Fifth International Alexander the Great Open Tournament

The Alexander the Great International Open is part of the Games Festival and takes place May 7 -12, 2013 (website):

Standings after Round 6 -- check this out -- four chess femmes in the top 10:

Rk.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	WGM	Sukandar Irine Kharisma	INA	2370	5.5	0.0	22.0	20.00
2	IM	Erdogdu Mert	TUR	2422	5.0	0.0	20.0	16.00
3	IM	Sapar Emelbek	KGZ	2339	4.5	0.5	23.0	15.25
4	IM	Miljkovic Miroslav D	SRB	2471	4.5	0.5	20.0	14.50
5	IM	Klinova Masha	ISR	2316	4.0	0.0	24.5	15.00
6	IM	Itkis Boris	ROU	2395	4.0	0.0	22.0	13.25
7	GM	Tadic Branko	SRB	2517	4.0	0.0	20.5	12.00
8	IM	Arsovic Zoran	SRB	2434	4.0	0.0	20.5	11.50
9	WGM	Stojanovic Andjelija	SRB	2282	4.0	0.0	18.5	11.25
10	WIM	Djukic Sandra	SRB	2199	4.0	0.0	18.5	11.00
11	GM	Antic Dejan	SRB	2473	4.0	0.0	18.0	11.75
12		Asgarov Mushfig	AZE	2226	3.5	0.0	20.5	9.75
13		Husseinov Shahin	AZE	2193	3.5	0.0	20.0	8.75
14	FM	Nina Miguel Angel	PER	2284	3.5	0.0	19.5	9.00
15	WIM	Drljevic Ljilja	SRB	2174	3.5	0.0	17.5	8.25
16		Tsarouhas Vasilios	GRE	2173	3.5	0.0	17.0	7.75
17		Katapodis Gerasimos	GRE	1849	3.5	0.0	17.0	6.00
18		Lekatis Ioannis	GRE	1687	3.5	0.0	15.5	7.75
19		Dorfanis Ilarion	GRE	2184	3.0	0.0	22.5	9.00
20		Avagianos Simeon	GRE	2027	3.0	0.0	21.5	10.25
21		Ladopoulos Dimitrios	GRE	2100	3.0	0.0	17.0	6.00
22		Yepez Duran Julio Abrahan	VEN	1762	3.0	0.0	16.0	6.50
23		Altaher Tarek Ali	UAE	1883	3.0	0.0	16.0	6.00
24		Tuzhba Konstantin	RUS	1932	3.0	0.0	15.5	4.00
25		Mitrou Vasiliki	GRE	1707	2.5	0.0	19.0	6.25
26		Tserendorj Batsaikhan	USA	2074	2.5	0.0	17.5	5.25
27		Grapsa Georgia	GRE	1997	2.5	0.0	17.5	5.25
28		Kakushadze Ilia	GRE	2046	2.5	0.0	17.0	4.50
29		Shadykul Darkhan	KAZ	0	2.5	0.0	14.5	5.00
30	WGM	Strutinskaya Galina N	RUS	2316	2.0	0.0	18.5	5.50
31		Davaademberel Purevdorj	MGL	0	2.0	0.0	17.0	4.50
32		David Dorian-Ciprian	ROU	1721	2.0	0.0	16.5	3.50
		Kourtesis Dimos	GRE	1569	2.0	0.0	16.5	3.50
34		Stavropoulos Aris	GRE	0	2.0	0.0	15.5	4.00
35		Zygourakis Themistoklis	GRE	1616	2.0	0.0	15.0	3.00
36		Tepelidis Savvas	GRE	0	2.0	0.0	14.5	2.50
37		Tsakouridis Georgios	GRE	1425	1.0	0.0	16.5	1.50
38		Mohammadi Matin Neda	IRI	0	1.0	0.0	14.5	1.50
39		Mendez-Gasarjian Jacquelin	VEN	0	1.0	0.0	14.5	0.50
40		Mohammadi Matin Hossein	IRI	0	0.5	0.0	12.0	1.00
41		Hernandez Bermudez Ulises	VEN	2038	0.0	0.0	14.0	0.00
42	FM	Rios Parra Mauricio	COL	2297	0.0	0.0	13.5	0.00
	WCM	Al-Maghbali Shama	UAE	1599	0.0	0.0	13.5	0.00
		Al Dhaffari Salma	UAE	1573	0.0	0.0	13.5	0.00
		Al- Meghbali Ahmed	UAE	0	0.0	0.0	13.5	0.00
		Mahalati Rayeni Nahid	IRI	0	0.0	0.0	13.5	0.00

