Cairns Cup

[Hans Jung]

Irina Krush lost so now its a two woman race between Valentina Gunina and Alexandra Kosteniuk. Two rounds left to go.

[Wayne Komer]

Cairns Cup 2019

February 13, 2019

Round Seven

Results

Kosteniuk-Harika 0.5-0.5
Zatonskih-Gunina 0-1
Khotenashvili-Krush 1-0
Abdumalik-Dzagnidze 0.5-0.5
Paehtz-Sebag 0.5-0.5

Standing after Round Seven

1 Gunina 6
2 Kosteniuk 5.5
3 Krush 4.5
4 Harika 4
5 Dzagnidze 3.5
6 Abdumalik 3
7 Khotenashvili 2.5
8-10 Sebag, Paehtz, Zatonskih 2

Round 7, Feb. 13
Kosteniu, Alexandra – Harika, Dronavalli
C19 French, Winawer, Advance, Smyslov variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Qa5 8.Qd2 Nbc6 9.Nf3 f6 10.Bd3 fxe5 11.Nxe5 cxd4 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.cxd4 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 O-O 15.Ke3 e5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.f3 Bd7 18.Re1 Rae8 19.Kd2 Rxf3 20.Rxe5 Rxd3+ 21.cxd3 Rxe5 22.Rb1 Bc6 23.Rb4 d4 24.Rxd4 Ra5 25.Bb2 Rxa4 26.Rxa4 Bxa4 27.Bd4 a6 28.h4 Kf7 29.Kc3 g6 30.Bb6 Ke6 31.Kb4 Bc6 32.g3 Kd5 33.Ka5 Bd7 34.d4 Kc4 35.Bc5 b5 36.Be7 Bc8 37.Bc5 Bb7 38.Be7 Kxd4 39.Bb4 Ke5 40.Bc5 Ke6 41.Bb4 Kf5 42.Bc5 Kg4 43.Bd6 Bc8 44.Bc7 Kf3 45.Bd6 Bb7 46.Bc7 Be4 47.Bd6 Bd3 48.Kb4 Be2 1/2-1/2

- I think Harika should not have exchanged rooks, now White most likely can draw
- quite right. W now 2 pawns down but trivial draw.

Round 7, Feb. 13
Zatonskih, Anna – Gunina, Valentina
E10 Queen’s Pawn (also Benoni, QGD, Caro-Kann)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.O-O O-O 10.b3 Nc6 11.Bb2 Ne4 12.Nc3 Rad8 13.Rc1 Qe7 14.Re1 a6 15.Qc2 Nb4 16.Qb1 f5 17.a3 Nc6 18.b4 Ba7 19.Rcd1 Qf7 20.b5 axb5 21.Nxb5 Bb8 22.Nc3 h6 23.Qc2 g5 24.g3 Rd7 25.Nd4 Nxd4 26.Rxd4 Be5 27.Nxe4 Bxd4 28.Nxg5 hxg5 29.Bxd4 Rc7 30.Qd2 Re8 31.Rb1 Kh7 32.Rb5 Rec8 33.Bb2 Rc5 34.Rxc5 Rxc5 35.Qd4 Rc4 36.Qe5 Re4 37.Qh8+ Kg6 38.h4 gxh4 39.gxh4 f4 40.exf4 Re8 41.Qc3 Kh6 42.Kf1 Qg6 43.Qg3 Kh7 44.Be5 Qb1+ 45.Ke2 Qc2+ 46.Ke3 d4+ 47.Kf3 Qd3+ 48.Kg2 Rg8 0-1

