Harika bows out, Russia vs. Ukraine Finals

Capture

In a nail biting finish to the tiebreakers of the semi-final match-ups at the Women’s World Chess Championship at Sochi, Ukranian Mariya Muzychuk was able to fend off the Indian challenge from Dronavalli Harika. In the other clash between Russian Natalia Pogonina and Swedish legend Pia Cramling, the Russian star was able to out-run her older opponent.

Indian star GM Dronavalli Harika taking on Ukranian GM Mariya Muzychuck (Photo: A. Karlovich)
Indian star GM Dronavalli Harika taking on Ukranian GM Mariya Muzychuck (Photo: A. Karlovich)
Russian GM Natalia Pogonina
Russian GM Natalia Pogonina (Photo: A. Karlovich)

Russian GM Pogonina played a marathon game with the white pieces in the second rapid tiebreak game after drawing the first duel to win and qualify for the finals. Thus, she maintains her amazing series of comebacks and had to wait to see who her opponent for the finals would be.

The clash between Indian GM Dronavalli Harika and Ukranian GM Mariya Muzychuk proved to be a dramatic showdown. They played the tiebreak rapid games after drawing both their classical encounters. In the first game with the white pieces, Harika had an assured advantage against Muzychuk’s Dutch defence to which she replied with a double-fianchetto set-up. Unfortunately, she let her advantage slip and ended up losing. Requiring a win with the black pieces in the second tiebreak rapid game, Harika came back strongly in the late middlegame and won, drawing level with her Ukranian opponent.

In the second tiebreak, with a time control of ten minutes each plus ten seconds per move, Muzychuk was able to hold Harika to a draw with black pieces and managed to beat her with white in the second game, thus winning the match-up and moving to the finals.

This sets up an exciting Russia vs. Ukraine duel in the Finals of the Women’s World Chess Championship with GM Natalia Pogonina taking on GM Mariya Muzychuk.

Stay tuned for more updates. You may follow the broadcast of games on your FollowChess App.

Official website: http://sochi2015.fide.com/en/main-page

Aeroflot Chess round 4 : Sasikiran held to draw, Vidit loses

Round 4 results of Aeroflot Open chesschess 2015

Sasikiran (2682) drew Kovalenko (2661)

Ian Nepomniachtchi (2714) beat Vidit (2625)

Adhiban beat compatriot Swayams with Black pieces

Stupak (2567) beat Ankit (2477)

Sethuraman (2623) drew Vallejo Pons (2708) & Vishnu (2477) drew Bok (2587)

Pogonina beats Cramling to draw match. Muzychuk drew Harika

Pogonina of Russia played an attacking game to beat Pia Cramling of Sweden and avenge her loss in the previous round of the World Women’s chess championship semifinal.

Harika could only manage a draw with White piecespieces against Mariya Muzychuk, inspite of being a pawn up in the Rook endgame.

Both set of players will play Rapid tie breaks tomorrow.

Aeroflot Chess round 3 : Sasikiran in sole lead

It was a good day for India at Chess.

India’s Krishnan Sasikiran beat Ponkratov Pavel (ELO 2613) of RussiaRussia to take sole lead after 3 rounds of Aeroflot Chess.

Adhiban (2646) missed some good winning chances and had to settle for a draw against Ian Nepomniatchichi (2714, RUS)

Swayams Mishra (2440) defeated higher rated Pavel Tregubov (2617)

Vidit (2625) drew Korobov (2694)

Sethuraman (2623) beat Can (2555)

Vishnu (2477) beat Jumabayev (2572)

World Women Chess semifinal : Cramling beats Pogonina, Muzychuk Harika draw!!

51 year old Pia Cramling of Sweden is on a roll! She beat Pogonina (RUS) in the first semi-final game!!

Harika held Muzychuk to a draw in another exciting game which seemed to sway either way.

Harika will have the benefit of the White pieces on Monday.

Fagernes International Chess 2015, Mar 29 – Apr 5, ELØ 2342, Norway

The Fagernes International Chess tournament starts today in Norway. Its a 9 round swiss with average ELO 2342.