Annotation:
Tie Break1: Direct Encounter (The results of the players in the same point group)
Tie Break2: Buchholz Tie-Breaks (variabel with parameter)
Tie Break3: Sonneborn-Berger-Tie-Break variable

2013 U.S. Women's Chess Championships: Round 8

5:10 p.m.

Been watching and listening to live coverage of R8.  The U.S. Championship is going to be fireworks tomorrow, for sure.  And for the chess femmes, are are results thus far:

Sabina Foisor - Viktorija Ni (...Rg8 41. Qxe6) 1 - 0
Iryna Zenyuk - Anna Zatonskih (39. Rxg2 Qxe1) 0 -1

As expected, Zatonskih took a full point from Zenyuk, and now must wait for the outcome of the Abrahamyan - Krush game to see where she stands going into Round 9!

Yet to be finished for the ladies:

Tatev Abrahamyan - Irina Krush (through move 49))
Camilla Baginskaite - Sarah Chiang (white through move 46)
Alena Kats - Anjelina Belakovskaia (white through move 43)

Stay tuned!  Something tells me my hair is going to go several shades of grey while I wait for the denoument of R8!

Updated 5:23 p.m.

Holy Hathor!  Update - Krush has defeated Abrahamyan.  Abrahamyan evidently resigned before making her 51st move.

Updated 6:11 p.m.

Camilla Baginskaite - Sarah Chiang (...Ka1 69. f6) 1 -0
Alena Kata 0 Anjelina Belakovskaia (...Kh8 68. f7) 1 -0

Updated 6:17 p.m.

Hola darlings!  Here are the official results for R8:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	2300	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262	1-0
2	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	2280	IM Krush, Irina	6.5	2470	0-1
3	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	3.0	2278	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	2098	1-0
4	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	2144	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	2263	1-0
5	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	2243	IM Zatonskih, Anna	5.5	2466	0-1

Here are the women's standings after R8:

Rank	Name	Score	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	IM Krush, Irina	7.5	F	2470	2704	+1.43	1	1	1	1	1	½	1	1
2	IM Zatonskih, Anna	6.5	F	2466	2508	+0.47	1	1	0	1	½	1	1	1
3	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	F	2280	2424	+1.53	1	1	½	1	½	1	½	0
4	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	4.0	F	2278	2257	-0.24	½	0	1	½	½	0	½	1
5	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	F	2243	2287	+0.45	1	0	1	0	½	½	1	0
6	WGM Foisor, Sabina	3.5	F	2300	2212	-0.99	0	0	0	1	1	½	0	1
7	WFM Kats, Alena	3.0	F	2144	2233	+0.77	0	½	½	½	0	½	0	1
8	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	F	2263	2146	-1.26	0	1	1	0	0	0	½	0
9	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	F	2262	2090	-1.81	½	½	0	0	1	0	0	0
10	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	F	2098	2064	-0.35	0	0	0	0	0	1	½	0

And the pairings for the final round of regulation play tomorrow:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	IM Zatonskih, Anna	6.5	2466	WGM Foisor, Sabina	3.5	2300
2	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	2263	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	2243
3	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	2098	WFM Kats, Alena	3.0	2144
4	IM Krush, Irina	7.5	2470	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	4.0	2278
5	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	2280

Krush needs only a draw against Baginskaite tomorrow to secure first place because she will have 8.0.  Baginskaite would have to defeat Krush  and Zatonskih would have to win her game against Sabine Foisor in order to force a play-off.  All of this gets too complicated for me!  I'm content to just wait and see what develops tomorrow. I will say this:  barring some unforeseen horrible collapse, I just do not see Krush losing her R9 game, and no offense intended against Camilla Baginskaite.

