Clear win for China in Women’s Chess Olympiad, while Kazakhstan and India complete the podium

Zhu Jiner excels across the board

The Chinese team remained unbeaten in the women’s section. The team suffered only two individual losses in total. The Chinese women also won in round eleven, defeating Vietnam 3-1. In the team matches in which they suffered an individual defeat, China drew 2-2 instead of winning. With a total of 20 match points, China pulled clear of the competition and won gold. Zhu Jiner also stood out with her individual performance on board one. For scoring 7 points from 9 appearances and achieving a tournament performance rating of 2638, Zhu received individual gold. According to the live ratings, she gained 9 Elo points, bringing her to 2554 in the live ratings. This makes her the world number two among women again in the live ratings, behind Hou Yifan, who has a rating of 2596.

In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Zhu Jiner are honoured for their individual performances on board one | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

Several of Zhu Jiner’s teammates also finished in the top ten on their respective boards. Like Zhu Jiner, Lu Miaoyi finished first in the individual standings on board three. She scored 9½ points from 11 games and achieved a tournament performance rating of 2576.

Frederik Svane and Lu Miaoyi win individual gold (board three) | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

For her results on board two, Song Yuxin received the bronze medal in the individual standings. She scored 8 points from 11 games and achieved a tournament performance rating of 2492. On the reserve board, Mo Zhai finished sixth in the individual standings with 5 points from 8 games and a tournament performance rating of 2295.

China team statistics

China defeats Vietnam 3-1

China secured first place on their own terms with a 3-1 victory over Vietnam. Kazakhstan were able to hold on to second place because they ultimately had one match point more than India and the USA, who would otherwise have had the better tiebreak.

China against Vietnam in round eleven | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE

Lu Miaoyi 1–0 Phuong Hanh Luong

In the game between Lu Miaoyi and Phuong Hanh Luong, Lu Miaoyi gained a large advantage in the endgame after her opponent surely regretted considering the alternatives instead of playing a mistaken knight manoeuvre.

With this move, Black wins a pawn and attacks the bishop directly. White, however, wants to move the bishop to e7 anyway. After 41.Be7, Rh6 to protect the pawn would have failed because 42.Re4+ wins the knight. Black therefore played 41…Ng6, and 42.Bxd6 followed immediately. Had Black not captured the pawn beforehand and instead played 40…Ng3, e4 would have been protected and the rook could not have attacked the king via that square. Then 41.Be7 Kf4 could also have followed, and if the bishop subsequently captured on d6, the trap would spring with 42…Ne4+ (a double attack on the king and bishop). In addition, Rh6 becomes possible for Black after 40…Ng3 because e4 would be protected.

Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middle�game, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!

The game ended when White was three pawns up, including connected passed pawns.

Kazakhstan take silver

In round eleven, Poland and Kazakhstan drew, as did India and Georgia. The United States defeated Romania 3-1. Kazakhstan therefore kept the USA at a distance with their draw and were fortunate that India did not defeat Georgia.

Team Kazakhstan at the awards ceremony | Photo: Niels Rohde / ChessBase

Bibisara Assaubayeva remained unbeaten in Samarkand | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

Results: Poland v. Kazakhstan

Oliwia Kiolbasa remained unbeaten for the Polish team. Although she is rated 150 Elo points lower than Bibisara Assaubayeva, she managed to hold the Kazakh player to a draw with white. Earlier, in round five, she had also drawn against Humpy Koneru (2509). Kiolbasa gained 19 Elo points from the tournament. Poland missed out on the team bronze medal by the narrowest of margins. Even so, the Polish team certainly need not reproach themselves for failing to defeat Kazakhstan.

The race for third place

In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
The London System is one of the most popular openings at every level of chess but not all Londons are the same. In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: 5…cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6 sidelines

The battle for third place was extremely close. Five teams finished the tournament with 17 match points: India, United States, Poland, Armenia and Mongolia. The tiebreak ultimately decided the matter in India’s favour.

Team India took bronze | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

In addition to the team prize, there were also medals for individual Indian players. According to the live ratings, Savitha Shri gained 23 Elo points at the Chess Olympiad, taking her above the 2400 mark again to 2405. This moves her up to 41^st in the women’s world rankings by live rating, a jump of 19 places. With 9 points from 10 games and a tournament performance rating of 2569 on the reserve board, she earned individual gold!

Humpy Koneru received bronze for her score of 7 points from 10 games on board one. Divya Deshmukh took silver with 6½ points from 10 games and a tournament performance rating of 2465, while Vantika Agrawal received bronze on board four with 6/8 and a tournament performance rating of 2437.

Results: India v. Georgia

Final standings

… out of a total of 189 teams in the women’s section

Overview of the individual medals

The individual medals were awarded based on tournament performance and the number of appearances. The players were divided into five groups according to the position in which they were registered for their team. For example, if Dinara Wagner sat out and Elisabeth Pähtz played once on board one instead of board two, the result of that game still counts towards her board-two classification in the individual standings.

Board 1

This video course includes GM Anish Giri’s deep insights and IM Sagar Shah’s pertinent questions to the super GM. In Vol.1 all the openings after 1.e4 are covered.

According to the live ratings, Carissa Yip gained 16 Elo points, rising from 2468 to 2484. This lifts her to 13^th place in the women’s world rankings. Koneru also gained 9 Elo points.

Board 2

Mariam Mkrtchyan made an even bigger Elo leap: the Armenian gained 47 points thanks to the tournament in Samarkand. The 22-year-old now has a live rating of 2421.

Board 3

Lu Miaoyi reached a live rating of 2399 after gaining 28 points. Dutch player Eline Roebers now has the same live rating as Lu Miaoyi. Roebers gained 21 rating points. The two consequently occupy 49^th and 50^th places in the women’s world live rankings.

Board 4

Among the individual medal winners on board 4 was Cuba’s Ineymig Hernandez Gil. Her team finished 31^st, directly behind Germany and Sweden. With 8 points from 9 appearances, she was a particular standout for her team. Compared with Elnaz Kaliakhmet and Vantika Agrawal, who won gold and bronze respectively alongside her for their performances on board four, Hernandez Gil is also rated around 200 Elo points lower! That makes her tournament performance rating of 2443 all the more remarkable. The tournament in Samarkand brought her a gain of 57 Elo points.

Reserve board

Alice Lee on her tournament results

Charlize van Zyl talks to Alice Lee | Video: FIDE

Arne Kähler talks to Carissa Yip

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Carissa Yip prepares before her games | Video: ChessBase

Overall standings: Gaprindashvili Cup

In the Gaprindashvili Cup, the points scored by a country’s teams in both sections, Open and Women’s, are combined. India, United States and China top the table.

… out of 187 teams

Arne Kähler talks to Bodhana Sivanandhan (ENG)

Bodhana earned her final WGM norm and an IM norm in Samarkand | Video: ChessBase

Bodhana is the youngest player to hold the WGM title

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Bodhana Sivanandan talks to Charlize van Zyl | Video: FIDE

All games – Round 11

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