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Nazi Paikidze leads Russian Women's Chess Superfinal after six rounds with 4.5 points

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Nazi Paikidze

Hello Everyone,

The Russian Women's Superfinal is taking place from November 16-27 in Moscow. After six rounds, it is Nazi Paikidze who is leading with 4.5 points.

It is a round-robin event with 12 participants and a prize fund close to 50,000 USD. Eleven rounds will be played with time control 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, and 30 minutes to the end, with 30 seconds increment starting at move 1.

Standings after Round 6

-----------------------------

1. Paikidze Nazi 2401 - 4½

2. Pogonina Natalija 2472 - 4

3. Kosintseva Nadezhda 2576 - 4

4. Galliamova Alisa 2487 - 3½

5. Shadrina Tatiana 2384 - 3

6. Kosteniuk Alexandra 2507 - 3

7. Kosintseva Tatiana 2581 - 3

8. Nebolsina Vera 2377 - 3

9. Bodnaruk Anastasia 2407 - 3

10. Gunina Valentina 2479 - 2½

11. Girya Olga 2435 - 2

12. Matveeva Svetlana 2389 - ½

You can find great photos, all the great games and more information at the official website of www.russiachess.org.

Meanwhile, here are two games from Round 6. You can run the moves through our pgnplayer or watch in flash below.

PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O b6 14. Bd3 c5 15. Bb5 Rd8 16. Bc6 Rb8 17. Qc2 Nf6 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. b3 Ba6 20. Rc1 Nd5 21. Bxd5 Rxd5 22. e4 Rdd8 23. h3 c4 24. bxc4 Qc5 25. Nd2 Bb7 26. Nb3 Qe5 27. Re3 Bc6 28. Qc3 Qc7 29. Rg3 e5 30. Rd3 Rxd3 31. Qxd3 Rd8 32. Qe3 Qd7 33. f3 f6 34. c5 Bb5 35. Qc3 Kh7 36. c6 Qc7 37. Qa5 Qb6+ 38. Kh2 Rc8 39. c7 Kg6 40. Rc5 Bd7 41. Qc3 h5 42. f4 exf4 43. Qf3 Kf7 44. Qxh5+ Kf8 45. e5 Rxc7 46. Qh8+ Kf7 47. exf6 gxf6 48. Rh5 f3 49. Rh7+ Ke6 50. Qg8+ Kd6 51. Qg3+ Ke6 52. Qg4+ Kd6 53. Qf4+ Kc6 54. Qxf3+ Kb5 55. Qd5+ 1-0

PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4 h6 7. Be3 a6 8. f3 b5 9. Qd2 b4 10. Nce2 e5 11. Nb3 a5 12. c4 Be6 13. Ng3 a4 14. Nc1 Nc6 15. Nd3 Rb8 16. Rc1 h5 17. g5 h4 18. Nf5 g6 19. Nh6 Nh7 20. f4 Be7 21. Rg1 exf4 22. Bxf4 Nxg5 23. Bxg5 Bxg5 24. Rxg5 Rxh6 25. Rb5 Rh8 26. Nxb4 Ne5 27. Qe3 h3 28. Be2 Kf8 29. a3 Qh4+ 30. Qf2 Rc8 31. c5 Qxe4 32. c6 Kg7 33. c7 Bg4 34. Rc3 Rhe8 35. Kd2 Bxe2 36. Qxe2 Nc4+ 0-1

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

Also see her personal blog at

Russian Women's Chess Superfinal: Nice games from Rounds 3, 4 & 5

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Chess delights the soul but the Goddess Caissa can be cruel. You can pour your blood for 40 moves and then see it all evaporate. But it's a willing sacrifice for a Goddess so exalted.

We welcome you to share the agony, the joy, the sorrow and the happiness that is chess with these fine games from the Russian Women's Superfinal Rounds 3,4 and 5.

Play the moves in our pgnplayer or simply watch them in flash below. And, while you're going through the games run this most appropriate song for the occasion.

"Sometimes it's peaceful, sometimes it' s wild...

on the river of chess...

swept on forever to be lost forever in the stormy seas...

i lost my heart on the river of chess

gone forever down the river of chess..."

Oh! We meant the River of no return.

