Anna Ushenina wins Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women Rapid on tie-breaks, Harika third
GM Anna Ushenina (UKR) etched her name in history by winning the very first edition of Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women Rapid. Both Ushenina and GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) scored 6.5/9. As per the tradition of Tata Steel Chess tournaments, the champion is always decided with Playoff matches. The former Women's World champion and 44th Chess Olympiad Gold medalist, Ushenina won both her Blitz tie-break games to finish first. Her opponent Dzagnidze was placed second. GM Harika Dronavalli scored sole 5.5/9 to finish third. Apart from the winner, Harika was the only other player to remain unbeaten. Today is a rest day. Blitz event starts tomorrow Saturday 3rd December 2022 from 12 p.m. IST. Photo: Lennart Ootes
Humpy and Vaishali score 5/9
GM Anna Ushenina (UKR) and GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) both showed vulnerability in their games. Yet, they managed to remain unbeaten until the tie-breaks. It was Ushenina who prevailed in the Playoff games to clinch the tournament. Team Gold medal and individual Silver at the 44th Chess Olympiad, Team and individual Gold medal at European Club Cup for Women for ASVOe Pamhagen and now winner of the first-ever Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women. It has certainly been a great year for her.
Winner of Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women Rapid - GM Anna Ushenina (UKR) | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Round 7: Anna Ushenina - Mariya: 1-0
GM Anna Ushenina (UKR, 2371) started the day with a win against her 44th Olympiad Gold medalist teammate GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2476).
28...a5 might seem okay but there is slight problem, a decisive one. Try to find it out. White found it and won the game in the next two moves.
Round 8: Anna Muzychuk - Dzagnidze: 0.5-0.5
GM Anna Muzychuk (2458) got a great opportunity to score a win against GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO, 2475). The latter survived by the skin of her teeth in an instructive knight endgame.
39...Nxc2 allowed White to gain a decisive advantage. Anna almost seized as she blitzed out the moves in time trouble. 40.Nxh6 Nd4 41.Nf5 Nc6 42.h6 Ne5 43.Nd4+ Kf7 44.Kf5 Ng6 45.Nc6 Nh4+ 46.Kg4 Ng6 47.Nd8+ Ke7 48.h7? turned out to be a mistake. 43.h7 would have been a better choice for White to register her first win of the event.
Round 9: Vantika - Anna Muzychuk: 1-0
WGM Vantika Agrawal (2262) finished her tournament with a victory over GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 2458).
Tie-breaks: Anna Ushenina - Nana Dzagnidze: 2-0
Both GM Anna Ushenina (UKR, 2371) and GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO, 2475) drew their respective final round games against IM Vaishali R (2351) and GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2476) respectively. Thus, tie-breaks was enforced. Anna Ushenina won both 5 mins + 3 seconds increment Blitz games to win the tournament.
Replay Round 7-9 and Tie-break games
Round 7-9 results
| Round 7 on 2022/12/01 at 1200 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 4 | 2351 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ½ - ½ | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 10 | |||
| 2 | 5 | 2304 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 1 - 0 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 3 | |||
| 3 | 6 | 2371 | GM | Ushenina Anna | 1 - 0 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 2 | |||
| 4 | 7 | 2475 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | ½ - ½ | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 1 | |||
| 5 | 8 | 2475 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 1 - 0 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 9 | |||
| Round 8 on 2022/12/01 at 1300 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 10 | 2474 | GM | Koneru Humpy | ½ - ½ | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 9 | |||
| 2 | 1 | 2458 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | ½ - ½ | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 8 | |||
| 3 | 2 | 2476 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | ½ - ½ | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 7 | |||
| 4 | 3 | 2311 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 0 - 1 | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6 | |||
| 5 | 4 | 2351 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 0 - 1 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 5 | |||
| Round 9 on 2022/12/01 at 1400 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 5 | 2304 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 1 - 0 | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 10 | |||
| 2 | 6 | 2371 | GM | Ushenina Anna | ½ - ½ | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 4 | |||
| 3 | 7 | 2475 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 1 - 0 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 3 | |||
| 4 | 8 | 2475 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | ½ - ½ | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 2 | |||
| 5 | 9 | 2262 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 1 - 0 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 1 | |||
Final standings after Round 9
| Rk. | SNo | Name | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | ||
| 1 | 6 | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6,5 | 1 | 0 | 26,00 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2 | 8 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 6,5 | 0 | 0 | 26,00 | 4 | 2 | |
| 3 | 7 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 5,5 | 0 | 0 | 22,50 | 2 | 0 | |
| 4 | 2 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 20,50 | 2 | 0 | |
| 5 | 10 | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19,75 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | 4 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18,00 | 3 | 2 | |
| 7 | 5 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 4,5 | 0 | 0 | 15,50 | 4 | 2 | |
| 8 | 9 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9,25 | 2 | 0 | |
| 9 | 1 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14,50 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | 3 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4,00 | 0 | 0 |