Round 7, Feb. 13
Khotenashvili, Bela – Krush, Irina
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 g6 7.c3 Bg7 8.h3 O-O 9.Bd3 Bd7 10.O-O Qc8 11.Re1 a6 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Ne8 14.Bg5 Qd8 15.Qb3 Nc7 16.Qxb7 Rb8 17.Qa7 Ne6 18.Bh4 Rxb2 19.Nb3 g5 20.Bg3 Bb5 21.Bf5 Nf4 22.Bxf4 gxf4 23.Qd4 Bc4 24.Qxf4 e6 25.Qc1 Re2 26.Rxe2 Bxe2 27.Bxh7+ Kxh7 28.Qc2+ Kg8 29.Qxe2 Qc7 30.f4 Qxc3 31.Rf1 a5 32.Kh2 a4 33.Rf3 Qb4 34.Nc1 Rb8 35.Nd3 Qd4 36.Qd1 Rc8 37.Rg3 Qe4 38.Qg4 Qg6 39.Qd1 Qe4 40.Qg4 Qg6 41.Qh4 Qh7 42.Qe7 Qe4 43.Qf6 Qh7 44.Nc5 Kh8 45.Qxf7 Rxc5 46.Rg5 Rc8 47.Rh5 Qxh5 48.Qxh5+ Kg8 49.Qg6 1-0

Round 7, Feb. 13
Abdumalik, Zhansaya – Dzagnidze, Nana
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qd2 b5 9.Nd1 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc5 12.c3 Qb6 13.Nf2 a5 14.Be2 b4 15.O-O Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Qe3 bxc3 18.bxc3 O-O 19.Nd3 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Qa7 21.Rac1 Nb6 22.f5 Nc4 23.Rxc4 dxc4 24.f6 gxf6 25.Nc5 Kh8 26.Qh6 Rg8 27.Qxf6+ Rg7 28.Rf3 Qb6 29.Nxa6 Qxd4+ 30.Rf2 c3 31.Qf3 c2 32.Qc6 Rxg2+ 33.Kxg2 Qg4+ 34.Kh1 Qd1+ 35.Kg2 Qg4+ 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Feb. 13
Paehtz, Elisabeth – Sebag, Marie
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nb3 Nbd7 7.g4 h6 8.h4 Ne5 9.f3 e6 10.Qe2 Qc7 11.Rg1 b5 12.f4 Nc4 13.g5 hxg5 14.hxg5 Nd7 15.g6 Be7 16.gxf7+ Kxf7 17.a4 Bf6 18.axb5 Nxb2 19.Bxb2 Bxc3+ 20.Bxc3 Qxc3+ 21.Qd2 Qxd2+ 22.Nxd2 Nc5 23.Nc4 Nxe4 24.Bg2 d5 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Nd6+ Kf8 27.b6 Rb8 28.Nxc8 Rxc8 29.Rxa6 Rb8 30.c4 Rh2 31.c5 Rc2 32.Rg5 e3 33.Ra3 Kf7 34.Rxe3 Rh8 35.Kd1 Rhh2 36.Rge5 Rhd2+ 37.Ke1 Rh2 38.Re2 Rhxe2+ 39.Rxe2 Rxc5 40.Rb2 Rc8 41.Ke2 Kf6 42.b7 Rb8 43.Ke3 g5 44.fxg5+ Kxg5 45.Kd4 Kf5 46.Rf2+ Kg6 47.Rg2+ Kf6 48.Rb2 Kf5 49.Kc5 e5 50.Kb6 e4 51.Kc7 Re8 52.b8=Q Rxb8 53.Rxb8 e3 54.Kd6 Ke4 55.Kc5 e2 56.Re8+ Kd3 57.Rxe2 1/2-1/2

Position after 54.Kd6 Is this a draw or a win?

• Kosteniuk vs Gunina in the last round. It's gettin interestinger and interestinger.

