rad8 18. Re3 Qf8 19. Qg5 Qe7 20. Qh6 Qf8 21. Qg5 Qe7 22. Qh6 Qf8 ½ : ½ Kosteniuk – Koneru, 1st Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, Batumi 2012. 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Re1 Bxe5 10. dxe5 Nc5 11. Rb1 Nxd3 12. cxd3 b6 13. Rb4 Bf5!? Things change as time passes, though not always for better and not always for worse. Anyway, also after 13. ... f5 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Rf4 Bf5 16. Bd2 Qd6 17. Qf3 Bd7 Black’s position proved to be solid enough to eventually achieve a draw at move 80, A. Y. Sokolov – Schandorff, 20th SchachBundesliga, Bremen 2001. 14. Qf3 c5 15. Rf4 Bg6 16. h4 h5

17. g4!? Muzychuk boldly sacrifices a Pawn for complications. 17. ... Qxh4 18. Qg2 Qe7? A terrible mistake after which White’s attack is unstoppable. Even worse would be 18. ... Bxd3?? on account of 19. g5 winning the Queen, but 18. ... Qg5! was probably good enough to hold everything together (19. e6 Rfe8∞). 19. gxh5 Bxh5 20. Re3!→ Rfe8 21. Qh2. 21. e6! is probably the most disruptive move on the board, but Muzychuk doesn’t need to be in hurry as the opportunity for such a climax will not slip away. 21. ... g6 22. Rf5! Once again, White could play at once 22. e6! fxe6 23. Rg3 winning as in the game. 22. ... Bg4. The Rook is taboo: 22. ... gxf5?? 23. Qxh5 f4 24. Qg4+ Kf8 25. Qxf4 with irresistible attack (25. ... Qe6 26. Qh4+−). 23. Rf4 Bh5 24. e6! Finally! 24. ... fxe6 25. Rg3 Kh7. Queen and King may trade squares by 25. ... Qh7 26. Rh4 Kf7, but after 27. Rg5 the result cannot change. 26. Rh4 Qf7 27. Rg5 Rg8 28. Kf1! Qf3

29. Rhxh5+! gxh5 30. Qc7+! She who says A must say B too! Curiously enough, in his live commentary, four-time U.S. Chess Champion Yasser Seirawan predicted 30. Rxh5+ that after 30. ... Kg6 no matter what White does it’s a draw! 30. ... Kh8 31. Qe5+ Kh7 32. Rxh5+ Kg6. Koneru chivalrously allows her opponent to mate. 33. Qg5+ Kf7 34. Rh7+ 1 : 0.

In today’s game, Muzychuk displayed all her tactical mastery. Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Patience and Confidence

Humpy Koneru – 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip)
2nd Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 7, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E73

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 0-0 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Na6 8. h4 Nc5 9. Qc2 c6 10. h5 cxd5 11. cxd5 Qa5 12. Bd2 Bd7!? Probably safer is 12. ... Nxh5 13. a3 Qb6 14. b4 Nd7 15. Bxh5 gxh5 16. Rxh5 Nf6 17. Rh4 Ng4 18. Nh3 f5 19. Qd1 Qd4 20. Qe2 fxe4 21. Rc1 h5 22. Nb5 Qd3 23. Nxd6 Qxd5 24. Nxe4 Bf5 25. Nhg5 Rac8 26. Rxc8 Rxc8 27. f3 Nf6 28. Nxf6+ Bxf6 29. Rxh5 Rc4 30. Nh3 Bg6 31. Rh6 Kg7 32. Nf2 Rc2 33. Ne4 Bxe4 ½ : ½ Blübaum – Markos, 21st European Team Chess Championship, Hersonissos 2017. 13. h6! Bh8 14. Nh3 Qc7 15. Ng5 Rac8 16. Qd1 a5 17. 0-0 Qd8 18. Rb1 Ne8 19. b3. 19. a3? a4! leads nowhere. 19. ... f6?! (19. ... Bf6! 20. Nf3 Be7=) 20. Ne6! A positional Pawn sacrifice in order to dominate the light squares. 20. ... Nxe6 21. dxe6 Bxe6 22. Bc4! Nc7. If 22. ... Bxc4 then 23. bxc4 Rf7 (23. ... Rxc4? 24. Qb3+−) 24. Rb5 f5 25. Qb1 eventually regaining the Pawn with powerful interest. 23. Nb5 Qd7 24. Nxc7 Bxc4 25. bxc4 Qxc7 26. Qb3 Qxc4 27. Bxa5. 27. Qxb7! Qf7! 28. Bxa5 was probably Koneru’s best. The text apparently lets slip White’s grip on the game. 27. ... Qxb3 28. Rxb3 Rf7 29. Rfb1 Rb8? Black had to give back the Pawn with 29. ... f5! 30. Rxb7 Rxb7 31. Rxb7 Rc1+ 32. Kh2 Bf6 partially escaping from her confinement.

