Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

**Gordon Ritchie** · Saturday, 11th February, 2017, 12:46 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Great result for Qiyu! Drawn with Black against a higher rated player (by 200 points). On to round two.

**Wayne Komer** · Saturday, 11th February, 2017, 12:55 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 11, 2017

Round One (continued)

WWC 2017
Tehran
Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Wenjun, Ju – Lane, Nancy
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3 O-O 8.Bb5 Ne4 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Nd2 f5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qa4 Bxg3 13.hxg3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bd7 15.Qa3 Qc7 16.Nc4 Rab8 17.Rc1 Qb7 18.O-O Be8 19.Rc2 Qc7 20.Rfc1 g5 21.Ne5 Rb6 22.b4 Qb7 23.Rc4 Rf6 24.Qc3 h5 25.Nxc6 Bxc6 26.Rxc6 Rxb4 27.d5 Rf8 28.Rc7 1-0

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Mezioud, Amina – Muzychuk, Anna
B10 Caro-Kann, Closed (Breyer) variation

1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7 5.g3 e5 6.Bg2 Nd7 7.O-O Ngf6 8.Re1 O-O 9.Nf1 Re8 10.Nh4 a5 11.Be3 b6 12.c3 Bb7 13.h3 c5 14.Qc2 Nf8 15.Rad1 Ne6 16.f3 Nh5 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.c4 Bb7 19.f4 exf4 20.Bxb7 fxe3 21.Nxe3 Ra7 22.Qg2 Nxg3 23.Qxg3 Rxb7 24.Nhf5 gxf5 25.Nxf5 Qf6 26.Nd6 Rbe7 27.Nxe8 Rxe8 28.Rd2 Qg6 29.Qxg6 hxg6 30.Kh2 Bd4 31.Rde2 Kg7 32.Kg3 Rh8 33.Rf1 Rh5 0-1

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Kosteniuk, Alexandra – Latreche, Sabrina
C77, Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 Bc5 6.O-O b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Bg4 9.c3 O-O 10.Qe2 b4 11.a5 bxc3 12.bxc3 Rb8 13.Nbd2 Nh5 14.g3 Qf6 15.Kg2 Bxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qxf3+ 17.Kxf3 Rb5 18.Ba4 Na7 19.Bxb5 Nxb5 20.Bb2 f5 21.exf5 Rxf5+ 22.Kg2 Nf6 23.Rab1 d5 24.c4 dxc4 25.Nxc4 Ng4 26.h3 Nh6 27.Nxe5 Nf7 28.f4 Nfd6 29.g4 1-0

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Tan, Zhongyi – Foisor, Sabina
A13 English Opening, Agincourt variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 dxc4 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.O-O Nbd7 6.Na3 Bxa3 7.bxa3 Nb6 8.Bb2 Bd7 9.Ne5 Ba4 10.Qc1 c6 11.Nxc4 Nxc4 12.Qxc4 Bb5 13.Qb4 a5 14.Qb3 Bxe2 15.Qxb7 O-O 16.Rfe1 Bb5 17.Rac1 Qxd2 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qe7 Qd8 20.Qc5 f5 21.Red1 Qf6 22.Bxc6 Bxc6 23.Qxc6 Rab8 24.Rc5 Rfc8 25.Qxc8+ Rxc8 26.Rxc8+ Kg7 27.Rc5 Qb2 28.Rxa5 Qc2 29.Re1 Qxa2 30.Ra7 Kf6 31.Rd1 Qb3 32.Rc1 Qb2 33.Rf1 h5 34.Ra4 Kg6 35.Ra8 f4 36.Ra4 f3 37.Re1 Qb3 38.Rae4 Qxa3 39.h4 Qb2 40.Rf4 Qd2 41.Re5 Qd1+ 42.Kh2 Kg7 43.Re3 f5 44.Rexf3 Kf6 45.Ra3 Qd5 46.Ra7 Qc5 47.Ra8 Kg7 48.Rd8 Qc2 49.Re8 Qc6 50.Re7+ Kf6 51.Ra7 Qc2 52.Rh7 e5 53.Rf3 e4 54.Rf4 e3 55.Rh6+ Ke5 56.Rh8 e2 57.Re8+ Kf6 58.Rf3 Qd2 59.Rfe3 e1=Q 60.Rxe1 Qxf2+ 61.Kh3 f4 1/2-1/2

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Dzagnidze, Nana – Mona, Khaled
A09 Reti, Advance variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 e5 5.d3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.O-O Nf6 8.Na3 O-O 9.Nb5 Re8 10.Bg5 Be7 11.e3 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.exd4 exd4 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.Qc2 c6 16.Na3 Bg4 17.Rae1 Qd7 18.f4 Ng6 19.c5 Bh3 20.Nac4 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Qd5+ 23.Ne4 Bd8 24.Qb3 b5 25.Nd2 Qd7 26.a4 Bc7 27.axb5 cxb5 28.Qd1 Re8 29.Kf1 Ne7 30.Nf3 Nf5 31.Kf2 Ne3 32.Qc1 Qh3 33.Rxe3 dxe3+ 34.Qxe3 Qd7 35.f5 Rd8 36.d4 Qxf5 37.Nd2 Kf8 38.Qc3 Re8 39.Qb3 g5 40.Qxb5 g4 41.Qc6 Bb8 42.Qxh6+ Ke7 43.Qg5+ Qxg5 44.Nxg5 f5 45.Nc4 Kf6 46.h4 Rd8 47.Nxa5 Rxd4 48.Nc6 Rd2+ 49.Ke3 Rxb2 50.Nxb8 Rxb8 51.Kd4 Rd8+ 52.Kc4 Ke7 53.c6 Rd1 54.c7 Rc1+ 55.Kd5 Rxc7 56.Ke5 Rc5+ 57.Kf4 Kf6 58.Nh7+ Kg7 59.Ng5 Kg6 60.Ne6 Rc4+ 61.Ke5 Re4+ 62.Kd5 Kf6 63.Nf8 Re7 64.h5 f4 0-1

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Ni, Viktorija – Gunina, Valentina
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 e6 4.e4 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Be7 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O a6 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qd2 b6 11.Rfc1 Bb7 12.f3 Nbd7 13.b4 Rac8 14.Rab1 Rfe8 15.Qe1 Qb8 16.Qf2 Bf8 17.Na4 Ba8 18.Nb3 d5 19.e5 Qxe5 20.c5 b5 21.Nb2 Qb8 22.Na5 e5 23.c6 d4 24.Bg5 Bxc6 25.Rxc6 Bxb4 26.Rxa6 Nc5 27.Nc6 Qd6 28.Nxb4 Nxa6 29.Nxa6 Nd5 30.Bxb5 Nc3 31.Qf1 Nxb5 32.Qxb5 Qg6 33.Re1 Qxg5 34.Nd3 h6 35.Nc7 Red8 36.Rxe5 Qd2 37.Re7 Rb8 38.Qe5 Qxd3 39.h4 Qe3+ 40.Qxe3 dxe3 41.Rxe3 Rd2 42.Re4 f5 43.Re7 Rb7 44.Kh2 Kf8 45.Re8+ Kf7 46.Rc8 f4 47.Kh3 h5 48.Na6 Rb1 49.Rc7+ Kg8 50.Kh2 Rbb2 51.Rc8+ Kh7 52.Rc5 Rxg2+ 53.Kh1 Rh2+ 54.Kg1 Rbg2+ 55.Kf1 Rxa2 56.Rxh5+ Kg8 0-1

Round 1.1, Feb. 11, 2017
Guramishvili, Sopiko – Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Koch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 O-O 6.e4 d6 7.Ne2 Ba5 8.Ng3 a6 9.Bf4 exd5 10.cxd5 b5 11.Be2 Ne8 12.O-O Nd7 13.Kh1 Rb8 14.Qc1 Ne5 15.Nd1 Ng6 16.Be3 Qc7 17.f4 f5 18.Nxf5 Bxf5 19.exf5 Ne7 20.g4 Nxd5 21.Bf3 Qf7 22.Nf2 Nef6 23.Nh3 Nc7 24.Bg1 Qe8 25.Qc2 Kh8 26.Rad1 Rd8 27.b3 Qf7 28.a3 Bb6 29.Ng5 Qg8 30.Rfe1 Rfe8 31.b4 Rxe1 32.Rxe1 Qf8 33.Qa2 Rd7 34.Bc6 Re7 35.Rxe7 Qxe7 36.Nf7+ Kg8 37.Nxd6+ Kf8 38.Nc8 1-0

Colors reversed for each pair of opponents in the round tomorrow.

**John Upper** · Saturday, 11th February, 2017, 01:05 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

You can replay the game with notes on the CFC Newsfeed:

http://chess.ca/newsfeed/node/934

Also with a photo and mini-report from the start of the round sent by Qiyu's mom.

PS: a good hour for Canadian chess, as Aman Hambleton drew Magnus Carlsen about 20 minutes later in their PRO Chess League game. :D

**Gordon Ritchie** · Saturday, 11th February, 2017, 02:57 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

John, thanks for your notes on the game and Penny's express report. Great reporting.