I will once again have both laptops going tomorrow: one tuned into the live coverage at USchesschamps.com and one where I can be doing other things.

Predictions:

Oh hell, I'm so lousy at this, but I'm going to do it anyway:

Zatonskih over Foisor
Belakovskaia draws with Zenyuk
Chiang draws with Kats
Krush over Baginskaite
Ni loses to Abrahamyan

2013 FIDE Women's Grand Prix: Geneva Rounds 7 and 8

Results of yesterday's matches:

Round 7 on 2013/05/10 at 14:00
SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
4	WGM	Tuvshintugs Batchimeg	2298	0 - 1	GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2491	12
5	GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2522	0 - 1	IM	Bela Khotenashvili	2505	3
6	GM	Anna Muzychuk	2585	1 - 0	GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2517	2
7	WGM	Olga Girya	2463	0 - 1	GM	Nana Dzagnidze	2545	1
8	GM	Kateryna Lagno	2548	0 - 1	GM	Yifan Hou	2617	11
9	GM	Anna Ushenina	2491	0 - 1	WGM	Wenjun Ju	2544	10

Results of today's matches:

Round 8 on 2013/05/11 at 14:00
SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
12	GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2491	1 - 0	WGM	Wenjun Ju	2544	10
11	GM	Yifan Hou	2617	0 - 1	GM	Anna Ushenina	2491	9
1	GM	Nana Dzagnidze	2545	0 - 1	GM	Kateryna Lagno	2548	8
2	GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2517	1 - 0	WGM	Olga Girya	2463	7
3	IM	Bela Khotenashvili	2505	½ - ½	GM	Anna Muzychuk	2585	6
4	WGM	Tuvshintugs Batchimeg	2298	½ - ½	GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2522	5

Holy Hathor!  Kosteniuk making a late move, winning her second game in a row!  Hou Yifan losing to Ushenina (?)!  Other than in events where primarily male players were participating, when has Hou ever lost 3 games in an event?  Lahno defeating Dzagnidze with the black pieces!  What's going on in Geneva?  More importantly, what's in the water - and can I get some of that here in Milwaukee?

Standings after Round 8:

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	Res.	vict
1	3	IM	Bela Khotenashvili	2505	GEO	*	½		0	1		0	1	1	1	1		5½	½	5
2	6	GM	Anna Muzychuk	2585	SLO	½	*	½	1	½	½	1	½				1	5½	½	3
3	8	GM	Kateryna Lagno	2548	UKR		½	*		½	½	0	1	1		½	1	5	0	3
4	2	GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2517	RUS	1	0		*			½	½	½	½	1	1	5	0	3
5	10	WGM	Wenjun Ju	2544	CHN	0	½	½		*	1			0	1	½	1	4½	1	3
6	9	GM	Anna Ushenina	2491	UKR		½	½		0	*	1		1	½	½	½	4½	0	2
7	11	GM	Yifan Hou	2617	CHN	1	0	1	½		0	*			0	1	½	4	0	3
8	1	GM	Nana Dzagnidze	2545	GEO	0	½	0	½				*	½	1	½	1	4	0	2
9	12	GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2491	RUS	0		0	½	1	0		½	*	1		½	3½	0	2
10	4	WGM	Tuvshintugs Batchimeg	2298	MGL	0			½	0	½	1	0	0	*	½		2½	½	1
11	5	GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2522	LTU	0		½	0	½	½	0	½		½	*		2½	½	0
12	7	WGM	Olga Girya	2463	RUS		0	0	0	0	½	½	0	½			*	1½	0	0

2013 FIDE Women's Grand Prix Geneva: Round 8 Hou Yivan v. Anna Ushenina.

May 12th is a much needed rest day before the final two rounds. 