[Wayne Komer]

Cairns Cup 2019

February 14, 2019

Round Eight

Results

Gunina-Abdumalik 0.5-0.5
Dzagnidze-Kosteniuk 0.5-0.5
Sebag-Krush 1-0
Harika-Khotenashvili 0.5-0.5
Paehtz-Zatonskih 0.5-0.5

Standing after Round Eight

1 Gunina 6.5
2 Kosteniuk 6
3-4 Harika, Krush 4.5
5 Dzagnidze 4
6 Abdumalik 3.5
7-8 Khotenashvili, Sebag 3
9-10 Paehtz, Zatonskih 2.5

Round 8, Feb. 14
Gunina, Valentina – Abdumalik, Zhansaya
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bc4 Nd3+ 7.Ke2 Nf4+ 8.Kf1 Nd3 9.Qe2 Nxc1 10.Rxc1 e6 11.e5 Nc6 12.h4 Bd7 13.Rh3 h6 14.Kg1 Qb6 15.Bb3 O-O-O 16.Na4 Qa5 17.Qe3 c4 18.Bd1 Kb8 19.a3 Qb5 20.Rg3 f5 21.exf6 gxf6 22.Qf4+ e5 23.Qxf6 Be7 24.Qf7 Rhf8 25.Qh5 Bf5 26.Qxh6 e4 27.Nc3 Qc5 28.Ng5 Rh8 29.Ngxe4 Rxh6 30.Nxc5 Rxh4 31.b4 Rdh8 32.Kf1 Bxc5 33.bxc5 Bd3+ 34.Rxd3 cxd3 35.f3 Rc4 36.Kf2 Rxc5 37.Rb1 Rh1 38.Ke3 Ra5 39.a4 Rg5 40.g4 Rh3 41.Ne4 Rg7 42.g5 Rf7 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Feb. 14
Dzagnidze, Nana – Kosteniuk, Alexandra
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 Nc6 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ng8 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 dxc4 9.Rb1 a6 10.Nh3 Na5 11.Qa4+ c6 12.Qc2 c5 13.dxc5 Qd5 14.Be3 Qxe5 15.Kf2 Ne7 16.Qa4+ Nec6 17.Bxc4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 O-O 19.Rhd1 Qc7 20.Rd6 Ne7 21.g4 Nd5 22.Nf4 Nxe3 23.Kxe3 b5 24.Qd4 Bb7 25.Kd2 Bxf3 26.Rf1 Bc6 27.Qe5 Rad8 28.Nh5 f6 29.Qxe6+ Qf7 30.Re1 Rxd6+ 31.cxd6 Qxe6 32.Rxe6 Rd8 33.Ke3 Bd5 34.Re7 Bf7 35.Ra7 Bxh5 36.gxh5 Rxd6 37.h6 gxh6 38.Ke4 Rc6 39.Kf5 Rxc3 40.Ra8+ Kf7 41.Ra7+ Kf8 42.Rxa6 Ke7 43.Re6+ Kd7 44.Rxf6 Rh3 45.Kg4 Rxh2 46.Rb6 h5+ 47.Kf4 Rf2+ 48.Ke5 Rg2 49.Kf4 Rg4+ 50.Kf5 h6 51.Rxh6 Rc4 52.Ke5 h4 53.Kd5 Ke7 54.Ke5 Kf7 55.Kf5 Ke7 56.Ke5 Kd7 57.Kd5 Kc7 58.a4 Rxa4 59.Kc5 Kd7 60.Kxb5 Rg4 61.Kc5 Ke7 62.Kd5 Kf7 63.Ke5 Kg7 64.Kf5 Ra4 65.Rg6+ Kh7 66.Rg4 Ra5+ 67.Kf4 Rh5 68.Rg1 Ra5 1/2-1/2

Position after Black’s 60….Rg4




Round 8, Feb. 14
Sebag, Marie – Krush, Irina
B66 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Be7 9.f3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 O-O 11.h4 b5 12.Kb1 Qa5 13.Qd2 b4 14.Ne2 e5 15.g4 Be6 16.Nc1 Rfd8 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.g5 Be7 19.Bh3 Bc4 20.b3 Bb5 21.Nd3 Bxd3 22.Qxd3 d5 23.exd5 Bc5 24.Qe4 Bd4 25.Rxd4 exd4 26.d6 Qc5 27.d7 a5 28.Rd1 a4 29.Qxd4 Qa5 30.Rd2 Qc7 31.f4 axb3 32.cxb3 Rab8 33.h5 Qb6 34.Qxb6 Rxb6 35.Kb2 h6 36.Rd5 Kf8 37.a3 bxa3+ 38.Kxa3 Ra8+ 39.Kb2 Ke7 40.Re5+ Kd6 41.Re8 Rbb8 42.Rc8 1-0