**Aris Marghetis** · Saturday, 11th February, 2017, 04:21 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Originally posted by Gordon Ritchie View Post

John, thanks for your notes on the game and Penny's express report. Great reporting.

I agree, John is GREAT with his reporting!

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 12th February, 2017, 12:46 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 12, 2017

Round 1.2

You have to admire the way Qiyu Zhou matches Pogonina blow-for-blow. At move 45 the position is given as dead equal with both ladies having about 5 minutes on their clocks.

Black’s g5 looked very strong.

After the exchange of queens we have a 2Ns + 2p for White and 2Ns + 3p for Black, with Black having the advantage and just minutes on the clocks.

It looked like White could hold until 58. Ne2 was made.

Women’s WCC 2017
Tehran
Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Zhou, Qiyu – Pogonina, Natalija
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Be7 8.Nc3 O-O 9.Re1 d6 10.a3 Nb8 11.Ne2 c5 12.Ng3 Nc6 13.c3 Bc8 14.h3 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.b4 Qd7 17.Qb3 Rab8 18.Be3 Rfe8 19.Reb1 Bf8 20.a4 cxb4 21.axb5 axb5 22.cxb4 d5 23.Rc1 d4 24.Bd2 Ra8 25.Ng5 Rxa1 26.Rxa1 h6 27.Nf3 Qb7 28.Ne2 Nd7 29.Ne1 Bd6 30.Nc2 Nf8 31.Qa2 Rb8 32.f4 exf4 33.Nxf4 Qe7 34.Qa6 Qc7 35.Ne2 Qd7 36.Qa2 Kh7 37.Qb2 Bc7 38.Bf4 Rd8 39.Rf1 Ng6 40.Bxc7 Qxc7 41.Na3 Qe7 42.Nxb5 Nge5 43.Nf4 Rb8 44.Na3 Rxb4 45.Qc2 Rb7 46.Nb1 Nb4 47.Qf2 Qd6 48.Qg3 Rf7 49.Nd2 g5 50.Nh5 Rxf1+ 51.Nxf1 Nbxd3 52.h4 Qe7 53.hxg5 Qxg5 54.Qxg5 hxg5 55.Nd2 Kg6 56.Ng3 Nf4 57.Kf1 Ng4 58.Ne2 Ne3+ 59.Kf2 Nxe2 60.Kxe2 Nxg2 61.Nf3 Nf4+ 62.Kd2 d3 63.Ne5+ Kh5 64.Ke3 g4 65.Nc4 g3 66.Kf3 g2 67.Kf2 Kg5 68.Nd2 Kg4 69.Nf3 g1=Q+ 0-1

Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Lane, Nancy – Ju, Wenjun
C04 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Bd3 e6 5.O-O Bd6 6.b3 O-O 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.Nbd2 a5 9.a4 Ne4 10.Ne5 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 c6 13.f4 Nf6 14.Rf3 Ne4 15.Raf1 f5 16.c4 Qe7 17.c5 Bxe5 18.fxe5 g5 19.Qe2 g4 20.Rf4 Rf7 21.Bc1 Rg7 22.Bd2 Rg6 23.Be1 Rh6 24.Bg3 Qe8 25.Qe1 Qh5 26.Qd1 Nxg3 27.hxg3 Kh8 28.Qe1 Qh2+ 29.Kf2 Rh3 30.Rh1 Qxg3+ 0-1

Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Muzychuk, Anna – Mezioud, Amina
C41 Philidor, Exchange variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bf4 O-O 7.Be2 Re8 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.O-O-O Nc5 10.f3 a6 11.g4 Ne6 12.Be3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 c5 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Qxd6 Qa5 16.Nd5 Qxa2 17.Nxf6+ gxf6 18.Qxf6 Be6 19.Qg5+ Kh8 20.Qf6+ Kg8 21.Kd2 Qa5+ 22.Ke3 c4 23.h4 Rad8 24.Qg5+ Qxg5+ 25.hxg5 b5 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Ra1 Rd6 28.f4 Bc8 29.e5 Rb6 30.Rd1 Rc6 31.Rd8+ Kg7 32.f5 1-0

Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Latreche, Sabrina – Kosteniuk, Alexandra
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.f4 d5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.e5 Nd7 7.Be2 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Qe1 f6 10.exf6 Bxf6 11.f5 Nde5 12.fxe6 Bxe6 13.Bd1 Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 Be5 15.Ne2 Qd6 16.g3 Rae8 17.c3 d4 18.Be4 Rxf1+ 19.Qxf1 dxc3 20.bxc3 Bd5 21.Nf4 Bxe4 22.dxe4 Kh8 23.Qe1 Nd4 24.Qd1 Nb5 25.Nd5 Nxc3 26.Nxc3 Qxd1+ 0-1

Sopiko loses to the Iranian

Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Khademaisharieh, Sarasadat – Guramishvili, Sopiko
D26 QGA, Classical variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.dxc5 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Bxc5 9.Nbd2 O-O 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Bd2 Bd7 12.Rac1 Rfd8 13.Na5 Nxa5 14.Bxa5 Rdc8 15.Ne5 Ba4 16.b3 Be8 17.Be2 Ba3 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Nc4 Be7 20.Bf3 b6 21.Be1 Bc6 22.Nd6 Bxd6 23.Rxd6 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Kf8 25.Bb4 Ke8 26.Rd3 Nd5 27.Bd2 b5 28.e4 Nb6 29.Bc3 f6 30.f4 Nd7 31.Bb4 Rc6 32.Kg2 Nb8 33.Bd6 Nd7 34.Bb4 Nb8 35.Rd2 Na6 36.Ba5 Ke7 37.Rd8 Rd6 38.Rg8 Kf7 39.Ra8 Rd7 40.Rc8 Rb7 41.Bd2 Nb8 42.Be3 Nd7 43.Kf3 f5 44.e5 h6 45.h4 Ke7 46.h5 Kf7 47.Kg3 g6 48.hxg6+ Kxg6 49.Kh4 Nb6 50.Rc6 Kf7 51.Bxb6 axb6 52.Kh5 b4 53.Kxh6 b5 54.Ra6 Rc7 55.Rb6 Rc2 56.Rxb5 Rxf2 57.Rb7+ Ke8 58.Kg5 Kd8 59.Rxb4 Rxa2 60.Kf6 Ra6 61.Rb7 Ke8 62.Re7+ Kf8 63.Rxe6 Ra3 64.Rb6 1-0

Round 1.2, Feb. 12, 2017
Foisor, Sabina-Francesca – Tan, Zhongyi
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Koch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 O-O 7.e3 c6 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.Qd3 Nb8 13.O-O Nbd7 14.Bb2 Rc8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.e4 Qc4 17.Qe3 e5 18.Ng3 Qb3 19.Nf5 Kh8 20.Ba1 Qxa3 21.Qg5 Ne8 22.exd5 f6 23.Qg4 g6 24.Nh4 Qd6 25.Qh3 Kg8 26.Qe6+ Rf7 27.c4 exd4 28.Bxd4 Qf8 29.Rfe1 Nd6 30.Qg4 Rxc4 31.f4 Qc8 32.Qe6 Nb5 33.Nf3 Nxd4 34.Rxd4 Rxd4 35.Nxd4 Qc5 36.Qe8+ Nf8 37.Qe4 Rd7 38.Kh1 f5 39.Qe3 Rxd5 40.Rd1 Rd6 41.h3 Ne6 42.Qe2 Qd5 43.Rd2 Qe4 44.Qc4 b5 45.Qa2 Qxf4 46.Nf3 Kf8 47.Rxd6 Qxd6 48.Qxa7 h5 49.Qh7 Nf4 50.Ng5 Qd5 51.Qh8+ Ke7 52.Qg7+ Ke8 53.Qh8+ Kd7 54.Qg7+ Kc8 55.Qh8+ Kb7 56.Qg7+ Ka6 57.Qf6+ Kb7 58.Qg7+ Kb6 59.Qf6+ Kc5 60.Qe7+ Qd6 61.Qe3+ Kb4 62.Qe1+ Kc5 63.Qe3+ Qd4 64.Qc1+ Kb6 65.Nf3 Nd3 66.Qg5 Qd6 67.Qe3+ Nc5 68.Qc3 Ne4 69.Qe3+ Qc5 70.Qh6 Nf2+ 71.Kh2 Qd6+ 72.g3 Ne4 73.Qe3+ Qc5 74.Nd4 Qc3 75.Nxf5+ Qxe3 76.Nxe3 b4 77.Kg2 b3 78.Nd1 Kc5 79.h4 Kd4 80.Kf3 Kd3 81.Nb2+ Kc2 82.Kxe4 Kxb2 83.Kf4 Kc3 84.Kg5 b2 85.Kxg6 b1=Q+ 86.Kxh5 Qf5+ 87.Kh6 Qg4 0-1

__________

Results

Ju-Lane 2-0
Zhu-Sukandar 1.5-0.5
Hejazipour-Bodnaruk 1-1
Girya goes on to next round
Martinez-Zhao 1-1
Danielian-Padmini 0.5-1.5
Tan-Foisor 1.5-0.5
Ziaziulkina-Ushenina 0.5-1.5
Shamina-Harika 1-1
Saduakassova-Nechaeva 1.5-0.5
Hoang-Buksa 1-1
Guramishvili-Khademalsharieh 1-1
Dzagnidze-Mona 1-1
Zimina-Khotenashvili 1-1
Arribas-Shen 1-1
Socko-Savina 1-1
Mezioud-Muzychuk 0-2
Cori-Kashlinskaya 0.5-1.5
Goryachkina-Zhai 1.5-0.5
Pham-Javakhishvili 1.5-0.5
Stefanova-Marrero 2-0
Melia-Atalik 1-1
Gvetadze-Batsiashvili 0-2
Zhukova-Khurtsidze 0.5-1.5
Kosteniuk-Latreche 2-0
Gaponenko-Kovalevskaya 1.5-0.5
Pourkashiyan-Paehtz 0.5-1.5
Cramling-Nemcova 1.5-0.5
Ni, Viktorija-Gunina 0-2
Mkrtchian-Ni, Shiqun 0.5-1.5
Pogonina-Zhou 1.5-0.5
Charochkina-Huang 1-1

I make it that there are 11 tied matches and those ladies go to the tiebreak games tomorrow. 21 matches had a winner and those ladies go on to round 2 on Tuesday.

