|
Round 3: Georgia defeats Poland and takes sole lead |
In the round 3 of the Women’s World Team Championship Nino Batsiashvili brought the victory to Georgian team in the match against Poland. Thus, Georgia became the sole leader in the tournament with 5 team points. In another central match of the round the Russian team, led by former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, celebrated its first victory after defeating China with 3:1 score. After 3 rounds Russia shares the second place together with the team from USA, which held the higher rated team from Kazakhstan to a draw. Ukraine was in danger to lose the match against India but Natalia Zhukova equalized the score by winning the critical final game. Armenia outplayed Egypt with 3:1 score.
The match between Poland and Georgia started with the peaceful draw Bartel-Melia but before the first time control the situation on left boards was changing rapidly.
In one of the most interesting game of the third round Jolanta Zawadska missed a fantastic tactical idea in the game against Lela Javakishvili.
Instead of 22.Qg7 white was winning after 22.Qe6+ Kc7 23.Qxb6+! Qxb6 24.Re7+ Kd6 25.Rde1! Kc6 (25...Qxd4 26.R1e6#) 26.R7e6+ Rd6 27.Rxd6+ Kxd6 28.Bxb6 Later on it was already Black who could have tried to play for a win but after all adventures in the middle game Lela decided to finish the game with repetition.
Monika Socko spoiled quite good position against Bela Khotenashvili and was completely lost after move 30. However, Bela could not find the precise ways to win the game and offered a draw to secure the winning score in the match.
Nino Batsiashvili won an important game against Karina Szczepkowska-Horowska.
Alexandra Kosteniuk and Olga Girya won their games against Ju Wenjun and Lei Tingije respectively. Alexandra grabbed the pawn in the middle game and the leader of Chinese team could not prove she had enough compensation for sacrificed material. Alexandra Goryachkina confidently made a draw with Black against Sheng Yang, while Natalia Pogonina was pressing during whole game but could not convert her material advantage.
Ju Wenjun doesn’t have a good tournament so far with 0,5 out of 3.
Muzychuk sisters made two relatively quick draws against Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli and let the fate of the match to be decided on the bottom boards. Anna Ushenina refused to repeat the position and blundered a piece in yet drawish endgame.
Natalia Zhukova had to pass quite difficult task - to win the last game and save the match.
USA keeps on playing well without two top American players (Anna Zatonskikh and Irina Krush) and made another draw this time against Kazakhstan. The teams exchanged blows on first and third boards - Tatev Abrakhamian outplayed Zhansaya Abdumalik, while Nakhbaeva Guliskhan defeated Sabina-Francesca Foisor. Other two games finished in draws.
Wafa Shrook brought the only point to Egypt in the match against Armenia.
The city of Chengdu in China is hosting the Women's World Chess Team Championship from April 18th to 28. The organizers are Chinese Chess Association, FIDE World Chess Federation, with the support of Board and Card Administrative Center of General Administration of Sport of China and Chengdu Municipal Government.
|
