Lagno is also in the same position, but she is likely to prioritize Grand Prix points than take a risk. With this chance to potentially join in a tie for first, she might go all out for the win. If the three leaders draw or lose, Shuvalova is just a half point behind and with white faces Kiolbasa. With just one round remaining, who is most likely to win this event? Of the top three, Tan is only the one with the white pieces, giving her the best opportunity to press for the full point and clinch the tournament outright. Goryachkina equalized without any difficulty, and the players repeated the position starting on move 17.Īfter this all-draw round, the standings remain the same with three players still deadlocked in a tie for first: Wagner, Harika, and Tan. IM Bibisara Assaubayeva played the solid Exchange Variation of the Slav Defense, going into an even symmetrical position where both sides have a comfortable game. The leaders fought for nano-advantages in their ultimately balanced game. Though Tan had a more active king, with just two pawns left each on the same queenside files, the players agreed to a draw. Soon, all the center and kingside pawns were traded away. To counter, Tan expanded on the kingside. In the endgame, the players maneuvered for modest gains: Wagner brought her knight to the d5-outpost and gained space on the queenside.
Many trades ensued until the players reached an even knight and pawn ending. Wagner and Tan played into the very balanced Bogo-Indian, which leads to an early trade of dark-squared bishops, giving each side more space to get a comfortable position. But ultimately, there was a slew of exchanges: all the rooks on the queenside and the light-squared bishops-neutralizing White’s mighty fianchettoed bishop-and the game remained level.
White's main plan is to prepare the queenside break of a pawn push to b4, but Black blocked this by beating her to it.Īs the queenside files opened, the players tried to create small imbalances in activity and pawn structure.
However, GM Bella Khotenashvili's position out of the opening was very stable with no real weaknesses. In the English, Harika gained a slight edge with the long-term strength of her g2-bishop, aiming down the longest open diagonal on the board, and her knight on the potent d5-outpost. But, what to do, still one game to go, and I should concentrate myself."ĭespite her challenging score, Kiolbasa has often had winning chances vs. It's a hard tournament, and everyone is tired already. Lagno shared her mindset and feelings about the event: "Nothing special yet because the tournament is not over.
0 kommentar(er)
