Shymkent GP R4: Humpy wins two in-a-row, joins the three-way lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 03/11/2024

GM Koneru Humpy scored a victory in her second consecutive round at FIDE Shymkent GP. She is now in a three-way lead with GM Aleksandra Goryachkina and GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) 3/4 each. IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL) exchanged her rook for Humpy's two minor pieces at the right time. However, she had difficulty stopping the India no.1's connected passed pawns on the queenside with her rook and double bishop against two rooks. IM Divya Deshmukh held the former Women's World Champion, Zhongyi to a solid draw. She is now at 1.5/4. IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL) bounced back strong with a win over GM Kateryna Lagno. Divya will face Batkhuyag and Humpy will battle against IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) in Round 5. It starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Divya Deshmukh holds former Women's World Champion to a draw

Apart from GM Koneru Humpy and IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina was the only other victor in Round 4. Goryachkina seized her opportunity when her opponent, IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE) blundered a pawn in a double rook and bishop endgame. Eventually she lost more material and the game. IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) is the sole player trailing the leaders by a half point at 2.5/4.

GM Koneru Humpy is in a three-way lead with GM Aleksandra Goryachkina and GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) | Photo: FIDE / Konstantin Chalabov

Humpy - Nurgyul: 1-0

GM Koneru Humpy (2530) played only two Classical rated games against IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL, 2402). Both of them scored a win each against the other at the Women's Candidates earlier this year. Nurgyul found a nice tactic to trade her rook for two minor pieces.

Position after 24...Ra7

24... Ra7 forced 25.Qc6 to keep the knight defended Rxc7 26.Nxf6+ Bxf6 27.Qxc7 g4 Black is not in any trouble as White cannot launch a definitive attack on the exposed king. The queens got traded soon. White gained the a6-pawn and used her connected passed pawns on a and b-files to overpower Black's double bishop and win the game.

GM Koneru Humpy scored her second consecutive win at this event | Photo: FIDE / Konstantin Chalabov

IM Divya Deshmukh held former Women's World Champion - GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) to a draw | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

GM Aleksandra Goryachkina - IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

"I love the world around the game" - Elisabeth Paehtz | Video: FIDE

GM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER) - IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Kateryna - Batkhuyag

Position after 27...Rh4

IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, 2344) transferred her rooks to the kingside starting with 27...Rh4 making way for her queenside rook 28.Qf3 Rbg4 29.Nc5 Qe7 queen gets ready to join the attack 30.Na4 Rh5 clearing the h4-square for the queen 31.Rfd1 Qh4 and Black won the game in another ten moves.

IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL) scored her second big win of the event, this time against GM Kateryna Lagno | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Ceremonial first move of Round 4 | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Replay live stream

Replay Shymkent GP Round 4 live commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR) and IM Irene Sukandar (INA) | Video: FIDE

Replay Round 4 games

Prizes

Total prize fund is €80000. The top three prizes are €18000, €13000 and €10500 each. The top three GP points are - 130, 105 and 85. For more details, check out the regulations below.

Schedule

Every day round starts at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Only the last round starts at 1 p.m. local time, 1:30 p.m. IST. The tournament will go on till 8th November 2024. Sole rest day is on Monday 4th November.

Round 4 results

Bo.	No.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	10	FID	2533	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	1 - 0	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2439	7	PGN
2	8	GER	2458	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	½ - ½	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2487	6	PGN
3	9	IND	2530	GM	Koneru, Humpy	1 - 0	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	BUL	2405	5	PGN
4	1	FID	2527	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	0 - 1	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag	MGL	2344	4	PGN
5	2	IND	2501	IM	Divya, Deshmukh	½ - ½	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2551	3	PGN

Details

Standings after Round 4

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	9	GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2530	3	2	5,25	2
	10	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2533	3	2	5,25	2
3	3	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2551	3	2	4,25	2
4	6	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2487	2,5	3	4,00	1
5	7	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2439	2	3	3,75	1
6	4	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag	MGL	2344	2	2	2,00	2
7	2	IM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2501	1,5	1	3,50	0
8	8	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	GER	2458	1	2	1,75	0
9	5	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	BUL	2405	1	2	1,50	0
10	1	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2527	1	1	2,25	0

Details

Round 5 pairings

Bo.	No.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	3	CHN	2551	GM	Tan, Zhongyi		GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2533	10
2	4	MGL	2344	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag		IM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2501	2
3	5	BUL	2405	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul		GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2527	1
4	6	KAZ	2487	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2530	9
5	7	GRE	2439	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula		GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	GER	2458	8