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 13th February, 2017, 04:03 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 13, 2017

Round 1.3 Tiebreaks

Rarely have I had so much trouble in finding audio/video commentary, updated game scores and results from a tournament. I thought part of the problem might be a plug-in needed for the Flash video from Tehran but I find that I am not alone in my confusion.

A site called Follow Chess tweeted this:

Note: The Tehran WCC broadcast is bit messed up. Incorrect names. Incomplete games. No info on 1st tie break games, colors etc.

Fortunately chess-news.ru has a chart of the day’s results that is clear. It gives these as the results of the tie-break matches:

1. Bodnaruk-Hejazipour 4-3 (went to Armageddon)
2. Zhao Xue-Martinez 2-0
3. Harika-Shamima 1.5-0.5
4. Hoang Thanh Trang – Buksa 0.5-1.5
5. Khademalsharieh-Guramishvili 0-2
6. Dzagnidze-Mona 3-1 (went to 10+10)
7. Khotenashvili-Zimina 0-2
8. Shen Yang-Arribas 2-0
9. Socko-Savina 0.5-1.5
10. Atalik-Melia 0.5-1.5
11. Huang Quian-Charochkina 2-0

The pairings for Round 2 are thus:

1. Ju-Zhu
2. Bodnaruk-Girya
3. Zhao-Padmini
4. Tan-Ushenina
5. Harika-Saduakassova
6. Buksa-Guramishvili
7. Dzagnidze-Zimina
8. Shen-Savina
9. Muzychuk, A.-Kashlinskaya
10. Goryachkina-Pham
11. Stefanova-Melia
12. Batsiashvili-Khurtsidze
13. Kosteniuk-Gaponenko
14. Paehtz-Cramling
15. Gunina-Ni, S.
16. Pogonina-Huang

It seems hard luck to go all the way over to Tehran, play two games and then have to go home. But that is knockout.

These players now out of the tournament:

Lane (1902), Sukandar (2421), Foisor (2270), Danielian (2444), Ziaziulkina (2386), Nechaeva (2406), Mezioud (2055), Cori (2422), Zhai (2304), Javakhishvili (2455), Mareero Lopez (2255), Gvetadze (2285), Zhukova (2447), Latreche (2057), Kovalevskaya (2423), Pourkashiyan (2303), Nemcova (2359), Ni, V. (2199), Mkrtchian (2431), Zhou (2287), Hejazipour (2307), Martinez (2255), Shamima (2077), Hoang Thanh Trang (2468), Khademalsharieh (2452), Mona (2150), Khotenashvili (2430), Arribas (2295), Socko (2452), Atalik (2435), Charochkina (2383) and Cristina-Adela Foisor (2349)

The top ten seeds are all going through

An earlier version of the above was corrected.

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 14th February, 2017, 01:25 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 14, 2017

Round Two

After a confusing first round, played over three days, when there was no dependable broadcast, things are back to normal.

Evgenij Miroschnichenko is the lone commentator. There are sixteen tables with the pairs of players along a carpeted hall and each is observed by an arbiter and a television camera set in an unobtrusive unit near the arbiter.

Each site seems to designate this round differently. Round One was the 1/32 final, the next three days are the 1/16 final. I choose to call it 2.1 today and so on. This is part of the confusion.

The two top seeds are first to win.

Women’s World Championship 2017
Tehran
Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Zhu, Chen – Ju, Wenjun
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Koch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 O-O 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 Nh5 9.g4 Qh4+ 10.Kd2 Ng3 11.Qe1 Nxf1+ 12.Qxf1 f5 13.gxf5 Bxf5 14.c4 c5 15.Bb2 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Nc6 17.Ne2 dxc4 18.Qg2 Bg6 19.Rac1 b5 20.f4 Nxd4 21.Nxd4 Rad8 22.Rhf1 Qf6 23.Qg1 Qa6 24.Rc3 b4 25.axb4 Qa2+ 26.Kd1 Qb1+ 0-1

Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Muzychuk, Anna – Kashlinskaya, Alina
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.c3 Ba7 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.h3 d6 9.Bb3 Nh5 10.Re1 Nf4 11.Nf1 Qf6 12.Ng3 h5 13.d4 h4 14.Nf5 g6 15.Bxf4 gxf5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Bg5 Qg6 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Qc1 Bd3 20.Nxh4 Qh5 21.Bf6 Kh7 22.Bc2 Bg6 23.Re4 Rae8 24.Nf3 1-0

A short draw between the German and the Swede:

Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Paehtz, Elisabeth – Cramling, Pia
D23 QGA, Mannheim variation

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nbd7 5.Nc3 e6 6.e4 a6 7.Bxc4 Rb8 8.Qc2 b5 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.Bf4 Rc8 11.d5 exd5 12.O-O-O Nc5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Nxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Be7 16.h4 f6 17.Rhe1 O-O 18.Qf5 Bd6 19.Bxd6 1/2-1/2

Pia is 53 years old and has been one of the strongest woman chess players of all time. She has a 15-year-old daughter Anna, who also plays chess. Elisabeth is 32, trained by her GM father Thomas from early childhood.

We first heard of her when she was a commentator with Simon Williams at Gibraltar 2016. See post 30 at:

http://forum.chesstalk.com/showthrea...htz#post101219

At the first time control, in the Guramishvili–Buksa, Black has seven pawns to White’s two! Buksa had a good game until her 35…Qd2 and then Sopiko took over and won.

Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Guramishvili, Sopiko – Buksa, Nataliya
E00 Catalan Opening

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.Qc2 c6 8.O-O a5 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Nc3 dxc4 11.e4 b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nb1 Ba6 14.Be3 c5 15.d5 exd5 16.exd5 Ng4 17.Nbd2 Nxe3 18.fxe3 Bf6 19.Ne4 Re8 20.Nfd2 Bg5 21.Nf1 Rb8 22.Bh3 Nb6 23.d6 b3 24.Qb1 Re5 25.Nc3 Bb7 26.e4 Qf6 27.Bg2 Rd8 28.h4 Bh6 29.Nh2 Be3+ 30.Kh1 Qf2 31.Rf1 Qxg3 32.Rf3 Qxh4 33.Rxe3 Rxd6 34.Qe1 Qh6 35.Rh3 Qd2 36.Qxd2 Rxd2 37.Nf3 Rxg2 38.Kxg2 Bxe4 39.Kf2 Bxf3 40.Rxf3 Rh5 41.Rd1 g6 42.Rd6 Rh2+ 43.Kg3 Rxb2 44.Rxb6 Rc2 45.Rb8+ Kg7 46.Rb7 h5 47.Rfxf7+ Kg8 48.Ne4 1-0

Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Zimina, Olga – Dzagnidze, Nana
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.Bg2 c6 4.c4 e6 5.O-O Nd7 6.d4 Bd6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Nc3 Ngf6 9.c5 Qxb3 10.axb3 Bc7 11.b4 Ne4 12.Re1 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 f5 14.Bxe4 fxe4 15.b5 a6 16.b4 Kf7 17.bxc6 bxc6 18.Ra4 e5 19.Be3 Nf8 20.b5 Ne6 21.b6 exd4 22.Bxd4 Nxd4 23.Rxd4 Be5 24.Red1 a5 25.e3 Bxd4 26.exd4 a4 27.Ra1 a3 28.Ra2 Ke6 29.f3 exf3 30.Kf2 Rhf8 31.Nb1 Kd7 32.Nd2 g5 33.h3 h5 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 Ra4 36.Nxf3 Rxd4 37.Rxa3 Rxg4 38.Ke2 Rg2+ 39.Ke1 Re8+ 40.Kf1 Rg4 41.Ra7+ Ke6 42.Rc7 Kf5 43.b7 Rb8 44.Kf2 Rb4 45.Rf7+ Ke4 46.Re7+ Kd3 47.Ne5+ Kc3 48.Nxc6 Rb2+ 49.Kf3 R8xb7 50.Re3+ Kc4 51.Na5+ Kd4 52.Nc6+ Kxc5 53.Ne5 R2b3 54.Nd7+ Kd6 55.Nf6 Rxe3+ 56.Kxe3 Rb4 0-1

Gunina (2524) goes down to the lower rated Shiqun Ni (2399).