The only player left who has not suffered a loss thus far is Anna Muzychuk.  This is a gem of a tournament, to my way of thinking.  No one is running away with it (although, in the tradition of other fabulous Georgian chessplayers, Khotenashvili is looking more and more solid as the tournament goes on), and several "upsets."  Wish I could play a tenth as well, but darlings, I'm hopeless.  Last night I resigned a game before move 12 (with the black pieces) when I was checked with a knight on the back row and would lose a rook next move.  Hopeless.  I'm hopeless. 

2013 U.S. Women's Chess Championship: Round 7

It was ladies' night out last night, so I'm catching up today by listening to a recording of yesterday's live action.  Here are the results R7 and standings after R7:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	3.0	2243	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	2300	1-0
2	IM Zatonskih, Anna	4.5	2466	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	2144	1-0
3	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.0	2263	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	2.5	2278	½-½
4	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.0	2098	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.0	2280	½-½
5	IM Krush, Irina	5.5	2470	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262	1-0

Rank	Name	Score	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	IM Krush, Irina	6.5	F	2470	2679	+1.18	1	1	1	1	1	½	1
2	IM Zatonskih, Anna	5.5	F	2466	2489	+0.25	1	1	0	1	½	1	1
3	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	F	2280	2486	+1.78	1	1	½	1	½	1	½
4	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	F	2243	2312	+0.67	1	0	1	0	½	½	1
5	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	3.0	F	2278	2230	-0.50	½	0	1	½	½	0	½
6	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	F	2300	2152	-1.44	0	0	0	1	1	½	0
7	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	F	2263	2206	-0.60	0	1	1	0	0	0	½
8	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	F	2262	2122	-1.36	½	½	0	0	1	0	0
9	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	F	2144	2170	+0.11	0	½	½	½	0	½	0
10	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	F	2098	2091	-0.09	0	0	0	0	0	1	½

Krush back to form with a win, Zatonskih had to work hard for her victory over Alena Kats but won the point with white in the end, to move 1 point back of the lead and moved into second place over Abrahamyan, who dropped to third after drawing her game with Sarah Chiang (according to the live commentary at one point GM Yasser Seirawan really liked Abrahamyan's chances of winning the game, so -- something happened -- but perhaps after her win yesterday Chiang has got over a big psychological barrier and is now playing up to her full potential).  Belakovskaia and Baginskaite drew their game in 31 moves. 

I didn't expect to see a draw in Krush's game (which I didn't), and I didn't expect to see a draw in Abrahamyan's game, either; I was surprised there!  Obviously this has big implications for today's R8 where Krush and Abrahamyan will face off against each other.

Let's take a look at R8 match-ups:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	2300	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262
2	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	2280	IM Krush, Irina	6.5	2470
3	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	3.0	2278	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	2098
4	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	2144	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	2263
5	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	2243	IM Zatonskih, Anna	5.5	2466

The games I'll be following are Abrahamyan v. Krush and Zenyuk v. Zatonskih.  Realistically, one would expect both Krush and Zatonskih to win their respective games despite playing with the black pieces. Both championships, however, have thrown up interesting surprises (like Kamsky's and Onischuk's draws yesterday), and my score as a prognosticator isn't very good, darlings :)  So I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the action on live coverage for R8 while continuing my house-cleaning blitz.

I will also be paying attention to the women's lower boards as the ladies on the bottom half of the scoreboard will be fighing for every increment of prize money.

And the Goddesschess Fighting Spirit (Fighting Chess) Prize of $500 is up for grabs.  The women are NOT making it easy to select a winner, let me tell you!