Tata Steel India 2022 Women Rapid R1-3: Nana Dzagnidze makes a perfect start
GM Nana Dzagnidze has emerged as the sole leader after the first day of Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women Rapid. The Georgia no.1 had a shaky start. The youngest player in the field, WIM Savitha Shri B missed a tactical opportunity against the Georgia no.1. However, the teenager overlooked her chance. She went on to beat IM Vaishali R and IM Oliwia Kiolbasa (POL). Four GMs - Koneru Humpy, Mariya Muzychuk, Anna Ushenina and Harika Dronavalli are at 2/3 each. GM Anna Muzychuk is still in search for her first victory. Vaishali scored 1.5/3 and Oliwia had a tough start as she lost all three of her games. Round 4 starts tomorrow at 12 p.m. IST. Photo: Lennart Ootes
Humpy and Harika in a four-way chase
The field of the first edition of Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Women is undoubtedly a strong one. Although it is the GMs who are at the top half after the conclusion of round 3, 14-year-old like WIM Savitha Shri B has already made her presence felt by doing a draw with GM Anna Muzychuk.
Round 1: Anna Muzychuk - Humpy: 0-1
World no.8 GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 2458) eliminated World no.3 GM Koneru Humpy (2474) at the FIDE Women's Candidates Pool A Quarterfinals last month. Humpy did not forget it. Anna went all-in against Humpy. The attack certainly looks promising from a human perspective. However, computer feels otherwise.
20.f5 Ne7 21.f6 is an attacking player's instinctive way to play in this position. However, Humpy was ready with her rebuttal 21...Nd5 22.Rbd1 Ne5 23.fxg7 Re8 and Black has a decisive advantage. There is no further way for White to continue the attack.
Mariya - Vantika: 1-0
WGM Vantika Agrawal (2262) had a good tactical opportunity to equalize in the endgame against GM Mariya Muzychuk (2476).
28...b5 shifted the balance in White's favor after 29.axb5 axb5 30.Reg3. The kingside attack is too overwhelming for Black. Can you find out what tactic Black could have applied to stay in the game?
Savitha - Dzagnidze: 0-1
The youngest player of the event, WIM Savitha Shri B (2311) missed a great opportunity to score a big upset against Georgia no.1 and World no.10, GM Nana Dzagnidze (2475).
27.Ba6 Kg8 and Black remains fine. However, Black blundered 27...Bxa6 hanging an exchange 28.Nd7+. Unfortunately for the teenager, she missed her golden opportunity and went for 28.Nxa6. White made few positional inaccuracies in the rook and knight endgame, allowing her opponent to walk away with the win.
Round 2: Vantika - Savitha: 1-0
WIM Savitha Shri B (2311) fell into a thematic opening trap against WGM Vantika Agrawal (2262).
One must know this thematic pattern which can occur in King's Indian, Pirc or Modern Defence. Black did not know and played 14...Qc7 inviting 15.Ndb5 cxb5 16.Nxb5 Qe7 17.Nxd6 Ne6 18.e5 Nd7 19.Nxe8 Qxe8 20.f4. White got a substantial advantage and had no trouble converting it into a win.
Round 3: Savitha - Anna Muzychuk: 0.5-0.5
WIM Savitha Shri B (2311) played courageously to hold the 44th Chess Olympiad Gold medalist, GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 2458) to a draw.
Vaishali - Vantika: 1-0
IM Vaishali R (2351) completely dominated WGM Vantika Agrawal (2262) with a kingside annihilation.
Black's position was already very difficult to defend. The final nail in the coffin was driven via 28.Nxh6! gxh6 29.Qf5+ Rg6 30.Bxb7 Qxb7 31.hxg6+ and White won the game in another ten moves.
Kiolbasa - Dzagnidze: 0-1
IM Oliwia Kiolbasa (POL, 2304) suffered her third consecutive loss of the day after she made multiple inaccuracies in the endgame.
If Black doesn't take the knight, Black can win this quicker. 63...Bxe6 gave White one last opportunity to fight 64.fxe6 Nd5 65.Bb5 Ke5. Soon the passed e-pawns got exchanged and Black eventually outflanked the white king and went on to win the game.
Replay Round 1-3 games
Round 1-3 results
| Round 1 on 2022/11/29 at 1200 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 1 | 2458 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 0 - 1 | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 10 | |||
| 2 | 2 | 2476 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 1 - 0 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 9 | |||
| 3 | 3 | 2311 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 0 - 1 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 8 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 2351 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ½ - ½ | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 7 | |||
| 5 | 5 | 2304 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 0 - 1 | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6 | |||
| Round 2 on 2022/11/29 at 1300 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 10 | 2474 | GM | Koneru Humpy | ½ - ½ | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6 | |||
| 2 | 7 | 2475 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 1 - 0 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 5 | |||
| 3 | 8 | 2475 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 1 - 0 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 4 | |||
| 4 | 9 | 2262 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 1 - 0 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 3 | |||
| 5 | 1 | 2458 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | ½ - ½ | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 2 | |||
| Round 3 on 2022/11/29 at 1400 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 2476 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | ½ - ½ | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 10 | |||
| 2 | 3 | 2311 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | ½ - ½ | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 1 | |||
| 3 | 4 | 2351 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 1 - 0 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 9 | |||
| 4 | 5 | 2304 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 0 - 1 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 8 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 2371 | GM | Ushenina Anna | ½ - ½ | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 7 | |||
Round 4-6 pairings
| Round 4 on 2022/11/30 at 1200 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 10 | 2474 | GM | Koneru Humpy | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 7 | ||||
| 2 | 8 | 2475 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6 | ||||
| 3 | 9 | 2262 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 5 | ||||
| 4 | 1 | 2458 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | 2 | 2476 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 3 | ||||
| Round 5 on 2022/11/30 at 1300 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 3 | 2311 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 10 | ||||
| 2 | 4 | 2351 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | 5 | 2304 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 1 | ||||
| 4 | 6 | 2371 | GM | Ushenina Anna | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 9 | ||||
| 5 | 7 | 2475 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 8 | ||||
| Round 6 on 2022/11/30 at 1400 h | ||||||||||||
| Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | |||||
| 1 | 10 | 2474 | GM | Koneru Humpy | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 8 | ||||
| 2 | 9 | 2262 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 7 | ||||
| 3 | 1 | 2458 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 6 | ||||
| 4 | 2 | 2476 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 5 | ||||
| 5 | 3 | 2311 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 4 | ||||
Standings after Round 3
| Rk. | SNo | Name | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | ||
| 1 | 8 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | 2475 | 3 | 0 | 2,00 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2 | 10 | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2474 | 2 | 0 | 3,00 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | 2 | GM | Muzychuk Mariya | 2476 | 2 | 0 | 2,50 | 1 | 0 | |
| 4 | 6 | GM | Ushenina Anna | 2371 | 2 | 0 | 2,00 | 1 | 1 | |
| 5 | 7 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | 2475 | 2 | 0 | 1,75 | 1 | 0 | |
| 6 | 4 | IM | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2351 | 1,5 | 0 | 2,00 | 1 | 0 | |
| 7 | 1 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | 2458 | 1 | 0 | 1,25 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | 9 | WGM | Vantika Agrawal | 2262 | 1 | 0 | 0,50 | 1 | 0 | |
| 9 | 3 | WIM | Savitha Shri B | 2311 | 0,5 | 0 | 0,50 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | 5 | IM | Kiolbasa Oliwia | 2304 | 0 | 0 | 0,00 | 0 | 0 |