Round 2.1, Feb. 14, 2017
Gunina, Valentina – Ni, Shiqun
D12 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 h6 7.O-O e6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Bb4 10.a3 Bxc3 11.bxc3 O-O 12.a4 Qc7 13.Ba3 Rc8 14.Nd2 Nbd7 15.f3 b5 16.c5 e5 17.e4 Re8 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bb4 Ra7 20.Rfe1 Qb8 21.Nb3 Rxa1 22.Nxa1 exd4 23.cxd4 dxe4 24.fxe4 Qf4 25.Bd2 Qg4 26.h3 Qg6 27.d5 Nxd5 28.Nb3 N5f6 29.Qd6 Rxe4 30.Rf1 Re6 31.Qc7 Qc2 32.Rf3 Nxc5 33.Nd4 Qxd2 34.Nxe6 Qe1+ 35.Kh2 Qxe6 36.Rc3 Nfe4 37.Rc1 Kh7 38.Rd1 b4 39.Rd8 b3 40.Qb8 Nd7 41.Qb7 Qe5+ 42.Kg1 b2 43.Rg8 0-1

Full Results of Round 2.1

Zhu-Ju 0-1
Bodnaruk-Girya 0-1
Zhao-Padmini 1/2-1/2
Ushenina-Tan 1-0
Harika-Saduakassova 1/2-1/2
Guramishvili-Buksa 1-0
Zimina-Dzagnidze 0-1
Shen-Savina 1-0
Muzychuk-Kashlinskaya 1-0
Pham-Goryachkina 1/2-1/2
Melia-Stevanova 1/2-1/2
Batsiashvili-Khurtsidze 1/2-1/2
Gaponenko-Kosteniuk 1/2-1/2
Paehtz-Cramling 1/2-1/2
Gunina-Ni 0-1
Huang-Pogonina 1/2-1/2

Tomorrow, same opponents with colours reversed on each board.

**Wayne Komer** · Wednesday, 15th February, 2017, 03:45 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 15, 2017

Round 2.2

There is a good article on Round One by Jovanka Houska at chess.com

https://www.chess.com/news/view/wome...c-round-1-1014

Recently she was cohost with Simon Williams doing coverage of Gibraltar 2017. Coincidentally, the 2017#1 issue of New in Chess came in the mail today and Jovanka is featured on the back-page profile. From it we learn that her favourite chess player of all time is Boris Spassky, her favorite chess book the Grandmaster Preparation series by Jacob Aagaard, and her favorite music production group Two Steps from Hell. The three people from history that she would like to have dinner with would be Eva Peron, Leonardo da Vinci and Ada Lovelace. I wouldn’t mind sitting at the table myself!

Anyway, to get back to our sheep, Miro soldiers on commentating with no help from anyone.

The results of the this round with yesterdays added in:

1. Zhu, Chen – Ju, Wenjun 0.5-l.5
2. Bodnaruk, Anastasia – Girya, Olga 0-2
3. Zhao, Xue – Padmini, Rout 1-1
4. Ushenina, Anna – Tan, Zhongyi 1-1
5. Harika, Dronavalli – Saduakassova, Dinara 1-1
6. Guramishvili – Buksa, Nataliya 1-1
7. Zimina, Olga – Dzagnidze, Nana 0-2
8. Shen, Yang – Savina, Anastasia 1.5-0.5
9. Muzychuk, Anna – Kashlinskaya, Alina 1.5-0.5
10. Pham, Le Thao Nguyen – Goryachkina, Aleksandra 1.5-05
11. Melia, Salome – Stefanova, Antoneta 1-1
12. Batsiashvili, Nino – Khurtsidze, Nino 1-1
13. Gaponenko, Inna – Kosteniuk, Alexandra 1-1
14. Paehtz, Elisabeth – Cramling, Pia 1-1
15. Gunina, Valentina - Ni, Shiqun 0-2
16. Huang, Qian – Pogonina, Natalija 1-1

Those going on to the tie-break games tomorrow:

1. Zhao, Xue – Padmini, Rout
2. Ushenina, Anna – Tan, Zhongyi
3. Harika, Dronavalli – Saduakassova, Dinara
4. Guramishvili – Buksa, Nataliya
5. Melia, Salome – Stefanova, Antoneta
6. Batsiashvili, Nino – Khurtsidze, Nino
7. Gaponenko, Inna – Kosteniuk, Alexandra
8. Paehtz, Elisabeth – Cramling, Pia
9. Juang, Qian – Pogonina, Natalija

Those who get a rest day tomorrow and are already in Round Three:

1. Ju, Wenjun (2583)
2. Girya, Olga (2458)
3. Dzagnidze, Nana (2525)
4. Shen, Yang (2479)
5. Muzychuk, Anna (2558)
6. Pham, Le Thao Nguyen (2351)
7. Ni, Shiqun (2399)

Pham (b. 1987) is a Vietnamese woman grandmaster.
Ni (b. 1997) is a Chinese woman grandmaster.

Games:

WWCC 2017
Tehran
Round 2.2, Feb. 15, 2017
Ju, Wenjun – Zhu, Chen
E00 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qc7 6.Nd2 Bc5 7.N2b3 Ne4 8.Nxc5 Qxc5 9.Bg2 d5 10.O-O Qxc4 11.b3 Qa6 12.Bxe4 dxe4 13.Qc2 Nc6 14.Qxe4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 O-O 16.Bb2 f6 17.Qe4 e5 18.Rfd1 Be6 19.Qd3 Qa5 20.Qd2 Qb5 21.Qd3 Qb4 22.Rac1 Rac8 23.Qd6 Qg4 24.f3 Qh3 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Qe7 h5 27.Rd8+ Kh7 28.Rxc8 Bxc8 29.Qb4 b6 30.Qe4+ Kh8 31.Bc3 Qd7 32.Qg6 Ba6 33.Qxh5+ Kg8 34.f4 Qc6 35.Qf3 e4 36.Qe3 Bxe2 37.Qxe2 Qxc3 38.Qc4+ Qxc4 39.bxc4 f5 40.Kf2 Kf7 41.h3 a5 42.g4 g6 43.Ke3 a4 44.a3 Ke6 45.Kd4 Kd6 46.g5 Ke6 47.h4 Kd6 48.Ke3 Ke6 49.Kd4 Kd6 50.Ke3 Ke6 51.Kd4 1/2-1/2

Round 2.2, Feb. 15, 2017
Dzagnidze, Nana – Zimina, Olga
A21 English, Kramnik-Shirov Counter-Attack

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.g3 Bxc3 4.bxc3 Nc6 5.Bg2 d6 6.d3 f5 7.Rb1 Nf6 8.Nh3 O-O 9.O-O Qe8 10.f4 e4 11.Nf2 Rf7 12.Qb3 b6 13.Be3 Bb7 14.Bd4 Na5 15.Qc2 Nd7 16.Nd1 c5 17.Bf2 Nf6 18.Ne3 Qe6 19.Rfd1 Re8 20.Rb2 h6 21.Qc1 g5 22.fxg5 hxg5 23.Nd5 Rg7 24.Nxf6+ Qxf6 25.Rf1 f4 26.gxf4 gxf4 27.Bg3 e3 28.Bxb7 Nxb7 29.Kh1 Rg4 30.Rb1 Re5 31.Rf3 Qh6 32.Bxf4 Rxf4 33.Qg1+ Kh8 34.Rxf4 Qxf4 35.Qg2 Rh5 36.Rf1 Qe5 37.Rg1 Rxh2+ 38.Qxh2+ Qxh2+ 39.Kxh2 Kh7 40.Rg3 Nd8 41.Rxe3 Kg6 42.Re7 Kf6 43.Rxa7 Ne6 44.Kg3 1-0

Round 2.2, Feb. 15, 2017
Ni, Shiqun – Gunina, Valentina
B30 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.h3 Bf5 8.Be3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 O-O-O 10.O-O Bd6 11.Nd2 Nge7 12.Qb3 Bb8 13.Rfd1 Qa5 14.Nb5 Rd5 15.Nc4 Qd8 16.Bf3 b6 17.Qa3 Kd7 18.Ncd6 Bg6 19.c4 Ne5 20.Be2 Bc2 21.cxd5 Nxd5 22.Rd2 Bg6 23.Nc4 Qf6 24.Nc3 Nxc4 25.Bxc4 Qe5 26.Nxd5 Qh2+ 27.Kf1 exd5 28.Rxd5+ Ke6 29.Re5+ Kxe5 30.Qe7+ 1-0

