IM Polina Shuvalova was the only winner of spherical three on the Nicosia FIDE Girls’s Grand Prix 2022-2023, defeating IM Gunay Mammadzada with a mixture of strategic understanding and tenacity. Shuvalova is now tied for third, trailing the leaders, GMs Kateryna Lagno and Tan Zhongyi, by half some extent.
WGM Dinara Wagner unleashed a spirited piece of dwelling prep on IM Bibisara Assaubayeva, resulting in a double-edged recreation the place Assaubayeva was in a position to navigate the complexity over the board.
GM Aleksandra Goryachkina had a commanding benefit vs. GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, however in the long run, the twelfth girls’s world champion discovered a strategy to create counterplay and save the sport.
The ultimate leg of the FIDE Girls’s Grand Prix continues with spherical 4 on Friday, Could 19, beginning at 5:00 a.m. Pacific/14:00 CEST.
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Lagno vs. Tan
Within the conflict between the leaders, the Petroff took on a extra aggressive nature when Lagno used her king to flee Black’s pin on the h5-d1 diagonal and Tan reacted by opening the f-file to double her rooks to create extra kingside strain.
After a number of trades within the heart, the place become a queen and rook ending the place Lagno’s heavy items dominated the e-file, however Tan’s main counterparts saved her few weaknesses well-supported. Although Lagno used nearly all of the time left on her clock in search of methods to extend her slight edge, the sport finally winded all the way down to a draw.
Wagner vs. Assaubayeva
Wagner intensified the already notoriously double-edged King’s Indian Protection with 12.g4!?―a bolt to Black’s kingside. As commentator WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili famous, to this point on this occasion, Wagner’s dwelling preparation has been a power: “Very, very heavy dwelling preparation. Dinara, to me, appears to be well-prepared. I believe, within the time from the Munich Grand Prix till the Cypress Grand Prix, she was working laborious, many hours of the times.”
Assaubayeva appeared to be stunned, but unfazed, responding energetically within the heart after which providing a pawn sacrifice on the queenside. Although Wagner gained the superior pawn construction and a mighty knight on the e4-outpost, Assaubayeva created counterplay by increase strain on White’s backward f-pawn. Ultimately, this led to a topsy-turvy stability.
Shuvalova vs. Mammadzada
Shuvalova is the one participant remaining who’s performed all decisive video games. Her efforts for the win have performed off; regardless of her round-one loss, she’s joined the tie for third.
Shuvalova opted for a Maroczy Bind setup in opposition to Mammadzada’s Sicilian Kan, giving White an area edge whereas Black has few weaknesses, at all times trying to put together the pawn breaks …d5 or …b5.
By transfer 21, Shuvalova gained an enormous time fringe of almost 50 minutes to only 10 for her opponent. Black can usually battle to search out strikes as a result of her plan is much less concrete in her stable but cramped place.
White elevated her edge by barreling her forces down at Black’s weak d6-pawn, forcing …e5, completely weakening d5 and the light-squares. Shuvalova quickly took over this potent central outpost and, by transfer 27, each single white piece was extra lively than its black counterpart, which was utterly tied all the way down to the passive protection of her backward d-pawn.
With such a commanding place, Shuvalova appeared a bit of over-eager to transform her benefit, speeding to win the weak pawn however permitting her opponent to commerce right into a rook ending with drawing possibilities. From there, the world number-16 for ladies needed to win the sport yet again, however she was up for the problem. When Mammadzada gave her an opportunity at profitable, she capitalized. Can you discover how she turned a drawish rook ending right into a profitable one?
In her post-game interview, Shuvalova shared that―though the unique rook ending was technically drawn―she meant to press on for so long as doable:
“Ultimately, she had in all probability good possibilities to save lots of the sport if she simply stayed, not pushing …g5 (…). If she simply stayed, I might play g3 and f4 at some second and seize the e5-pawn. After which we shall be taking part in for an additional hundred strikes.”
After which we shall be taking part in for an additional hundred strikes.
—Polina Shuvalova
This tenacious victory is our Recreation of the Day, analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao.
Kosteniuk vs Goryachkina
Within the battle between the Aleksandras, the highest seed confronted the twelfth girls’s world champion. Additional, these two opponents at present lead in grand prix factors (aside from GM Zhu Jiner, who’s already accomplished three occasions).
With the black items, Goryachkina found the possibility to weaken her opponent’s construction, forcing the creation of doubled backward pawns on the half-open e-file. Then, she elevated her benefit by increasing on the queenside, step-by-step. Gaining a dominant grip on the place, Goryachkina created a queenside handed pawn and maneuvered her knights to centralized outposts on c5 and e5. She received a pawn and appeared on her strategy to grinding down White’s defenses for the complete level.
Nevertheless, after one inaccurate transfer, Kosteniuk leaped on the alternative to win her rival’s passer and simplify right into a queen vs. two rooks ending with ample counterplay, finally holding the stability.
Kiolbasa vs. Khotenashvili
In an Open Ruy Lopez, IM Oliwia Kiolbasa expanded within the heart with a d4-d5 break and later with c4-c5, breaking apart Black’s queenside construction. GM Bella Khotenashvili saved the place balanced by activating her items, doubling on the d-file and sinking her bishop into White’s aspect of the board and d3. With all of the heavy items dealing with one another, hinting at mass exchanges, the gamers drew.
Dzagnidze vs. Dronavalli
This recreation completed in a short time and seemed like neither participant had a lot intention to play for a win. GM Harika Dronavalli and GM Nana Dzagnidze went right into a identified perpetual test thought within the opening. Regardless of taking part in White, it is seemingly that Dzagnidze meant to attract as a reset to her powerful loss within the earlier spherical.
Whereas it is actually disappointing from a spectator perspective to see a recreation that is not actually a recreation, the gamers usually tempo themselves in an extended, high-pressure match in opposition to top-notch competitors, being aware of their vitality and confidence ranges.
Outcomes – Spherical 3
| White | Black | |
| Wagner | 1/2 – 1/2 | Assaubayeva |
| Dzagnidze | 1/2 – 1/2 | Dronavalli |
| Kosteniuk | 1/2 – 1/2 | Goryachkina |
| Kiolbasa | 1/2 – 1/2 | Khotenashvili |
| Lagno | 1/2 – 1/2 | Tan |
| Shuvalova | 1 – 0 | Mammadzada |
Standings – Spherical 3
Pairings – Spherical 4
| White | Black | |
| Assaubayeva | – | Mammadzada |
| Tan | – | Shuvalova |
| Khotenashili | – | Lagno |
| Goryachkina | – | Kiolbasa |
| Dronavalli | – | Kosteniuk |
| Wagner | – | Dzagnidze |
All Video games – Spherical 3
Earlier Protection:
