New Delhi GP Round 8: Harika beats Nino

by Shahid Ahmed - 03/04/2023

GM Harika Dronavalli scored her first win of New Delhi GP 2023 in Round 8. She defeated GM Nino Batsiashvili who was also in search of her first victory of the event. The latter misjudged her opponent Harika's intensity of attack on the kingside. It cost her a pawn and allowed the rooks to be invaded via the seventh rank. IM Polina Shuvalova got a better position out of the opening, IM Vaishali made incorrect decisions at critical junctures and lost her game. GM Kateryna Lagno mysteriously repeated moves in a winning position against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina. WGM Zhu Jiner mantained her sole lead 5.5/8 as she drew with IM Bibisara Assaubayeva. Round 9 starts today at 3 p.m. IST. Humpy has a Bye. Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Kateryna makes a bizarre repetition

It is quite difficult to fathom, how GM Kateryna Lagno could not beat GM Aleksandra Goryachkina after finding the excellent 38.Nxf6+! which threw her opponent's kingside wide open.

GM Harika Dronavalli registered her first win of the event | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Harika - Nino: 1-0

GM Harika Dronavalli (2511) registered her first win of the event against GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO, 2489). Both were in search of their first win and it was Harika who emerged the victor.

Final position after 38.Nf3

The best way for Black to defend the e5-pawn was to play 37...Qd6. Instead, she opted for 38...Re8? After 39.Ra2 Black made another mistake Ra5? which cost her the c7-pawn. Kg7 was required to be played to prevent Qh6 entry. 40.Qh6 Qf6 41.Rac2 not only the c7-pawn falls, but the rook's placement on c7 certainly makes it incredibly difficult for Black to defend. Black lost the queen in another six moves and the game too.

Final moments: GM Harika Dronavalli vs GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with Harika Dronavalli | Video: FIDE

GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) lost her second game in-a-row | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Kateryna - Goryachkina: 0.5-0.5

GM Kateryna Lagno (2560) found a tactical shot against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2576). It should have been enough for the former World Rapid and three-time World Blitz Womens' champion. However, she could not find a follow through and repeated moves instead.

Position after 38.Nxf6+

38.Nxf6+ was not that difficult to find. It was possible to play in the previous move too. 38...gxf6 39.Rxe8+ Bxe8 40.Re4 Qd5 41.Rxd4 Qxc5 42.Qg3+ Kf8 43.Ng6+ Kf7 44.Nh8+ Kf8 45.Ng6+ and the game surprisingly ends in an anti-climactic way, a draw via threefold repetition. Try to find out what White should have played to win the game.

Kateryna Lagno's Brilliance - The Soumya Swaminathan breakdown | Video: ChessBase India

Maybe GM Aleksandra Goryachkina's stare hypnotized GM Kateryna Lagno in a winning position? | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

IM Polina Shuvalova - IM Vaishali R: 1-0 | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) - IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Round 8 in progress | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Highlights of Round 8 | Video: ChessBase India

Replay the live stream

Replay Live Commentary of Delhi Women's GP Round 8 with GM Pravin Thipsay and IM Soumya Swaminathan | Video: FIDE

Replay all Round 8 games

Round 8 Results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	11	2560	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	½ - ½	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	2576	9	PGN
2	10	2511	GM	Harika, Dronavalli	1 - 0	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	2489	8	PGN
3	1	2484	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	1 - 0	IM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2433	7	PGN
4	3	2489	WGM	Zhu, Jiner	½ - ½	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2440	6	PGN
5	4	2525	GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	+ - -	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	2474	5
6	2	2576	GM	Koneru, Humpy	0		bye	0	-1

Details

Standings after Round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	3	WGM	Zhu, Jiner	CHN	2489	5,5	2	18,75	2	0	0
2	6	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2440	5	4	18,25	4	0	0
3	9	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2576	5	3	15,00	2	0	0
4	1	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	FID	2484	4,5	1	12,25	2	0	0
5	11	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2560	4	4	13,50	2	0	0
6	10	GM	Harika, Dronavalli	IND	2511	4	4	10,00	1	0	0
7	2	GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2576	4	3	11,75	1	0	0
8	4	GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	GEO	2525	3	3	8,50	0	0	0
9	8	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino	GEO	2489	2,5	5	4,75	0	0	0
10	7	IM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2433	2,5	3	5,75	0	0	0
11	5	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	GER	2474	0	0	0,00	0	0	0

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	5	2474	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth		GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2560	11
2	6	2440	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	2525	4
3	7	2433	IM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu		GM	Koneru, Humpy	2576	2
4	8	2489	GM	Batsiashvili, Nino		IM	Shuvalova, Polina	2484	1
5	9	2576	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra		GM	Harika, Dronavalli	2511	10
6	3	2489	WGM	Zhu, Jiner	0		bye	0	-1