30. Bd2! f5 31. a4! Now Black gets in the grip of an inexorable paralysis. 31. ... fxe4 32. a5 Rbf8 33. Rxb7 Rxf2 34. Bb4 e3 35. Bxd6 Re8 36. Rb8 Rxb8 37. Rxb8+ Kf7 38. Rxh8 Rb2 39. Kf1 Ke6 40. Bc5 Kd5 1 : 0.

At her début in the Cairns Cup, Humpy Koneru showed the best of her positional style. Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Two Weeks in September

Humpy Koneru – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020; 1st stage; Skolkovo, September 22, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

In the end, the two golden girls of chess, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and Goryachkina, had to content themselves with a tie for second place in the first stage of the “renewed” Women’s Grand Prix series. Who knows? It may even be that they wanted to leave something of themselves behind, since they will become rich within a short time. Whatever it is, at Skolkovo the limelight was all on Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru, who celebrated in the best way her rentrée in a rôle-titre after her recent “maternity leave”. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qb3 c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 b6 11. e3 Nd7. A relatively recent game by 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) continued: 11. ... 0-0 12. Be2 Nc6 13. dxc5 Qxc3+ 14. bxc3 bxc5 15. Rb1 Rd8 (15. ... Rb8 16. Rxb8 Nxb8 17. Kd2 Nd7=) 16. Rb5 c4 17. 0-0 Ba6? (17. ... Be6!? 18. Rfb1 Rab8 seems solid) 18. Rc5 Ne7 19. Nd4 Rac8 20. Ra5 Rd6 21. Rb1 Ra8 22. Bf3 Kf8 23. Rb4 Bc8 24. Rxc4 White came out a Pawn ahead with a near winning endgame, Karpov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), “Belt and Road” 2018 Sino-Russian Chess Champions Showdown, 哈尔滨 (Hā’ěrbīn) 2018, match game 1 (15+10). 12. Be2 0-0 13. 0-0 Bb7 14. Bb5. 14. Rfc1 Rac8 15. dxc5 Qxc3 16. Rxc3 Nxc5 is a more popular theoretical tabiya: 17. Rcc1 [or 17. Rac1 Ne6 18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. Rxc8+ Bxc8 20. Kf1 Kf8 21. Ke1 Ke7 22. Kd2 Kd6 23. b4 Bd7 24. Kc3 g5 25. Nd2 f5 26. g3 g4 27. f4 Nc7 28. Bd3 Ne8 29. Nb3 Nf6 30. Nd4 Ne4+ 31. Bxe4 dxe4 32. b5 Kc5 33. a4 Bc8 34. Nb3+ Kd6 35. Kb4 Be6 36. Nd4 Bc8 37. a5 Bd7 38. axb6 axb6 39. Ne2 Be6 40. Nc3 Bf7 41. Na4 Kc7 42. Kc3 Be8 43. Kc4 Bf7+ 44. Kd4 Bb3 45. Nxb6 Kxb6 46. Ke5 Kxb5 47. Kxf5 Kc4 48. Kxe4 Bc2+ 49. Ke5 Kd3 50. Kf5 Kxe3+ 51. Kxg4 Bg6 52. f5 Bf7 53. Kh4 Ke4 54. g4 Kf4 55. Kh3 ½ : ½ 周健超 (Zhōu Jiànchāo) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 45th Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2010] 17. ... Rac8 18. Rcb1 Nf8 19. Nd4 Ne6 20. Bg4 Re8 21. b4 Rc4 22. Be2 Rcc8 23. Nf5 Rc7 24. Rc1 Rec8 25. Rd1 Rd8 26. h4 Kf8 27. Bf3 Rcd7 28. a4 d4 29. Bxb7 ½ : ½ Salem – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Grand Prix 2017, 1st stage, Sharjah 2017. 14. b3 is somewhat less common, but quite interesting; for instance: 14. ... Rac8 15. Rfc1 Rc7 16. dxc5 Qxc3 17. Rxc3 Rxc5 18. Rcc1 Rfc8 19. Rcb1 Nf8 20. b4 Rc3 21. Nd4 a6 22. Nf5 Rd8 23. Rc1⩲ Stefanova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 16th European Women’s Chess Club Cup, Rogaška Slatina 2011. 14. ... Rfd8!?TN 15. Rfc1 c4 16. Bxd7 Rxd7 17. b3 Rc8 18. Nd2 cxb3 19. Qxb3 Rdc7 20. Qb2 Qd6 21. Nb3 Ba6 22. Rxc7 Rxc7 23. h3 Bd3 24. Rc1 Rxc1+ 25. Qxc1 a5 26. Qc3