Final position



Round 8, Feb. 14
Harika, Dronavalli – Khotenashvili, Bela
B36 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind

1.c4 g6 2.e4 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.Be3 O-O 10.Qd2 a5 11.f3 a4 12.Rc1 Qa5 13.Rc2 Be6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.cxd5 Rfc8 16.Qxa5 Rxa5 17.Kd2 Rxc2+ 18.Kxc2 Bd7 19.Rc1 e6 20.Rd1 Bb5 21.Bxb5 Rxb5 22.b3 axb3+ 23.axb3 Ra5 24.dxe6 Ra2+ 25.Kc1 Ra1+ 26.Kc2 Ra2+ 27.Kc1 Ra1+ 28.Kc2 Ra2+ 29.Kc1 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Feb. 14
Paehtz, Elisabeth – Zatonskih, Anna
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d4 Be7 7.Bf4 O-O 8.h3 Re8 9.Be2 c6 10.O-O d5 11.Bd3 Nbd7 12.Re1 Nb6 13.Ne5 Be6 14.Qf3 Nc4 15.Nd1 Qb6 16.c3 c5 17.b3 Nd6 18.Nb2 cxd4 19.Na4 Qa5 20.cxd4 Nde4 21.Qe2 Bb4 22.Red1 Rac8 23.Be3 a6 24.a3 Bd6 25.f4 Bd7 26.Nc5 Qc7 27.Ncxd7 Nxd7 28.Bxe4 dxe4 29.Rdc1 Qd8 30.Rxc8 Qxc8 31.Qc4 Bxe5 32.dxe5 Qxc4 33.bxc4 g5 34.g3 gxf4 1/2-1/2

[Hans Jung]

We have the best possible scenario in the last round. Alexandra Kosteniuk has white against Valentina Gunina but must play for a win because she is half a point back. Fireworks!

[Hans Jung]

Irina Krush has white against Harika Dronavilli in the battle for third place

[Wayne Komer]

Cairns Cup 2019

February 15, 2019

Round Nine

Results

Kosteniuk-Gunina 0.5-0.5
Krush-Harika 1-0
Khotenashvili-Dzagnidze 0-1
Abdumalik-Paehtz 1-0
Zatonskih-Sebag 1-0

Final Standing

1 Gunina 7
2 Kosteniuk 6.5
3 Krush 5.5
4 Dzagnidze 5
5-6 Harika, Abdumalik 4.5
7 Zatonskih 3.5
8-9 Khotenashvili, Sebag 3
10 Paehtz 2.5

Round 9, Feb. 15
Kosteniuk, Alexandra – Gunina, Valentina
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Nd7 7.Nc4 Qe7 8.a3 a5 9.b3 O-O 10.Bb2 f6 11.O-O Nb6 12.Ne3 a4 13.b4 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Bg4 15.Qe1 c5 16.Nh4 cxb4 17.axb4 Nc8 18.b5 Nd6 19.Ba3 Qd7 20.h3 Be6 21.c4 b6 22.Bb4 c5 23.bxc6 Qxc6 24.Ba3 Rfd8 25.Qg3 Kh8 26.Qf3 Kg8 27.Rad1 Nf7 28.Qg3 Kh8 29.Rf2 Ra7 30.Rfd2 Rad7 31.Nf3 b5 32.cxb5 Qxb5 33.d4 Bb3 34.Rc1 Qb7 35.Qg4 Nh6 36.Qh4 Bf7 37.Rb2 Qa7 38.Rc6 Ng8 39.Bc5 Qa8 40.Rbb6 a3 41.Ra6 a2 42.Qe1 Rb7 43.Nd2 Qb8 44.Rcb6 exd4 45.exd4 Rxb6 46.Rxb6 Qf4 47.Ra6 f5 48.d5 fxe4 49.Rxa2 Bxd5 50.Ra7 Ra8 51.Rxa8 Bxa8 52.Nc4 Nf6 53.Bd4 e3 54.Qxe3 Qxe3+ 55.Nxe3 Ne8 56.g4 Kg8 57.Kf2 Kf7 58.Kg3 Nf6 59.Nc4 Bd5 60.Ne5+ Ke6 61.Kf4 h6 62.Nf3 Kf7 63.Bb2 g5+ 64.Ke3 Nxg4+ 65.hxg4 Bxf3 66.Kxf3 Kg6 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 47.Ra6. Is there a better move in reply than 47….f5 here?



