Aleksandra Kosteneuk and Marya Muzychuk become semi-finalists of WWCC2018 and qualifiy to the forthcoming Women’s Candidate Tournament of the 2019-2020 cycle.
An amazing moment as Zhansaya Abdumalik could have claimed a draw by the 50-move rule but instead resigned, since mate was unavoidable!
Headlines: Vachier-Lagrave awarded Shenzen Masters win after three-way tie: As tournaments go, this was an odd one: with nine draws and one win, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave took the Shenzhen Masters with a mere 5½ points from 10 games.
🔸chess.com IoM Masters Douglas ENG 2018
🔸Round 2
⚪️Puranik,Abhimanyu (2547)
⚫️Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2780)
🔸0-1
🔸Round 2
⚪️Puranik,Abhimanyu (2547)
⚫️Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2780)
🔸0-1
33...Nd6! [A clever move. Vachier forces White to exchange off the knight on c4.]
34.Nxd6 [34.Nd2? c4 △c3 35.bxc4 Nxc4+ 36.Nxc4 Rxc4 37.Kd3 Kb5–+]
34...Rxd6 35.g3 [35.c4 bxc3 36.Rc1 Rd2! 37.Rxc3 Rb2 38.g4 g5! 39.Rd3 Kb5 40.Rc3 Ra2-/+]
35...c4! [Now, he is ready to penetrate into the opponent's camp by his king.]
36.bxc4 [36.f4 c3!-/+△Kb5]
36...Kc5 37.f4 Kxc4 38.fxe5 fxe5–+ 39.Rf1 Kc3 40.Rf7 Rc6 [The b-pawn decides the game.] 0–1
34.Nxd6 [34.Nd2? c4 △c3 35.bxc4 Nxc4+ 36.Nxc4 Rxc4 37.Kd3 Kb5–+]
34...Rxd6 35.g3 [35.c4 bxc3 36.Rc1 Rd2! 37.Rxc3 Rb2 38.g4 g5! 39.Rd3 Kb5 40.Rc3 Ra2-/+]
35...c4! [Now, he is ready to penetrate into the opponent's camp by his king.]
36.bxc4 [36.f4 c3!-/+△Kb5]
36...Kc5 37.f4 Kxc4 38.fxe5 fxe5–+ 39.Rf1 Kc3 40.Rf7 Rc6 [The b-pawn decides the game.] 0–1