The women’s title match has almost no Indian media coverage despite Koneru Humpy being the challenger. Although Humpy (2600) has the higher rating, she is the underdog against Hou Yifan (2578).
The 17-year-old champion shows signs of potential genius. She has a big plus-score against Humpy head-to-head. Yifan is backed to the hilt by her national federation, with permanent GM trainers and the funding to travel with parents (usually her mother).
Humpy has been in a feud with the AICF, which doesn’t have too much funding anyway. AICF resources cover the cost of one “permanent trainer”, and that is her father, Koneru Ashok, an enthusiastic amateur. She did however, put in a few pre-match training sessions.
The 10 game match is the first chess event hosted by Albania, which was, for six decades, the most closed-down and poorest European economy. Under strongman Enver Hoxha (pronounced “Anwar Huda”), the predominantly Muslim nation declared atheism the state religion and isolated itself.
The fund of 200,000 euros will be split 60:40. There will be tie-breakers, if required. The video coverage is decent (commentary in Russian). The first two games were drawn without incident. Yifan has taken the lead in Game 3. Humpy had the better of the openings all three time. But Yifan won with a mix of precise defence and counter-attack after Humpy over-estimated her chances.
Meanwhile, the cream of the crop are playing the Tal Memorial in Moscow. This 10-player round robin features Carlsen, Anand, Aronyan, Kramnik, Karjakin, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Svidler, Nakamura and Nepomniachtchi.
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Statistically, this is the first event with four 2800-players. Anand and Gelfand will be playing a title match in 2012 so they may underperform here, playing “soft openings”. After two rounds, Carlsen, Nepomniachtchi and Ivanchuk share the lead with 1.5 each while Anand, Aronyan, Karjakin and Nakamura are at even scores with two draws each.
The Diagram, WHITE TO PLAY, Humpy Vs Hou Yifan Women’s World Championship 2011, Game 3, is where the fireworks start. White speculates on king side attack, rather than building with 18. Rf2. Black finds a superb defence after a pawn grab. Humpy played 18.Bh5?! Qxa2 19.Rf6 Qb2! 20.Rxh6 Bf5! 21.Rf6 Be4! 22.Bf3 Bd3! 23.Qe1 Rae8 24.Bxd5 Rxe5 25.e4? Kg7? Here 25...Rd8! wins outright since 26.Bxf7+ Kg7 27. Bd5 Rxd5 ( or26.Rf2 Qb6 27.Qd2 Bxe4). But black finds a safe line. 26.Rf2 Qb6 27.Qd2 Rd8! Very cool - 28.Bxf7? Bxe4 29.Qa2 Bd3 and Re2.
28.Qb2 f5 29.Qxb6 axb6 30.Bxb7 fxe4 31.Rb2? Maybe 31.Ra2 Re7 32.Bc6 Rd6 33.Ba8 holds 31...Re7! 32.Bc6 Rd6! The b6 pawn is taboo due to pins against Rb6. Ba8 loses to Ra7. 33.Ba4 e3 34.Re1 e2 35.Bc2 Rf7 36.Bxd3 cxd3 37.Rd2 (0–1) White didn't wait for 37.-- Rdf6.
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player