Round 9, Feb. 15
Krush, Irina – Harika, Dronavalli
E94 King’s Indian, Orthodox variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 O-O 5.Nf3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Na6 8.Be3 c6 9.d5 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh4 c5 12.Nd2 h5 13.a3 Bd7 14.Rb1 Qe7 15.b4 b6 16.Nb5 Rfc8 17.Rb3 Nh6 18.f3 Nf7 19.Bf2 Bh6 20.Rb2 Bg5 21.Qe1 Nc7 22.bxc5 bxc5 23.Nb3 Ne8 24.Qa5 f5 25.Bd3 a6 26.Nc3 Qd8 27.Rfb1 Rab8 28.Ne2 h4 29.h3 Rb6 30.Nbc1 Rxb2 31.Qxd8 Bxd8 32.Rxb2 Ra8 33.Nc3 g5 34.exf5 Ng7 35.N1e2 Nxf5 36.Ne4 Nd4 37.N2c3 Bc8 38.Be3 Kg7 39.Kf2 Kh6 40.Rb1 Bc7 41.Bd2 Ra7 42.Nxg5 Nxg5 43.Ne4 Kg7 44.Bxg5 Nf5 45.Rb2 Kg6 46.Bxh4 Nxh4 47.Nxd6+ Bf5 48.Nxf5 Nxf5 49.g4 Kg5 50.Bxf5 Kf4 51.h4 Bd8 52.h5 Bg5 53.d6 a5 54.Rb8 Ra6 55.h6 Rxd6 56.h7 Bf6 57.Ke2 a4 58.Be4 Kg5 59.Rg8+ Kh4 60.g5 1-0

Round 9, Feb. 15
Khotenashvili, Bela – Dzagnidze, Nana
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bg3 O-O 6.Nbd2 b6 7.c3 Bb7 8.Bd3 Ne4 9.Qc2 f5 10.Ne5 Nd7 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 12.Bxd6 cxd6 13.f3 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 e5 15.O-O-O e4 16.Be2 a5 17.Rhf1 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.fxe4 dxe4 20.d5 Raa8 21.Rf2 b5 22.Kb1 Rfe8 23.Qd4 Rac8 24.Qb6 a4 25.a3 Re5 26.g3 h6 27.Rd4 Rc5 28.Rfd2 Qc7 29.Qxc7 Rxc7 30.c4 bxc4 31.Rc2 Kf7 32.Kc1 g5 33.Rcxc4 Rxc4+ 34.Rxc4 Rxd5 35.Rxa4 Rd3 36.Rd4 Rxe3 37.Rxd6 f4 38.gxf4 gxf4 39.Kd2 Rf3 40.Ke2 Rh3 41.Rd4 Re3+ 42.Kf2 Ke6 43.a4 Ke5 44.Rb4 Rf3+ 45.Ke1 Re3+ 46.Kf1 f3 47.a5 Rd3 48.Kf2 Rd2+ 49.Kg3 Rg2+ 50.Kh3 Rg1 51.Rb5+ Kf4 52.Rb8 f2 53.Rf8+ Ke3 0-1