26. ... Qxa3. Black has not obtained enough to enable her to play for a win, but the text, if nothing else, allows a pretty drawing “combination”. 27. Qxd3 a4 28. Qa6 Kh7. If 28. ... Qxb3 then 29. Qc8+ Kh7 30. Qf5+ drawing by perpetual check. 29. Nc5. Also after 29. Nd2 Qc1+ 30. Nf1 a3 White cannot hope for more than a draw. 29. ... bxc5 30. dxc5 d4 31. exd4 Qa1+ 32. Kh2 Qxd4 33. c6 Qf4+ 34. Kg1 Qc1+ 35. Kh2 Qf4+ ½ : ½.

Humpy Koneru and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) deeply meditate and think upon the invisibility of what has passed over their heads. Photo © David Llada.

What she won’t say

Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru’s father, Ashok Koneru, confirmed her daughter’s decision to not participate in the forthcoming Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017. He, however, refused to disclose the reason behind Humpy’s unavailability.

• Archiman Bhaduri, Mystery over Humpy pullout, The Times of India, January 18, 2017

Humpy Koneru
Photo: Getty Images

Royal House for Rent

In the meantime, with uncommon promptness, FIDE announced the first round pairings for the impending Women’s World Championship Knockout Tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017:

• 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Nancy L. Lane
• Amina Mezioud – Anna Muzychuk
• Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Sabrina Latreche
• Shamima Akter Liza – Harika Dronavalli
• Nana Dzagnidze – Khaled Mona
• Viktorija Ni – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
• Antoaneta Stefanova – Yaniet Marrero López
• Ayelén Martínez – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
• 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
• Sofio Gvetadze – Nino Batsiashvili
• Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 周齐宇 (Zhōu Qíyǔ)
• Maritza Arribas Robaina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
• Hoàng Thanh Trang – Nataliya Buksa
• Atousa Pourkashiyan – Elisabeth Pähtz
• Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 翟墨 (Dí Mò)
• Mitra Hejazipour – Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk
• Olga Alexandrovna Girya – Cristina Adela Foișor
• Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên – Lela Javakhishvili
• Cramling Pia – Kateřina Němcová
• Sopiko Guramishvili – Sara Sadat Khadem-al-sharieh
• Monika Soćko – Anastasia Savina
• Daria Charochkina – 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn)
• Natalia Zhukova – Nino Khurtsidze
• Nastassia Alyakseeўna Ziaziulkina – Anna Ushenina
• Elina Danielian – Padmini Rout
• Salome Melia – Ekaterina Atalik
• Lilit Mkrtchian – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
• Olga Zimina – Bela Khotenashvili
• Dinara Saduakassova – Marina Nechaeva
• Inna Yanovska Gaponenko – Ekaterina Valentinovna Kovalevskaya
• Deysi Estela Cori Tello – Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya
• 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) – Irene Kharisma Sukandar