Round 2.2, Feb. 15, 2017
Buksa, Nataliya – Guramishvili, Sopiko
B48 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3 Be7 9.O-O-O b5 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bb7 12.Kb1 Rc8 13.Rd2 h6 14.Qb6 Qxb6 15.Bxb6 b4 16.Na4 d5 17.e5 Nd7 18.Bd4 Bc6 19.b3 Bb5 20.f4 h5 21.Bh3 hxg4 22.Bxg4 g6 23.Nb2 Nc5 24.Nd1 Ne4 25.Rg2 Kd7 26.Ne3 Kc7 27.Nxd5+ exd5 28.Bxc8 Rxc8 29.h4 Bc5 30.Bxc5 Nxc5 31.h5 Rh8 32.f5 Be8 33.e6 gxh5 34.exf7 Bxf7 35.Rg7 Rf8 36.Rxh5 Ne4 37.Rh6 Nd6 38.Rgh7 a5 39.Rf6 Kd7 40.Rhh6 Nb7 41.Rb6 Kc7 42.Rhc6+ Kd7 43.Rf6 Kc7 44.Rb5 d4 45.Kb2 Kc8 46.Rfb6 Nd8 47.Rxa5 Be8 48.Ra8+ Kc7 49.Rxb4 Nc6 50.Rb5 Nd8 51.Ra7+ Kd6 52.Ra6+ Bc6 53.Rb4 Kd5 54.Rb8 Kd6 55.Rc8 Kd5 1-0

Round 2.2, Feb. 15, 2017
Goryachkina, Aleksandra – Pham le Thao Nguyen
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.e3 O-O 9.Rc1 Qg6 10.Qc2 Qxc2 11.Rxc2 Rd8 12.a3 Bf8 13.Be2 Na5 14.c5 Nc6 15.b4 g5 16.b5 Ne7 17.O-O Bg7 18.h3 f6 19.Rd1 Bd7 20.a4 a5 21.bxa6 bxa6 22.Rb2 Be8 23.Ne1 Nc6 24.Bd3 Kf8 25.Nc2 Ke7 26.g4 Rab8 27.Rbb1 Rxb1 28.Rxb1 Ra8 29.Kf1 Kd8 30.Ke2 Ne7 31.f3 a5 32.e4 Bc6 33.Bb5 Bb7 34.Ne3 dxe4 35.fxe4 Bc8 36.Kd2 f5 37.exf5 Bxd4 38.f6 Bxf6 39.Rf1 Ng8 40.Ne4 Ke7 41.Nc4 Bg7 42.c6 Nf6 43.Nxf6 Bxf6 44.Ke3 Bc3 45.Ke4 Ba6 46.Rf3 Bb4 47.Ne5 Bxb5 48.axb5 Kd6 49.Rf7 Kc5 50.Rxc7 Kxb5 51.Rb7+ Kc5 52.Rh7 Bc3 53.c7 Rc8 54.Rd7 Kb6 55.Rd6+ Kb7 56.Rxe6 Rxc7 57.Kd5 Bxe5 58.Rxe5 Rc6 59.h4 gxh4 60.Rh5 a4 61.Rxh4 a3 62.Rh2 Ra6 63.Ra2 Kc7 64.Kc4 Kd6 65.Kb3 Ke5 66.Re2+ Kf4 67.Ka2 Kxg4 68.Re8 h5 69.Rg8+ Kh3 0-1

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 16th February, 2017, 03:22 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 16, 2017

Round 2.3

Results of the Round Two playoffs:

1. Zhao-Padmini 0.5-1.5
2. Ushenina – Tan 3.5-3.5 Tan wins the Armageddon
3. Harika-Saduakassova 1.5-0.5
4. Guramishvili-Buksa 3.5-2.5
5. Melia-Stefanova 0.5-1.5
6. Batsiashvili-Khurtsidze 3-4 Khurtsidze wins the Armageddon
7. Gaponenko-Kosteniuk 0.5-1.5
8. Paehtz-Cramling 0-2
9. Huang-Pogonina 2.5-1.5
________

Comment from Chris Rice in the EC Forum:

We have some controversy, Harika Dronavalli was being interviewed after her second round victory. She was still upset about an incident that happened after the first tie break game in the first round. As I understand it, though the signal kept breaking up during the interview, her opponent, WIM Akter Liza Shamima, suddenly realised she had only three seconds left and pressed the clock without making a move, this was ruled an illegal move but she didn't lose the game because of it. Harika was annoyed about this because in the Olympiad she has a couple of seconds left to move in one game but couldn't make a move (we all know how that feels I'm sure) and lost on time. She said if she had realised that you just had to press the clock without making a move, which would be ruled illegal, but would buy you some time, she would have done it. Therefore she wanted this clarified and it's been referred to the rules commission (or somewhere appropriate I couldn't catch all of the conversation).
_________

Guramshvili-Buksa have had two extra long games in the playoffs. Miro said of the following: "We are at move 93 now and at move 143, a draw can be claimed by virtue of the 50-move rule.”

WWCC 2017
Tehran
Round 2.6 (10+10), Feb. 16, 2017
Buksa, Nataliya - Guramishvili, Sopiko
B09 Pirc, Austrian Attack, Modern main line

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d5 Nd4 10.Nxe5 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 Bxe5 12.Bf4 Bg7 13.Qd2 Re8 14.Rae1 Bd7 15.Bd3 Rxe1 16.Rxe1 Nf5 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.Bxb5 Bd4+ 19.Kh1 Qxd5 20.c4 Qc5 21.b4 Qb6 22.Bd7 Qf6 23.Rd1 Bc3 24.Qd3 Ng7 25.Bxc7 Bxb4 26.Qd5 Qa6 27.Bb5 Qxa2 28.Qxb7 Rf8 29.Qf3 a5 30.Be5 Qc2 31.Rf1 Nf5 32.h3 Bd6 33.Bxd6 Nxd6 34.Qd5 Nf5 35.Rf3 a4 36.Kh2 Nh4 37.Rg3 Nf5 38.Qd3 Qf2 39.Rf3 Qa7 40.Kh1 Nd4 41.Re3 Ne6 42.Qa3 Ra8 43.Bc6 Rb8 44.Re1 Qf2 45.Qe3 Qxe3 46.Rxe3 Rb1+ 47.Kh2 Ra1 48.Bd5 Nf4 49.Bf3 Rc1 50.c5 Rxc5 51.Re8+ Kg7 52.Ra8 Rc4 53.Bd1 Rc1 54.Bxa4 h5 55.h4 Nd3 56.Bb3 Ne5 57.Bd5 Ng4+ 58.Kg3 Ne3 59.Be4 Rc4 60.Kf3 Ng4 61.Ra3 f5 62.Bd5 Rd4 63.Ba8 Kh6 64.Kg3 f4+ 65.Kf3 Ne5+ 66.Ke2 Rb4 67.Bf3 Rb2+ 68.Ke1 Rb1+ 69.Kf2 Rb2+ 70.Kg1 Ng4 71.Kf1 Rb1+ 72.Ke2 Rh1 73.Ra4 Rxh4 74.Rxf4 Kg5 75.Ra4 Rh2 76.Rb4 Ne5 77.Rb5 Kf6 78.Kf2 Rh1 79.Rb6+ Kg7 80.Re6 Nd3+ 81.Kg3 g5 82.Be4 Nf4 83.Re5 Kh6 84.Ra5 Re1 85.Bf3 Re6 86.Rb5 Rf6 87.Rc5 Nd3 88.Ra5 h4+ 89.Kh3 Nf2+ 90.Kh2 g4 91.Bxg4 Nxg4+ 92.Kh3 Ne3 93.Kxh4 Nxg2+ 94.Kg3 Ne3 95.Rb5 Nf5+ 96.Kg4 Kg6 97.Ra5 Nd6 98.Rd5 Ne4 99.Re5 Nf2+ 100.Kg3 Nd3 101.Ra5 Rf1 102.Kg4 Kf6 103.Kg3 Ne5 104.Ra8 Kg5 105.Ra5 Kf5 106.Rb5 Rf3+ 107.Kg2 Rc3 108.Rb4 Ng4 109.Ra4 Kg5 110.Ra8 Ne3+ 111.Kf3 Nd5+ 112.Ke4 Nf6+ 113.Kd4 Rc1 114.Ra2 Rd1+ 115.Ke5 Ng4+ 116.Ke4 Re1+ 117.Kf3 Re3+ 118.Kg2 Kh4 119.Ra4 Rc3 120.Ra2 Rb3 121.Ra4 Rd3 122.Ra2 Rg3+ 123.Kf1 Ne3+ 124.Ke1 Rg1+ 125.Kf2 Rg2+ 126.Kxe3 Rxa2 1-0

On move 126. Buksa should have played Ke1 for the draw but instead took the knight and lost the game. Guramishvili has been exceedingly lucky with her opponents blundering and now she is through to the next round.
_________

The pairings for Round Three:

1. Ju-Girya
2. Padmini-Tan
3. Harika-Guramishvili
4. Dzagnidze-Shen
5. Muzychuk-Pham
6. Stefanova-Khurtsidze
7. Kosteniuk-Cramling
8. Ni-Huang
________

Quote of the Day: Chris Rice in EC Forum:

Buksa dropped a rook in the following game but still managed to draw. This is beginning to remind me of that film, They Shoot Horses Don't They?

