2010 U.S. Women's Chess Chamionship - R6

Wow - Abby Marshall and Anna Zatonskih are still battling.  It is Zatonskih's move, 62; she had about 1:20 on her clock; Marshall has 2:39.  I can't say who has an edge here.  I'm amazed at the number of pieces still on the board!

All of the other games were decisive:

Zenyuk - Rohonyan:  0 - 1
Foisor - Krush:  0 - 1
Marinello - Abrahamyan:  0 - 1
Melekhina - Baginskaite:  1 - 0

Tomorrow is a rest day, thank Goddess!  I sure need one, it's been exhausting watching this championship. What must it feel like actually playing in it? 

Just took another look - Abby resigned after move 68.  Here are the unofficial standings:

Zatonskih 5.5
Krush 5.0
Abrahamyan 5.0
Melekhina 3.5
Foisor 2.5
Rohanyan 2.5
Baginskaite 2.0
Zenyuk 2.0
Marinello 1.5
Marshall 0.5

How did I fare with my prognostications?  Here is what I said last night:

Foisor/Krush: 0 - 1. I'll take a POINT on that, thank you very much. A 35 move game.

Melekhina/Baginskaite: 1/2 - 1/2. Outside chance for Melekhina to score a full point, but she's tired and it's showing. If it gets down to a game past time control, I'm saying draw, as neither player is in the mood for a 60 to 80 move battle that may end in a draw anyway. Melekhina will come out with some long drawn-out variations to try and wear Baginskaite down and attempt to force her into a mistake through sheer exhaustion. Yeah - doesn't make much sense, does it? LOL! The game was 34 moves and Baginskaite resigned - they didn't reach time control. There was some sharp play on both sides. I thought draw but gave Melekhina an outside chance at the full point if the game was short. The game was short and Melekhina won it. I'll take the POINT.

Zenyuk/Rohonyan: 1/2 - 1/2. Seasoned warriors that they are, they may well reach a dead-drawn game early on. Dead wrong! The players made time control and the game ended on move 49. Knowing the previous problems she's had with time in this event, I figure Zenyuk must have run into time troubles again and made some inaccurate moves that Rohonyan was able to capitalize on. Zero points.

Marshall/Zatonskih: realistically, Zatonskih should take the full point; but for some reason that makes no sense my intuition is telling me that this could well end in a draw - and a short one at that. Zatonskih may want to start her day off early. Zatonskih has not lost a game this Championship; she can spare a draw as long as she scores 2.5 more points in her final 3 games... Dead wrong. Marshall was clearly gunning for a win from the start but once again Zatonskih's greater experience saved her. The game wasn't short either. Zero points.

Marinello/Abrahamyan: 0 -1. Tatev is in no mood to compromise with anyone, not even for an extra half-day off time. I don't expect a slow, grinding down game no matter what Marinello attempts. POINT to Jan. (Photo of Abrahamyan from R5, against Abby Marshall, from Chessbase report).

My score:  3.0/5.

I am very impressed with Abrahamyan's record of a win, a loss and then 4 straight wins!  Her play has been impressive to me too.  I am very impressed with Melekhina's and Marshall's ability to come back after devastating losses of some very close games.  Both chess femmes have maintained their fighting spirit.  Indeed, no one is coasting to the finish in this Championship.  I wish we could give Fighting Chess Awards to all of them!

Okay, time to wrap this up, it's been an hour at least I've been working on this - time to get a move on with other things!

Does Anna Zatonskih have more lives than a cat?