(On the river of chess with no return...)

Play that while you go through the games - particularly the first one. Enjoy.

PGN: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ne7 8. c4 Nbc6 9. Qa4 a6 10. Nd2 Qd7 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Rc1 Bb4 14. O-O Nxe3 15. Qxb4 Nxf1 16. Nc4 Qe7 17. Nd6+ Kf8 18. Rxc6 Kg8 19. Bxf1 a5 20. Qc5 h5 21. Rc7 Qf8 22. Ba6 Bg6 23. Bc8 Kh7 24. f4 Qd8 25. g3 Rb8 26. Bb7 f6 27. Be4 f5 28. Bb7 Rf8 29. b3 h4 30. Kg2 Bh5 31. Qc6 Be8 32. Qc3 Bd7 33. Kf2 Kh8 34. Qxa5 g5 35. Qc3 h3 36. a4 gxf4 37. gxf4 Qh4+ 38. Ke3 Be8 39. a5 Rg8 40. Nxf5 Qg4 41. Qe1 exf5 42. a6 Bh5 43. e6 Rge8 44. Kd3 Rbd8+ 45. Kc2 Kg8 46. a7 Qxf4 47. Rd7 Qxh2+ 48. Kc3 Rxd7 49. exd7 Qc7+ 50. Kd4 Qxd7+ 51. Kc3 Rxe1 52. a8=Q+ Kg7 53. Bd5 Re8 54. Qa5 Re5 0-1

PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Qc7 8. a4 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 b6 13. Nd2 Bb7 14. Bc4 g5 15. Bg3 Nxe4 16. Ndxe4 Bxe4 17. Bxf7+ Rxf7 18. Nxe4 Qc6 19. Nc3 Nf6 20. f3 Qc4 21. Qd3 Rc8 22. Qg6+ Rg7 23. Qxh6 Qe6 24. Rae1 Qf5 25. Qh3 Qxh3 26. gxh3 Kf7 27. Re2 Ke6 28. Rd1 Rc4 29. Rd3 Rg8 30. b3 Rc6 31. Na2 b5 32. Nb4 Rcc8 33. axb5 axb5 34. Kg2 Rc7 35. Rd1 Ra8 36. Rd4 Rac8 37. Rd1 Ra8 38. h4 gxh4 39. Bxh4 Rg8+ 40. Bg3 Nh5 41. Kf2 Bd8 42. Nd3 Kf5 43. Nb4 Rh7 44. Rxd6 Nxg3 45. hxg3 Rh2+ 46. Ke3 Rxe2+ 47. Kxe2 Be7 48. g4+ Kg5 49. Rd5 Bxb4 50. Rxe5+ Kf6 51. Rxb5 Re8+ 52. Kd3 Be1 53. Rf5+ Kg6 54. c4 Rb8 55. Rb5 Rd8+ 56. Rd5 Rb8 57. Kc2 Rf8 58. Kd1 Bb4 59. Rb5 Bc3 60. Ke2 Rf7 61. c5 Be5 62. c6 Bd6 63. Rd5 Bb4 64. Rd4 Bc5 65. Rc4 Bb6 66. b4 Kg5 67. Re4 Ra7 68. Kd3 Ra3+ 69. Kc4 Rxf3 70. Kb5 Bc7 71. Re7 Bd6 72. Rd7 Bg3 73. Kb6 Rb3 74. b5 Bf2+ 75. Ka6 Ra3+ 76. Kb7 Ra7+ 77. Kb8 Ra5 78. Rd5+ Kxg4 79. c7 Bg3 80. Kb7 1-0

PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 g6 8. Bd3 Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Qd8 12. c5 b6 13. Qc2 Bxd4 14. Nxd4 Qxd4 15. Rad1 Qe5 16. Rfe1 Ba6 17. b4 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 b5 19. Qf3 Kg7 20. h4 a5 21. a3 axb4 22. axb4 Ra7 23. Ng5 Qf5 24. Qc3+ Kg8 25. Ne4 e5 26. Rd6 f6 27. Ng3 Qc8 28. h5 Rg7 29. Qf3 Nd7 30. hxg6 Qe8 31. Qxc6 e4 32. Nf5 Qxg6 33. Qd5+ Kh8 34. Nxg7 Ne5 35. Ne6 Nf3+ 36. Kf1 Nh2+ 37. Ke2 Qxg2 38. Qf5 Ra8 39. Qxf6+ Kg8 40. Rd8+ Rxd8 41. Qxd8+ Kf7 42. Qd7+ Kf6 43. Qg7+ 1-0

PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 c5 5. Bxc4 a6 6. O-O Nf6 7. Bb3 Be7 8. dxc5 Qxd1 9. Bxd1 Bxc5 10. Ne5 Nfd7 11. Nd3 Be7 12. Bd2 Nc6 13. Bc3 f6 14. Nd2 Nb6 15. Bh5+ g6 16. Bf3 Kf7 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Ba5 Rb8 19. Rfd1 Rd8 20. Nb3 Rd5 21. e4 Rb5 22. Nd4 Rxa5 23. Nxc6 Bb7 24. Nxb8 Bxe4 25. f3 Bd5 26. Nf4 Bxa2 27. Nxe6 Ra4 28. Nc7 a5 29. Nc6 Bc5+ 30. Kh1 Bb3 31. Re1 Rxa1 32. Rxa1 a4 33. Re1 g5 34. h4 gxh4 35. Re4 h3 36. g3 h5 37. Kh2 Bd1 38. Nd8+ Kg6 39. Nce6 Bf2 40. Nf4+ Kh6 41. Nf7+ Kg7 42. Nd6 Bxf3 43. Re7+ Kg8 44. Nf5 1-0

PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 c5 8. Bd3 Qa5 9. Qc2 c4 10. Bf5 O-O 11. O-O Re8 12. Nd2 g6 13. Bxd7 Nxd7 14. Rae1 Nb6 15. f3 Bd7 16. Bh6 Bxc3 17. bxc3 Na4 18. Rc1 Re6 19. e4 Rae8 20. Bf4 f6 21. h4 b5 22. a3 Qd8 23. h5 Kf7 24. hxg6+ hxg6 25. Kf2 Bc6 26. Rh1 Rh8 27. Rce1 Ree8 28. exd5 Bxd5 29. Rxh8 Rxh8 30. Ne4 Kg7 31. Nd6 Qd7 32. Qd2 Bf7 33. d5 Nc5 34. Kg3 Nd3 35. Ne4 Qxd5 36. Nf2 Nxe1 37. Qxe1 Qh5 0-1

In fact, there were great games all around. You could pick up any game and feel the thrill of chess as played by some of the best women chess players of Russia (and the world). Find them at the fantastic official website of www.russiachess.org.

Standings after Round 5

------------------------------

1-2. Kosintseva N. Pogonina - 4

3. Paikidze -3.5

4. Shadrina - 3,

5-7. Galliamova, T. Kosintseva, Kosteniuk - 2.5,

8-10. Nebolsina, Bodnaruk, Kettlebell - 2

11. Gunina - 1.5,

12. Matveeva - 0.5

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

Also see her personal blog at

Russian Women's Chess Superfinal: Nice games from Round 1 and 2

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Nazi Paikidze

Hi Everyone,

Here is a selection of games from the Russian Women's Superfinal Championship 2010 currently being played in Moscow, parallel to the World Blitz Chess Championship 2010. Two rounds have been played and you can find some great photographs at the official website of www.russiachess.org and portraits of top players at www.chesspics.com.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

Also see her personal blog at

Cool video: What was Kramnik doing at the Russian Women's Chess Championship?

Chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hi Everybody,

What has Vladimir Kramnik been doing at the Russian Women's Chess Championship? He's been playing chess of course! You mean Kramnik has been playing chess at the Russian Women's Championship? Is that a new gender thing?

Well gender thing yes. Watch the video.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for a super report on the opening of the Russian Women's Chess Championship check www.chessbase.com. You will love the photos and all the other videos. Enjoy.

You can also keep track of the action at the official website of www.russiachess.org and chess-news.ru.

The World Blitz Championship is being held parallel to the Russian Women's Championship. So, Kramnik took time out to check the 'strong' chess player. This special display was arranged with the guests.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

Also see her personal blog at