The Guramishvili-Buksa match seemed to go on forever. Some may remember that that 1969 film is about a Depression-era dance marathon and the opportunistic emcee who urged them on to victory. After 879 hours of dancing and with 20 couples remaining, the contest was shut down.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 17th February, 2017, 11:30 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 17, 2017

Round Three

Results of the matches:

1. Ju, Wenjun – Girya, Olga 1/2-1/2
2. Tan, Zhongyi – Padmini, Rout 1/2-1/2
3. Guramishvili, Sopiko – Harika, Dronavalli 1/2-1/2
4. Dzagnidze, Nana – Shen, Yang 1-0
5. Pham, Le Thao Nguyen – Muzychuk, Anna 0-1
6. Stefanova, Antoaneta – Khurtsidze, Nino 1-0
7. Kosteniuk, Alexandra – Cramling, Pia 1/2-1/2
8. Pogonina, Natalija – Ni, Shiqun 1/2-1/2

There doesn’t seem to be a big following for this tournament. I had to laugh at the chessbomb kibitzers for the game Zhongyi Tan vs Rout Padroni.

- Go Rout!

- Go Tan Zhongyi

- Fortran77!

We all loved Fortran but it is time to move on.

WWC 2017
Tehran
Round 3.1, Feb. 17, 2017
Stefanova, Antoaneta – Khurtsidze, Nino
A04 Reti

1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 g6 3.c3 b6 4.e4 Bb7 5.Qe2 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.Na3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Nb5 Rc8 12.Nh4 Qd8 13.Bf4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bxg2 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Nxg2 Qd5 17.O-O Ne7 18.Rfd1 Qc4 19.Qd2 Kf7 20.Ne3 Qb5 21.Qd7 Qxd7 22.Rxd7 Bxb2 23.Rb1 Bf6 24.Ng4 Rhd8 25.Rxa7 Ra8 26.Rb7 Rxa2 27.R1xb6 Rda8 28.h4 Bd4 29.Rb4 Bc5 30.Rc4 R2a7 31.Rxa7 Bxa7 32.Rc7 Bb8 33.Ne5+ Ke8 34.Rxe7+ Kxe7 35.Nc6+ Kf6 36.Nxb8 h5 37.Kg2 Kf5 38.Nc6 Ra6 39.Ne5 Ra5 40.Nc4 Ra4 41.Ne5 Ra6 42.Nf3 Ra4 43.Be5 Ke4 44.Bg7 Ra7 45.Bf6 Ra6 46.Bb2 Ra2 47.Bc1 Ra1 48.Be3 Ra4 49.Ng5+ Kf5 50.Kf3 Rc4 51.Nf7 Rc6 52.Bd4 e5 53.Bxe5 Ra6 54.Bd4 Ra3+ 55.Be3 Ke6 56.Ng5+ Kf5 57.Ne4 Ra4 58.Nc3 Rc4 59.Nb5 Ra4 60.Nd4+ Ke5 61.g4 hxg4+ 62.Kxg4 Kf6 63.Kf4 Kf7 64.Ke4 Ra1 65.Nf3 Rh1 66.Kf4 Rb1 67.Bd4 Rh1 68.Kg5 Rd1 69.Kh6 Rh1 70.Ne5+ Kf6 71.Nxg6+ Kf5 72.Be3 Kg4 73.Kg7 Rh2 74.Kf6 Kh5 75.f4 Ra2 76.f5 Kg4 77.Ne5+ Kxh4 78.Ke6 Ra6+ 79.Ke7 Ra3 80.Bf4 Ra7+ 81.Ke6 Ra6+ 82.Kf7 Kh5 83.f6 Ra4 84.Ng6 Ra7+ 85.Ne7 Ra6 86.Kg7 Rxf6 87.Kxf6 Kg4 88.Ke5 Kf3 89.Nd5 Kg2 90.Ke4 Kf2 91.Nc3 Kg2 92.Ke3 Kg1 93.Kf3 Kh1 94.Ne4 Kg1 95.Nf2 Kf1 96.Ne4 Kg1 97.Be5 Kh1 98.Bd6 Kg1 99.Nf2 Kf1 100.Bh2 Ke1 101.Bf4 Kf1 102.Bh2 Ke1 103.Ne4 Kf1 104.Nd2+ Ke1 105.Ke3 Kd1 106.Kd3 Ke1 107.Bg3+ Kd1 108.Bh4 Kc1 109.Nc4 Kd1 110.Nb2+ Kc1 111.Kc3 Kb1 112.Bg5 Ka2 113.Nc4 Kb1 114.Kb3 Ka1 115.Bf4 1-0

This game went from one winning endgame to another White with K, B and N vs the lone Black K at move 87. As the last game to finish, it elicited these comments on the chess24 chat room:

- Come on, resign already

- hoping for stalemate

- can learn how to do it in 20 minutes

- I think 37 moves maximum from any position

- 33 moves according to my table base

- yup 33 moves is longest with knight and bishop with perfect play

Round 3.1, Feb. 17, 2017
Pham, Le Thao Nguyen – Muzychuk, Anna
B22 Sicilian, Alapin’s variation

1.e4 c5 2.c3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 5.e5 Bg7 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.h3 f6 8.exf6 exf6 9.Nf3 Nge7 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O g5 12.Ne1 h6 13.Be3 Be6 14.Nc2 Qd6 15.Qd2 Rae8 16.Nb5 Qd7 17.Nb4 Nxb4 18.Qxb4 a6 19.Nc3 f5 20.f4 Nc6 21.Qb6 Bf7 22.Bf2 Re6 23.Bd1 Nxd4 24.Qc5 b6 25.Qa3 b5 26.Kh1 Qe7 27.Qxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Bb3 Bxc3 30.bxc3 g4 31.hxg4 fxg4 32.Rad1 Re3 33.f5 Rxc3 34.Kh2 Rd8 35.Rd4 h5 36.Rfd1 Kg7 37.Bxd5 Rxd5 38.Rxd5 Bxd5 39.Rxd5 Ra3 40.Rd6 b4 41.Rg6+ Kf7 42.Rh6 a5 43.Rb6 h4 44.Rg6 Rxa2 45.Rxg4 Kf6 46.Rxh4 b3 47.Rh6+ Kxf5 48.Rb6 a4 49.Kh3 b2 50.g4+ Ke5 51.g5 Ra3+ 0-1

Round 3.1, Feb. 17, 2017
Dzagnidze, Nana – Shen, Yang
D10 QGD Slav Defence, Exchange variation

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.e3 a6 7.Bd3 Bg4 8.Nge2 e6 9.O-O Be7 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.Bg3 Bh5 12.f3 Bg6 13.Nf4 Bxd3 14.Nxd3 Nd7 15.Na4 O-O 16.Rf2 Qa5 17.a3 Bg5 18.f4 Be7 19.b4 Qb5 20.f5 a5 21.Nac5 Bxc5 22.Nxc5 Nf6 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Nxe6 Rf7 25.Nxg7 Kxg7 26.Rxf6 Rxf6 27.Qg4+ Kf7 28.Qxc8 axb4 29.Qd7+ Kg8 30.Qe8+ Rf8 31.Qe6+ Rf7 32.axb4 Nd8 33.Qg4+ Kf8 34.h3 Ke8 35.Bh4 1-0

**Wayne Komer** · Saturday, 18th February, 2017, 05:17 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 11, 2017

Round Three

Round 3.2 Results

1. Girya, Olga – Ju, Wenjun 1/2-1/2
2. Muzychuk, Anna – Pham, Le Thao 1-0
3. Cramling, Pia – Kosteniuk, Alexandra 1/2-1/2
4. Harika, Dronavaili – Guramishvili, Sopiko 1/2-1/2
5. Shen, Yang – Dzagnidze, Nana 1/2-1/2
6. Ni, Shiqun – Pogonina, Natalija 1-0
7. Khurtsidze, Nino – Stefanova, Antoaneta 1/2-1/2
8. Padmini, Rout – Tan, Zhongyi 1/2-1/2

Going on to Round Four: Dzagnidze, Muzychuk, Stefanova, Ni.

