Kazan Chess Grand Prix: Tough Tournament, Victory Satisfying, Says Koneru Humpy

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

 

Humpy - Nice Win in
Kazan Grand Prix

India's Koneru Humpy - joint winner of the Kazan Chess Grand Prix along with Slovakia's Anna Muzychuk - says, "It was the the highest ELO-ranked tournament also featuring former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk.” She was speaking to Indian sports magazine Sportstar while on her way home to Vijayawada via Hyderabad.


“The first-half was very demanding with little scope of taking any risk. That was the reason for too many drawn games,” she added.

“One of the high-points of this tournament was the victory over former world champion Antoaneta Stefanova,” said Humpy, who is also looking at the Grand Prix series as part of her preparations for the World Championship knock-outs this December.

“Having fared badly in the first Grand Prix, I feel that the performance in this second one is very satisfying. The Grand Prix series (2011-2012) features six events in all and I hope to keep improving in the next two scheduled to be held in Armenia and Turkey later this year,” the World No. 4 said.

“You need to have a lot of patience and play more steadily in the Grand Prix. You cannot take risks just like that. You have to be really good at the waiting game,” said the ONGC manager. “Never before in my career was I involved in so many drawn games in a tournament. That shows the intensity of the competition,” Humpy concluded.

Koneru Humpy, by virtue of the Kazan Grand Prix win, is expected to move up from 2589 to 2598 ELO points in the next FIDE ratings to be released soon.

Don't forget to read our other posts:

Congratulations to Humpy, Muzychuk for Winning Kazan Chess Grand Prix

Kazan Chess Grand Prix Top: Koneru Muzychuk Cmilyte Hou Kosteniuk Danielian

Three very Smart Beauties – Alexandra Kosteniuk, Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Can You Spot Chess Queen's Winning Move?

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,


Here is a position from the Alexandra Kosteniuk-Elina Danielian game played in Round 9 at the Kazan Chess Grand Prix on Wednesday. Can you guess what the Chess Queen played as her 23rd move?

Kosteniuk-Danielian 22... a5
What did White play as 23rd move?

For the answer, just visit Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk's blog entry.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Women's Chess Grand Prix in Kazan from June 9

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The fourth chess tournament in the FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2011-2012 is scheduled to take place from June 9-23 in Kazan, Russia. Twelve players will compete in the round robin event. Reigning women's world chess champion Hou Yifan had won the first to Grand Prix events of the series in Rostov and Shenzhen. She did not play in Nalchik. That event was won by Zhao Xue.

Participants:1 Hou Yifan GM CHN 2623
2 Viktorija Cmilyte GM LTU 2508
3 Elina Danielian GM ARM 2484
4 Humpy Koneru GM IND 2589
5 Alisa Galliamova WGM RUS 2484 (nominee of Kazan)
6 Nadezhda Kosintseva GM RUS 2528
7 Tatiana Kosintseva GM RUS 2532
8 Alexandra Kosteniuk GM RUS 2457
9 Kateryna Lahno GM UKR 2546
10 Anna Muzychuk GM SLO 2598
11 Antoaneta Stefanova GM BUL 2518
12 Betul Cemre Yildiz WGM TUR 2333

The FIDE Women Grand Prix is a series of elite tournaments which will be organised by FIDE and Global Chess. There will be six stages over two years in various countries around the world with three tournaments every year.

The winner of each tournament will win 6,500 euros out of a prize fund of 40,000 euros and the overall winner of the series will win a further 15,000 euros at the end of the series.

Tournament website

Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, important cultural, science and economical centre. In 2005 Kazan celebrated its 1000 anniversary. Kazan is a city of unique history and it is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com