Astana GP Round 2: Four decisive games
The second round of FIDE Astana GP 2022 had four decisive games. IM Polina Shuvalova, WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN), IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ), IM Alina Kashlinskaya (POL) scored wins over IM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER), WGM Dinara Wagner (GER), GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and IM Vaishali R. Vaishali had a complex game against the Poland no.1 woman. She need to take some chances before going on full defense mode. Eventually her defense succumbed to her opponent's onslaught. She will face the reigning World Blitz 2021 Women champion, IM Bibisara Assaubayeva in Round 3. It starts today at 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman
Reigning World Rapid champion loses to World Blitz champion
Out of the four decisive games, the biggest win was certainly scored by the 18-year-old World Blitz Women 2021 champion, IM Bibisara Assaubayeva over the reigning World Rapid Women 2021 champion, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk. The latter refused a threefold repetition, which resulted her in a loss, shortly after.
Kosteniuk - Bibisara: 0-1
World Rapid 2021 Women's champion, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2521) lost to World Blitz 2021 Women's champion, IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ, 2443) after she declined to repeat moves and accept a draw.
Sometimes taking a draw by repeating moves is the best choice. An overambitious approach might prove to be a costly one. White could have played 31.Qc8+ and Black would have no choice but accept the threefold repetition. Instead, she opted for 31.Qg3 Qd2 32.Qf2 Qc3 and suddenly White's king is in grave danger. There is no perpetual check left for White. 33.Nd6 Ng4 34.Ne4 Qc7 threatening Qxh2+ as well as exploiting White's back rank weakness. 35.Qb6 Qxb6+ and White resigned.
Vaishali - Kashlinskaya: 0-1
Poland no.1 woman, IM Alina Kashlinskaya's (2491) almost backfired against IM Vaishali R (2449).
White had to go for 20.gxf7 Rxf7 21.Qxg4 Qxd2 22.f4 to expose the king. 20.f3 Kxg6 21.fxg4 e4 kept White in the game. However, she had to put up a staunch defense to survive. It was certainly difficult, eventually White's defense fell apart and Black won the game.
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Round 2 Results
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
1 | 12 | 2510 | IM | Shuvalova Polina | 1 - 0 | IM | Paehtz Elisabeth | 2477 | 7 | |||
2 | 8 | 2464 | WGM | Zhu Jiner | 1 - 0 | WGM | Wagner Dinara | 2358 | 6 | |||
3 | 9 | 2503 | GM | Abdumalik Zhansaya | ½ - ½ | GM | Tan Zhongyi | 2525 | 5 | |||
4 | 10 | 2521 | GM | Kosteniuk Alexandra | 0 - 1 | IM | Assaubayeva Bibisara | 2443 | 4 | |||
5 | 11 | 2449 | IM | Vaishali R | 0 - 1 | IM | Kashlinskaya Alina | 2491 | 3 | |||
6 | 1 | 2579 | GM | Goryachkina Aleksandra | ½ - ½ | GM | Lagno Kateryna | 2547 | 2 |
Round 3 pairings
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
1 | 2 | 2547 | GM | Lagno Kateryna | IM | Shuvalova Polina | 2510 | 12 | ||||
2 | 3 | 2491 | IM | Kashlinskaya Alina | GM | Goryachkina Aleksandra | 2579 | 1 | ||||
3 | 4 | 2443 | IM | Assaubayeva Bibisara | IM | Vaishali R | 2449 | 11 | ||||
4 | 5 | 2525 | GM | Tan Zhongyi | GM | Kosteniuk Alexandra | 2521 | 10 | ||||
5 | 6 | 2358 | WGM | Wagner Dinara | GM | Abdumalik Zhansaya | 2503 | 9 | ||||
6 | 7 | 2477 | IM | Paehtz Elisabeth | WGM | Zhu Jiner | 2464 | 8 |