Round 9, Feb. 15
Abdumalik, Zhansaya – Paehtz, Elisabeth
C96 Ruy Lopez, Closed

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 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.d5 Bd7 13.Nbd2 c4 14.Nf1 Rfc8 15.g4 Nb7 16.Ng3 g6 17.Bh6 Ne8 18.Kh2 a5 19.Qd2 b4 20.Rg1 bxc3 21.bxc3 Nc5 22.Be3 Rab8 23.Rab1 Bd8 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.Rb1 Rxb1 26.Bxb1 Bb5 27.Qb2 Ba6 28.Qa3 Nd3 29.Bxd3 cxd3 30.Nd2 Nf6 31.c4 Nd7 32.Kg2 Bxc4 33.Nxc4 Qxc4 34.Qxd6 Qa4 35.Qa6 Kf8 36.Qxd3 Qxa2 37.Qb5 Ke8 38.Nf1 Qc2 39.Nd2 a4 40.Qa6 Be7 41.Qa8+ Bd8 42.Qa6 Be7 43.Qa8+ Bd8 44.Bg5 f6 45.Be3 g5 46.Kh2 Nf8 47.Qa6 Be7 48.Nc4 Kf7 49.d6 Bd8 50.Qc8 Qxe4 51.Qxd8 Qxc4 52.Qc7+ 1-0

Round 9, Feb. 15
Zatonskih, Anna – Sebag, Marie
D23 QGA, Neo-Mannheim

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg4 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.e4 Bxf3 8.gxf3 e5 9.Be3 exd4 10.Bxd4 Bd6 11.O-O-O Qc7 12.h4 Ne5 13.Qe2 Nh5 14.Kb1 Ng6 15.Nb5 cxb5 16.Qxb5+ Kf8 17.Qxh5 Be5 18.Rc1 Qe7 19.Bxe5 Nxe5 20.f4 Ng6 21.Qf5 Re8 22.h5 Nh4 23.Qh3 Qxe4+ 24.Ka1 Qc6 25.Bd3 Qd5 26.Bc4 Qxh5 27.Qxh4 Qxh4 28.Rxh4 Rc8 29.Rhh1 Ke7 30.a3 h6 31.Kb1 Rhd8 32.Bb3 Kf6 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Rc1 Rxc1+ 35.Kxc1 Kf5 36.Bxf7 Kxf4 37.Kd2 b6 38.Ke2 g5 39.f3 a5 40.Be8 Ke5 41.Ke3 Kd5 42.Bf7+ Kc5 43.Ke4 a4 44.Kf5 Kd4 45.Be8 Ke3 46.Kg4 Kd2 47.Bxa4 Kc1 48.Bc6 Kxb2 49.a4 1-0

[Hans Jung]

It was a Valentine tournament for Valentina Gunina as she won half a point ahead of Alexandra Kosteniuk by holding her to a hard fought draw in the last round. Irina Krush took third.with a nice strategical win in the last round.

[Wayne Komer]

Cairns Cup 2019

February 16, 2019

Wrap-up

Almost all the rounds of this event had a lot of excitement, so it wasn’t a surprise that the last one didn’t disappoint. In the battle for first place, GM Gunina had an advantage most of the game against GM Kosteniuk, but Alexandra fought back and even had winning chances at some point before the game finally ended in a draw. Krush completely dominated Harika to secure 3rd place, and Dzagnidze won an all-Georgian matchup to move into 4th.

https://www.uschesschamps.com/2019-cairns-cup-recap/2019-cairns-cup-–-round-9?mc_cid=0569ae892c&mc_eid=a29b5a59bc

Final Standing with Prize Money

1 Valentina Gunina 7 $40,000
2 Alexandra Kosteniuk, 6.5 $30,000
3 Irina Krush 5.5 $20,000
4 Nana Dzagnidze 5 $15,000
5-6 Zhansaya Abdumalik, Harika Dronavalli 4.5 $9,500
7 Anna Zatonskih 3.5 $8,000
8-9 Bela Khotenashvili, Marie Sebag 3 $6,500
10 Elisabeth Paehtz 2.5 $5,000