Schedule

1 3/29/2015 17:00 CEST 15:00 GMT 20:30 IST
2 3/30/2015 14:00 CEST 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
3 3/31/2015 9:00 CEST 7:00 GMT 12:30 IST
4 3/31/2015 16:30 CEST 14:30 GMT 20:00 IST
5 4/1/2015 14:00 CEST 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
6 4/2/2015 14:00 CEST 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
7 4/3/2015 14:00 CEST 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
8 4/4/2015 13:00 CEST 11:00 GMT 16:30 IST
9 4/5/2015 9:00 CEST 7:00 GMT 12:30 IST

Top Players

1 GM Jon Ludvig HAMMER NOR 2651
2 GM Evgeny POSTNY ISR 2645
3 GM Andrey VOVK UKR 2644
4 GM Simen AGDESTEIN NOR 2620
5 GM Evgeny ROMANOV RUS 2613

Official website : http://fagerneschess2015.blogspot.no/

The games will be broadcasted live on Follow Chess!

Aeroflot Chess : Sasikiran in joint lead after round 2

Sasikiran is in joint lead with full points at the end of round 2 of Aeroflot Chess being held in Russia. Vishy Anand’s Second, Sandipan Chanda lost his second game on the trot!

Round 2 results

Sasikiran (2) 2682 beat GM Potkin Vladimir 2605

Adhiban (1.5) drew Svetushkin Dmitry 2592

Vidit (1.5) drew GM Fedoseev Vladimir 2674

Sethuraman (1) beat Svane Rasmus 2509

Sandipan Chanda (0) lost to Idani Pouya 2496

Ankit Rajpara (0.5) lost to GM Khismatullin Denis 2650

Vishnu Prasanna (0.5) lost to GM Shimanov Aleksandr 2594

Swayams Mishra (1) drew GM Anton Guijarro David 2614

All Results : http://www.chess-results.com/tnr164197.aspx?lan=1&art=2&rd=2&wi=821

Humpy eliminated by Mariya Muzychuk, meets Harika in semis. Pogonina faces Cramling

In a tragic turn of events, Humpy blundered in a complicated winning position in the second tie break game and was knocked out of the Women’s World Chess championship.

Humpy was the top seed and tournament favorite! All credit goes to Mariya who played some gutsy chess. Per the official twitter account, Mariya was overwhelmed by emotions and was apparently crying!

In other games, Pogonina beat Zhao (CHN) and 51 year old Pia Cramling (!!) Of Sweden beat Mariya’s sister Anna!

Semi final matches:

Muzychuk 2526 (UKR) vs Harika 2492 (IND)

Pogonina (RUS) vs Cramling (SWE)

Karpos Open Chess, Mar 27 – Apr 3, 9 round swiss, ELØ 2046, Macedonia

Follow Chess is now broadcasting Karpos Open Chess tournament being held in Skopje, Macedonia from March 27 to April 3rd.

Top Players

1 GM Ivanisevic Ivan SRB 2638
2 GM Tkachiev Vladislav FRA 2634
3 GM Perunovic Milos SRB 2632
4 GM Kozul Zdenko CRO 2630
5 GM Georgiev Kiril BUL 2623

Schedule

1 3/27/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
2 3/28/2015 9:30 CET 8:30 GMT 14:00 IST
3 3/28/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
4 3/29/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
5 3/30/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
6 3/31/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
7 4/1/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
8 4/2/2015 17:30 CET 16:30 GMT 22:00 IST
9 4/3/2015 9:30 CET 8:30 GMT 14:00 IST

Official website http://skopje-2015.chessmix.com/

Chess results : http://www.chess-results.com/tnr160396.aspx?lan=1

Aeroflot Open Chess, Mar 27 – Apr 4, 9 rounds swiss, ELØ 2582, Russia

The very strong Aeroflot Open 2015 Chess tourney has begun. Its a 9 round swiss tourney with ELØ 2582!

Top players (A)

1 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar AZE 2756
2 GM Nepomniachtchi Ian RUS 2714
3 GM Rapport Richard HUN 2709
4 GM Vallejo Pons Francisco ESP 2708
5 GM Inarkiev Ernesto RUS 2706

Indian players (also playing in the A group)

8 GM Sasikiran Krishnan IND 2682
18 GM Adhiban B. IND 2646
24 GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi IND 2625
25 GM Sethuraman S.P. IND 2623
45 GM Sandipan Chanda IND 2569
63 GM Ankit R. Rajpara IND 2477
64 GM Vishnu Prasanna. V IND 2477
68 IM Swayams Mishra IND 2440

Schedule

1 3/27/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
2 3/28/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
3 3/29/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
4 3/30/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
5 3/31/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
6 4/1/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
7 4/2/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
8 4/3/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST
9 4/4/2015 15:00 MSK (UTC+3) 12:00 GMT 17:30 IST

Official website : http://ruchess.ru/championship/detail/2014/aeroflotopen2015/

You can follow the live games in Follow Chess App!