Not Only a Question of Faith

Argentine Woman Grandmaster María Carolina Luján gave an enlightening interview to Soledad Vallejos for Pagina12 of January 14, 2017 in which she explains her reasons for refusing to take part in the next Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament to be held in in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017. She also prefers to point the issue of the mandatory Iranian dress code rather than the politically more significant instance of gender discrimination blatantly represented by the inequality of men’s and women’s World Chess Championship systems. As you should know, the knockout format is a sort of “Wild Bunch” which designates the new “World Champion” on basis of cabalistic criteria related to the guidelines of Voldemort’s Black Book if not to be negotiated by parties. Whatever it is, María Carolina doesn’t reduce everything to just “wearing the hijab”. She would have liked to know something more about Iran’s culture and its theocratic governance, but apparently the World Chess Federation didn’t answer to any of her questions, and she had to pay a visit to the Iran Embassy in Argentina for getting some information. “My family was worried, too. I think all this could have been solved otherwise, for instance by giving information”, she said. “I mean, more information about the country, its culture, the rigorous application of the law. Or if FIDE had given us guarantees of assistance and protection. But nothing. It was very like ‘It’s here. If you don’t like, you don’t play’. That was the message I perceived and I decided to renounce. Maybe my decision would have been different if the dealing had been different”, Luján said.

María Carolina Luján. Photo: Sandra Cartasso.

Route 64

• 2017女子国际象棋世锦赛参赛名单 (Participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2017), sports.sohu.com, January 12, 2017

On January 11, the World Chess Federation published the list of participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2017.

Seven Chinese players will participate in the 64-Player Knockout: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě), 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), 翟墨 (Dí Mò), 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), and 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn).

The Women’s World Chess Championship is still a knockout tournament format. It will be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017. The winner will become the Women’s World Chess Champion. Below, it follows the list of the participating Chinese players:

It’s worth mentioning that there is a separate list of remarkable absentees from the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, including the current Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) from China and the former Women’s World Chess Champion Mariya Muzychuk from Ukraine. In addition, the former Challenger Humpy Koneru from India, Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova and Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva from Russia, Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze and Irina Borisivna Krush from the United States refused to participate. Both Krush and Paikidze refused to comply with the mandatory Iranian dress code.

(Free translation by Dr. Winston O’Boogie)

Postage stamp

Chess-News.ru (‏@Chess__News)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament: who’ll play and who won’t play. After 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze, Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, Irina Borisivna Krush, also Humpy Koneru (pictured above), Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva, Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova, María Carolina Luján, Emma Guo, plus three Egyptian players decided to not participate. For the list of 64 players who will take part in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017, instead, see http://chess-news.ru/node/22600.

The Messenger

Nigel David Short (@nigelshortchess)

Light of the World

Pictured here is the award ceremony of the Women’s Grand Prix in 成都 (Chéngdū), China. Standing from left: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (3rd-6th prizes ex-aequo), Harika Dronavalli (1st-2nd prizes ex-aequo, 1st prize on tiebreak), and Humpy Koneru (1st-2nd prizes ex-aequo). Photo: Goran Urošević/Harika Dronavalli (‏@HarikaDronavali).

Standing from left the all-stars’ parade: 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Harika Dronavalli, Humpy Koneru, Bela Khotenashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, Olga Alexandrovna Girya, Antoaneta Stefanova, Anna Muzychuk, Mariya Muzychuk, and Pia Cramling. Photo: Goran Urošević/Harika Dronavalli (‏@HarikaDronavali).