Going home after Round 3.2: Pogonina, Khurtsidze, Pham, Shen

Going on to the Round Three Playoffs: The pairings:

Ju-Girya
Padmini-Tan
Harika-Guramishvili
Kosteniuk-Cramling
_______

WWCC 2017
Tehran
Round 3.2, Feb. 18, 2017
Muzychuk, Anna – Pham, Le Thao Nguyen
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 Nc6 8.Na3 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Nc4 Re8 11.a4 h6 12.b4 Bg4 13.h3 Bd7 14.Be3 Nh5 15.Bf1 Qc8 16.Qd2 g5 17.b5 Nb8 18.b6 Bc6 19.bxc7 Qxc7 20.Nb6 Nd7 21.Nxa8 Rxa8 22.Qc2 Ndf6 23.Nd2 g4 24.g3 gxh3 25.Bxh3 Bd7 26.Bxd7 Qxd7 27.Kg2 Qg4 28.Qd1 Qg6 29.Qf3 Rd8 30.Qf5 Nf4+ 31.Bxf4 Qxf5 32.exf5 exf4 33.Ne4 fxg3 34.fxg3 Nxe4 35.Rxe4 Bxc3 36.Rb1 Rd7 37.Rb6 Kh7 38.Rh4 Bd2 39.Kf3 a5 40.Rh1 Rc7 41.Ke2 Bg5 42.Rhb1 Rc2+ 43.Kf3 Rc3+ 44.Kg2 Ra3 45.Rxb7 Kg7 46.R1b6 Rxa4 47.Rg6+ Kf8 48.Rb8+ Ke7 49.Ra6 Rb4 50.Rba8 Rb7 51.Rxa5 Kf6 52.R8a6+ Kg7 53.Ra7 Rb2+ 54.Kh3 Rb3 55.R5a6 Bf6 56.Rc6 Rb8 57.Rcc7 Rf8 58.Kg4 Bg5 59.Kh5 Bf6 60.Rc6 Rb8 61.Raa6 Bg5 62.f6+ Kh7 63.Rc7 Rf8 64.Raa7 Kg8 65.Rd7 Be3 66.Rac7 Bg5 67.Rb7 Be3 68.Kg4 Bc1 69.Kf5 Bg5 70.Rbc7 Be3 71.Rd3 Bb6 72.Rc6 Ba5 73.Ra6 Bb4 74.Ra4 Bc5 75.Rg4+ 1-0

Round 3.2, Feb. 18, 2017
Ni, Shiqun – Pogonina, Natalija
C45 Scotch, Potter variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nge7 7.Qe2 O-O 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.Qxe3 d6 10.O-O-O a6 11.f4 Qe8 12.Bd3 b5 13.Rhe1 Bd7 14.Kb1 Kh8 15.Qf3 Qc8 16.h3 b4 17.Nd5 a5 18.Nxe7 Nxe7 19.e5 Ng6 20.Nc1 a4 21.Qe4 Rb8 22.exd6 cxd6 23.Qd4 Bf5 24.g4 Bxd3 25.Rxd3 f5 26.g5 Qc5 27.Re6 Rbc8 28.Rd2 Qc4 29.Rxd6 Nxf4 30.h4 Nh5 31.b3 axb3 32.axb3 Qc3 33.Ne2 Qf3 34.Rd8 Rcxd8 35.Qxd8 Kg8 36.Qe7 Qh1+ 37.Kb2 Qa8 38.Rd7 Qe8 39.Nd4 f4 40.Nf3 Qc8 41.Rc7 Qd8 42.Qe6+ Kh8 43.Qc4 Qd6 44.Rc8 g6 45.Rc7 Ng7 46.Rb7 Rb8 47.Ra7 Rf8 48.Qb5 Rb8 49.Qc4 Rf8 50.Rc7 Nf5 51.Rc5 Rb8 52.Rd5 Qb6 53.Rd7 Qe3 54.Qc7 Rf8 55.Rd3 Qe7 56.Qxe7 Nxe7 57.Rd4 h6 58.Rxb4 hxg5 59.hxg5 Nd5 60.Rd4 Ne3 61.c4 Ng2 62.c5 Re8 63.Kc3 Kg8 64.b4 Ra8 65.c6 Kf7 66.b5 Ke6 67.Kb4 Ne3 68.Kc5 Ra1 69.Rxf4 Rc1+ 70.Kd4 Nf5+ 71.Kd3 Kd5 72.Rb4 Nd6 73.Nd2 Rc5 74.Ne4 Nxe4 75.Rd4+ Ke5 76.Rxe4+ Kf5 77.Rc4 1-0

chessbomb kibitzers:

- Ni will also kill Kosteniuk ha ha
- Kosteniuk is not qualified yet
- Hope that, it means Ni will defeat three top Russian players in consecutive rounds :)
- Great struggle in the Scotch! This Nb3-Qe2 variation is super dangerous for Black. It looks so innocent, but if Black plays "quiet" chess, White gets in Be3, 0-0-0 with a free space advantage.
- If someone wants to see how dangerous the Scotch can be, I recommend looking at the game Nepomniachtchi - Tomashevsky from Tal Memorial* 2016!!
- Ni Shiqun, the Russian killer :)
__________

* Nepomniachtchi-Tomashevsky

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1836712

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 20th February, 2017, 01:15 AM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 19, 2017

Round Three Playoffs
Results

Ju-Girya 2.5-1.5

Padmini-Tan 1.5-2.5

Harika-Guramishvili 2.5-1.5

Kosteniuk-Cramling 3.0-1.0

Pairings for the ¼ final

1. Ju, Wenjun – Tan, Zhongyi
2. Dzagnide, Nana – Harika, Dronavalli
3. Stefanova, Antoaneta – Muzychuk, Anna
4. Kosteniuk, Alexandra – Ni, Shiqun

The games:

WWCC 2017
Tehran
Round Three Playoffs
Round 3.4, Feb. 19, 2017
25+10
Girya, Olga – Ju, Wenjun
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 O-O 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.e3 Nxc3 12.Qc2 Ne4 13.Bd3 f5 14.O-O Rb8 15.Rab1 Bd7 16.Rfc1 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Qe7 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Qa2 Be6 20.Rc5 Nd8 21.Ne5 Kg7 22.g4 c6 23.Qc2 Qf6 24.gxf5 Bxf5 25.Bxf5 Qxf5 26.e4 Qe6 27.exd5 cxd5 28.Rc7+ Nf7 29.Nd7 b6 30.Nxb8 Rxb8 31.Rxa7 Rc8 32.Rc7 Rxc7 33.Qxc7 b5 34.Qb7 Qe4 35.Qxb5 h5 36.Qb4 h4 37.Re1 Qd3 38.Re3 Qd1+ 39.Qe1 Qg4 40.Rf3 Qd7 41.Qe3 g4 42.Rf4 Kg6 43.Qd3+ Kg5 44.Qe3 Kg6 45.f3 gxf3 46.Qxf3 Ng5 47.Qg4 Qe7 48.Qf5+ Kh5 49.Rg4 Qe3+ 50.Kh2 h3 51.Qxg5+ Qxg5 52.Rxg5+ Kxg5 53.a4 1-0

Round 3.4, Feb. 19, 2017
25+10
Tan, Zhongyi – Padmini, Rout
D58 QGD, Tartakower System

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 O-O 7.Nf3 b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.O-O Nd7 12.Qb3 c6 13.Rad1 Re8 14.Rfe1 Be7 15.e4 dxe4 16.Bc4 Rf8 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Qc7 19.e6 fxe6 20.Rd7 Qf4 21.Rf1 Bc5 22.Rxb7 e3 23.Ne2 exf2+ 24.Kh1 Qe5 25.Qc3 Qxc3 26.Nxc3 Kh8 27.Ne4 Bd4 28.b3 b5 29.Be2 e5 30.g3 Rad8 31.Rd1 h5 32.Kg2 h4 33.Ng5 f1=Q+ 34.Rxf1 Rxf1 35.Bxf1 Rf8 36.Rf7 Rxf7 37.Nxf7+ Kg8 38.Nd8 hxg3 39.hxg3 1-0

Round 3.5, Feb. 19, 2017
10+10
Cramling, Pia – Kosteniuk, Alexandra
A35 English, symmetrical, Four Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qb6 6.Nb3 e6 7.a3 d5 8.e3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Be7 10.O-O O-O 11.e4 Rd8 12.Qc2 a6 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Be2 Ne5 15.h3 b5 16.Rac1 Nc4 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.Nd2 Bd7 19.Na4 Rab8 20.Nxc4 Qb7 21.f3 Qb5 22.Nab6 Be8 23.b4 Qh5 24.Na5 Bd6 25.Qf2 Qe5 26.g4 Qb5 27.Rfd1 Be7 28.Nac4 Rxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Nd7 30.a4 Qxb4 31.Nxd7 Qxa4 32.Qe1 Bxd7 33.Nb6 Rxb6 34.Bxb6 Bb5 35.Be3 h6 36.Rc1 Qa2 37.Qd2 Qb3 38.Qc3 Qa2 39.Qc8+ Kh7 40.Qc2 Qa3 41.Qc3 Qa2 42.Qd2 Qa3 43.Kg2 Bf6 44.Rc2 Qb3 45.Rc7 Qb1 46.Qc1 Qd3 47.Qd2 Qf1+ 48.Kh2 Be5+ 49.Bf4 Bxc7 50.Bxc7 Qxf3 51.Qe1 Bc6 52.Bb6 Bxe4 53.Qg1 e5 54.Be3 a5 0-1

