ODT110322

= **Women's world championship finalists decided** =



**Problem:** Black to play and mate in 3.

The sixth and final Women's Grand Prix event in Doha, Qatar ended the series with a thrilling climax. The overall Grand Prix leader going into Doha was 16 year old GM Hou Yifan of China, the current women's world champion. Her best three performances out of four of the earlier Grand Prix events had already given her an excellent chance of overall first place, despite the fact that she wasn't competing at Doha. The race was to see who could either overtake Hou or finish second overall and thus qualify to play a world championship match against her later this year. Only two players had a chance: GM Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia who was coming second on points, or top seed, GM Humpy Koneru of India, who had to win the tournament to beat her rival.

After five of the eleven rounds it looked a shoe-in for Dzagnidze. Armenian IM Elina Danielian sprinted out into the lead with five straight wins. Koneru was struggling on 50%, having lost to Dzagnidze in the first round. But in a herculean effort Koneru scored 4½/5 in the second half, including a crucial win over the leader Danielian. Going into the final round she still had an outside chance of catching Danielian and qualifying ahead of Dzagnidze. Caissa the chess goddess smiled on Koneru. She won from a losing position against former world champion GM Zhu Chen (Qatar), while another former champion GM Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) held Danielian to draw. Danielian and Koneru shared first place in Doha on 8/11 and Koneru overtook Dzagnidze to finish second behind Hou in the Grand Prix final standings.

Today's game is a stunning win with Black by Dzagnidze against Stefanova from the seventh round at Doha, though it wasn't enough to secure qualification for the world championship match. media type="custom" key="25895180" **1.Nf3 Nf6** **2.c4 e6** **3.g3 d5** **4.b3 d4!?** Accepting the challenge of White's provocative English Opening to claim central territory. Due to 2...e6 Black is two tempi down from similar positions with colours reversed. **5.e3 Nc6** **6.Bg2 e5** **7.O-O Bg4** **8.h3 Bh5** **9.g4 Bg6** **10.exd4 e4!** **11.Nh4?! ---** Too compliant. With 11 Re1 Be7 12 g5!? exf3 13 gxf6 fxg2 14 fxe7 Qxd4 15 Nc3 Nb4 16 Qg4! the exchange of queens would have kept danger to a minimum. Now Black gets a lead in development and White's kingside is very weak. **11.--- Qxd4** **12.Nc3 O-O-O** **13.Nxg6 hxg6** **14.g5 Nh5** **15.Rb1 ---** If White had exchanged queens by 15 Qg4+ Kb8 16 Qxe4 Nf4 17 Qxd4 Nxd4 18 d3 Nxh3+ 19 Bxh3 Rxh3 Black will soon pocket more weak white pawns. **15.--- Kb8** **16.Bb2 Nf4!** Allowing White to win material by a double attack on queen and knight – but Black has seen further. **17.Nd5 Rxd5!!** Now if 18 cxd5 Qxd5 19 Qg4 Nxg2 20 Kxg2 (20 Qxg2 Rh5) e3+ 21 Kg1 exf2+ 22 Rxf2 Bc5 and Black regains the sacrificed material with an overwhelming position, so White takes the queen. **18.Bxd4 Rxg5!** **White resigns** Black threatens 19...Rxg2+ and 20...Rxh3 mate. If 19 Re1 then 19...Rxg2+ 20 Kf1 Rxh3 and mate on h1 can only be postponed a few moves, while if 19 Qg4 then 19...Rxg4 20 hxg4 Ne2 mate!

**0-1**

**Solution:** 1 ... Be5! 2 Bf4 Bxf4 and 3 ... Qxg2#.