[ad_1]
IM Polina Shuvalova and WGM Priyanka Nutakki earned their seats within the Julius Baer Girls’s Pace Chess Championship 2023 after rising on high of a two-day qualifier, which was a 14-round Swiss adopted by a double-elimination knockout.
The principle occasion begins on Monday, November 13. The primary quarterfinal, GM Hou Yifan vs. Shuvalova, begins at 6:00 a.m. ET / 12:00 CET / 4:30 p.m. IST and the second, GM Valentina Gunina vs. GM Harika Dronavalli, begins at 10 a.m. ET / 14:00 CET / 8:30 p.m. IST.
The WSCC is again this 12 months with a qualifier format that has grow to be acquainted in Chess.com occasions, a 14-round Swiss adopted by a knockout with the highest eight finishers. The 2 final winners, from that subject of eight, would be a part of the star-studded essential occasion.
Swiss
Sixty-nine gamers participated within the Swiss on Wednesday. The highest-eight finishers, proven under, moved on to the knockout on Thursday.
Last Swiss Standings | Prime 8
(Full standings right here.)
WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova received off to the perfect begin, profitable all seven of her first video games. As early as spherical 5, she was already the one participant with an ideal rating.
IM Deysi Cori, in the meantime, misplaced in spherical two however received the following seven video games in a row. Crucial was the Cori-Tokhirjonova encounter in spherical eight, which ended the latter’s good streak. That recreation ended with a classy checkmating assault after 25.Nf6!:
Cori went on to complete in clear first, however it wasn’t and not using a little bit of luck. In spherical 9, she was staring down the barrel in opposition to WGM Tatev Abrahamyan however, within the closing hour, was saved by her opponent’s mouse slip/queen blunder.
Tokhirjonova nonetheless managed to complete in fifth and likewise benefited from nice fortune. In spherical seven, she received a recreation with a queen much less:
The highest board within the closing spherical was dramatic as Priyanka received on time in opposition to the match chief to leap into fourth place with 10 factors. We all know now, after all, that she would find yourself profitable within the knockout in a while as properly!
Knockout
The eight gamers have been divided into two teams: the highest 4 within the Winners Bracket and the underside 4 within the Losers Bracket. The winner of every respective bracket would qualify with no need to play a Grand Last. The perk of beginning within the first bracket was, after all, beginning with “two lives.”
Knockout Last Standings
Every match was six video games: two 5+1, two 3+1, and two 1+1, adopted by an armageddon tiebreak if wanted.
Winners Bracket
Shuvalova received two matches within the Winners Bracket, defeating IM Anastasia Bodnaruk 3.5-2.5 within the semifinals after which Priyanka 4-2 within the closing.
The primary match was nearer than the second and was solely determined within the latest IMSCC champion‘s favor within the closing bullet recreation, the place the important thing judgment to commerce her bishop for a knight paid off.
Towards Priyanka within the Winners Last, Shuvalova misplaced only one recreation. She received the primary two and the final bullet recreation to safe her qualification spot. Their closing recreation was a 32-move demolition, the place even a draw would have sufficed. Can you discover the flashy ending blow your self?
Losers Bracket
Undeterred, Priyanka made probably the most of her second life within the Losers Bracket. She jumped straight to the Losers’ Last, the place she performed Bodnaruk.
Bodnaruk, alternatively, needed to beat WGM Dinara Wagner and IM Le Thao Nguyen Pham to get to this match. It must be talked about that the latter eradicated Cori earlier in what we will name the strangest recreation of the day.
Deysi Cori received yesterday’s Swiss, however is now out after dropping a second armageddon — with a weird end of blunder, mouse-slip, and untimely resignation! https://t.co/NqpPveGP69 #WSCC pic.twitter.com/fpIqF1Xhtj
— chess24.com (@chess24com) November 9, 2023
Again to Priyanka vs. Bodnaruk, the primary three video games of their six-game match resulted in attracts—one thing we not often see in velocity chess. Priyanka received the second 3+1 recreation because of a miscalculation by her opponent however then dropped some extent proper again within the first bullet recreation.
The ultimate bullet recreation, which determined the match, was a loopy, opposite-side castling brawl, and the 21-year-old Indian WGM accurately judged that her assault, beginning with 10…c4!, can be quicker.
Each winners additionally earned $500 every. After all, it solely will get tougher from right here. Shuvalova will face the highest-rated girl on the earth on Monday, whereas Priyanka can have her flip at three-time Girls’s World Blitz Champion GM Kateryna Lagno on Tuesday. Fasten your velocity belts—we’re in for a trip.
The 2023 Julius Baer Girls’s Pace Chess Championship (WSCC) is a web based competitors that includes among the strongest girls chess gamers on the earth. The occasion’s qualifier occurs on November 8 and 9 at 9 a.m. ET/15:00 CET, with the principle occasion beginning on November 13. The WSCC incorporates a $75,000 prize fund.
Earlier protection
[ad_2]