Round 3.5, Feb. 19, 2017
10+10
Harika, Dronavalli – Guramishvilli, Sopiko
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bg4 3.Ne5 Bh5 4.g4 Bg6 5.Nxg6 hxg6 6.Bg2 Qd6 7.h3 Nd7 8.Bb2 e5 9.d3 c6 10.Nd2 Be7 11.e3 f5 12.Qe2 O-O-O 13.O-O-O Nh6 14.Kb1 Kb8 15.e4 Rhe8 16.exd5 cxd5 17.c4 d4 18.Rhe1 Qc7 19.Qf3 Bd6 20.Bh1 Re7 21.Nf1 Rf8 22.Qg2 Ref7 23.Ng3 a5 24.Qd5 Ng8 25.Qb5 Ne7 26.h4 Nc8 27.h5 Nc5 28.hxg6 Re7 29.b4 axb4 30.Nxf5 Re6 31.Qxb4 Nxd3 32.Qb3 Nc5 33.Qc2 Rxg6 34.Ka1 Rxg4 35.Nxd6 Qxd6 36.Ba3 Rgf4 37.Rb1 b6 38.Rb5 d3 39.Qc3 Kc7 40.Bxc5 bxc5 41.Rb7+ Kd8 42.Qa5+ Ke8 43.Bd5 d2 44.Qxd2 Rxf2 45.Bc6+ Kd8 46.Rd7+ 1-0

Round 3.6, Feb. 19, 2017
10+10
Kosteniuk, Alexandra – Cramling, Pia
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.Be2 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.c4 Nc7 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qe4 d5 9.exd6 Qxd6 10.O-O e5 11.Rd1 Qg6 12.Qe3 f6 13.Nc3 Qf7 14.a3 Be7 15.Nd5 Ne6 16.b4 O-O 17.Bb2 Re8 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nd5 Bf8 20.Bd3 Ned4 21.Nxd4 exd4 22.Qg3 b5 23.Qh4 f5 24.Bxd4 Be6 25.Bb2 Rbd8 26.cxb5 axb5 27.Nf4 Bb3 28.Re1 Rxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Bc4 30.Bb1 Nd4 31.Qxd8 1-0

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 20th February, 2017, 02:28 PM

Re: Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

Games of the WWC 2017, Tehran

February 20, 2017

Round Four

Evgenij Miroshnichenko must be made of iron. He has just completed his tenth straight day as the lone commentator at the Women’s World Chess Championship in Tehran. He has no co-host, there is little feed-back and in the first couple of days nobody could hear his transmission. He could write a book called The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Chess Commentator.

Today, there was one game left, Zhongyi Tan – Wenjun Ju. Both players had their white-square bishop. Tan had f- and g- pawns and Ju had an f-pawn. After 83 moves, a draw was agreed.

When this happened Miro said, “I was a bit tired in the end, so a lot of ironic comments but still, the ending was very instructive. I am not sure that it was always a draw.”

In other circumstances Lawrence Trent or Simon Williams would be trading jibes with the audience throughout the commentary and then say they were going off to the pub for drinks as soon as they could get away!

The games of the first part of Round Four:

WWCC 2017
Tehran
Round 4.1, Feb. 20, 2017
Tan, Zhongyi – Ju, Wenjun
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 c5 9.dxc5 Be6 10.e3 Nbd7 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.Qxc3 g5 13.Bg3 Ne4 14.Qc2 Bf5 15.Qd1 Ndxc5 16.Nd4 Bg6 17.f3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Qe7 19.Qd2 h5 20.b4 Ne6 21.Kf2 Rac8 22.Be2 Qf6 23.Rac1 Nxd4 24.Qxd4 Qxd4 25.exd4 Kg7 26.Rc5 Rxc5 27.dxc5 Kf6 28.Rd1 Rd8 29.Rd4 Bf5 30.Bc4 Be6 31.f4 b6 32.c6 Ke7 33.Bd3 f6 34.b5 Kd6 35.Be2 g4 36.Rd1 a6 37.bxa6 Kxc6 38.Rh1 d4 39.Bd3 Bf7 40.Re1 Ra8 41.Re7 Bd5 42.a4 Rh8 43.Bb5+ Kd6 44.Re8 Rxe8 45.Bxe8 Kc7 46.Bxh5 Be6 47.Be8 Kb8 48.Bb5 Ka7 49.Ke2 Bf5 50.Kd2 Be4 51.Be2 Bf5 52.Bb5 Be4 53.Bf1 Bg6 54.Bc4 Be4 55.Bb5 Bb1 56.Bd7 Kxa6 57.Bxg4 Ka5 58.Bd1 b5 59.axb5 Kxb5 60.g4 Kc5 61.Bc2 Ba2 62.g3 Be6 63.Bf5 Bc4 64.Be4 Be6 65.Bf3 Bc4 66.Be2 Be6 67.Ke1 Bd7 68.Kf2 d3 69.Bxd3 Bxg4 70.Ke3 Kd5 71.Be2 Bd7 72.g4 Kd6 73.Kf3 Ke7 74.Bc4 Kf8 75.Be2 Bc6+ 76.Ke3 Ke7 77.Bf3 Bd7 78.f5 Bb5 79.Kf4 Bc4 80.Be4 Bb5 81.Bd5 Bd7 82.Bc4 1/2-1/2

Round 4.1, Feb. 20, 2017
Muzychuk, Anna – Stefanova, Antoaneta
C95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, Borisenko variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 Qc8 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.N3d2 Nh7 18.Ne3 Nc5 19.Nd5 a5 20.a4 bxa4 21.Bxa4 Nxa4 22.Qxa4 Re6 23.Nc4 Bc6 24.Qd1 a4 25.Bg3 f6 26.b4 axb3 27.Rxa8 Bxa8 28.Qxb3 Ng5 29.Ra1 Bxd5 30.exd5 Re8 31.Ra7 Bc5 32.Rb7 Nxh3+ 33.Kf1 Nf4 34.d6 Qe6 35.dxc7 Nd5 36.Qb5 Bf8 37.Nb6 Nxb6 38.Rxb6 Qg4 39.f3 1-0

Round 4.1, Feb. 20, 2017
Ni, Shiqun – Kosteniuk, Alexndra
B31 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.Nc3 O-O 7.e5 Ne8 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.d3 Nc7 10.Ne4 Ne6 11.Be3 b6 12.Qd2 Re8 13.Re2 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Bf4 Qd5 16.Ng3 c5 17.b3 Bb7 18.f3 b5 19.Rae1 a5 20.Bh6 Bh8 21.Qf4 Qe6 22.h4 a4 23.h5 axb3 24.axb3 c4 25.bxc4 bxc4 26.dxc4 Rac8 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.Qxd4 Rxc4 29.Qf2 Rec8 30.Nf1 Ba6 31.Rd2 R4c5 32.f4 Bxf1 33.Rxf1 Qf5 34.Rfd1 Rxc2 35.Rd8+ Rxd8 36.Rxd8+ Kh7 37.Qh4 Qh5 38.Bg5 f6 39.exf6 Qxh4 40.Bxh4 Bxf6 41.Bxf6 1/2-1/2

Round 4.1, Feb. 20, 2017
Harika, Dronavalli – Dzagnidze, Nana
C03 French, Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.exd5 exd5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.O-O Bg4 9.Nb3 Bd6 10.h3 Bh5 11.c3 Nge7 12.Re1 Qc7 13.Be3 Ne5 14.Be2 Nc4 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bc1 O-O 17.Nfd4 Bf7 18.Bg4 Kh8 19.Ne6 Bxe6 20.Bxe6 Rad8 21.Nd4 Nc6 22.b3 Nxd4 23.cxd4 Na5 24.Bb2 Nc6 25.Bg4 Qa5 26.a3 Bb8 27.Qd3 Rfe8 28.b4 Qc7 29.g3 Ba7 30.h4 g6 31.Rxe8+ Rxe8 32.Bf3 Qd6 33.Kg2 Kg7 34.Bc3 Rc8 35.Re1 Ne7 36.Bb2 Rc4 37.Qe2 Nf5 38.Bg4 Bxd4 39.Bxf5 gxf5 40.Qe8 Bxb2 41.Re7+ Qxe7 42.Qxe7+ Kg6 43.Qe8+ Kg7 44.Qd7+ Kg6 45.h5+ Kh6 46.Qxd5 Rc2 47.Qb3 1-0

In the first rounds some players complained that the playing hall was too hot and this was dealt with. David Llada has a photo today of Tan Zhongyi with headscarf and winter jacket with a fur collar on! Turn down the air-conditioning!.

Same opponents with colors reversed as usual tomorrow. Harika and Muzychuk are favorites to get through. I have been hoping for Shiqun Ni to continue her upset; just 19 years old and a rising star.
___________

There is an interesting article on today’s Iran in The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...m-couchsurfing

It's really a travelogue. One paragraph to get the flavor of the article:

While he was at work, his friends took me to their favourite sites in Shiraz: the Nasir ol Molk mosque (also known as the pink mosque), where stained-glass windows cast kaleidoscopic patterns on the Persian-carpeted floors in the early morning; and the palatial Narenjestan-e Qavam, a 19th-century merchant’s house overlooking a lush garden with fountains and towering date palms. But they also showed me their favourite shopping malls, design boutiques, and Brentin, a busy restaurant inside an old, atmospheric villa. Before the mountainous chelow kebab arrived, I had already helped myself to a salad of pomegranate and lentils, a bowl of yoghurt with little rolls of fried courgette, vegetable samosas and bread with a dip of fried aubergine, onion, walnut and mint.

It is by Gus Serendip, a pseudonym if ever I have heard one.