Shymkent GP R5: Divya scores her first win

by Shahid Ahmed - 04/11/2024

The fifth round had four decisive games which is the highest so far at FIDE Shymkent GP. GM Aleksandra Goryachkina has emerged sole leade 4/5. She defeated GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) comfortably. IM Divya Deshmukh scored her first win of the event, against IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL). Divya capitalized on her opponent's tactical mistake. GM Koneru Humpy suffered her first loss. She made a positional mistake by breaking the position open at inopportune time against IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ). IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE) won the only other game of the round against GM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER). Today is the sole rest day of the event. Round 6 starts tomorrow Tuesday 5th November at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Goryachkina gains sole lead, four decisive games

IM Nurgul Salimova (BUL) had the only draw of the round against GM Kateryna Lagno. The three-time World Blitz Women's champion had some chances in the endgame but she could not seize them. IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) is the only player trailing the sole leader by a half point at 3.5/5. She is followed by GM Koneru Humpy, IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE) and GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) at 3/5 each.

IM Divya Deshmukh defeated IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL) to move to 50% score 2.5/5 | Photo: FIDE / Konstantin Chalabov

Batkhuyag - Divya: 0-1

IM Divya Deshmukh (2493) had never beaten IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL, 2344) in a Classical rated game until this event. Two of the last three encounters ended in draws. The remaining one was won by the Mongolian.

Position after 36.Rd1??

White was struggling for a while to find a proper place for her knight. After trading a rook at d8, 36.Rd1?? spelled disaster for White Rxd1 37.Qxd1 Qa7 38.Nd3 Nxb2! a nice tactical shot 39.Nxb2 Qxf2+ 40.Kh1 Qxb2 Black won the game in the next few moves.

Interview with IM Divya Deshmukh | Video: FIDE

IM Divya Deshmukh seized her opportunity when her opponent, IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL) blundered | Photo: FIDE / Konstantin Chalabov

Interview with GM Aleksandra Goryachkina | Video: FIDE

GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) got crushed by GM Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL) - GM Kateryna Lagno: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Bibisara - Humpy

Position after 23...f5?

23...Rba8 or h6 would have been fine for Black. However, she made a positional mistake 23...f5? 24.exf5 Bxf5 lost control of the key square d5 allowing White to jump her knight to d5 25.Nd5 Bg6 26.Rb5 forcing the queen move further away from the center Qa3 27.Ne7+ Kh8 28.Nxg6 hxg6 not only the black king is vulnerable but also the kingside pawn structure is damaged 29.d4 exd4 30.Qxd4 Ne5 31.c5 White is trying to open up the position and exploit Black's weaknesses Rc8 32.cxd6 Rc5 33.Qh4+ Kg8 34.Bb3+ and it's over.

GM Koneru Humpy self-destructed her position against IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE) outplayed GM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER) | Photo: FIDE/Konstantin Chalabov

Replay live stream

Replay Shymkent GP Round 5 live commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR) and IM Irene Sukandar (INA) | Video: FIDE

Replay Round 5 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 5 results

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

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	10	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2533	4	3	11,00	3
2	6	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2487	3,5	3	8,50	2
3	9	GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2530	3	3	6,25	2
4	7	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2439	3	3	5,50	2
5	3	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2551	3	2	5,25	2
6	2	IM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2501	2,5	2	5,75	1
7	4	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag	MGL	2344	2	2	2,50	2
8	1	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2527	1,5	2	4,00	0
9	5	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	BUL	2405	1,5	2	2,75	0
10	8	GM	Paehtz, Elisabeth	GER	2458	1	3	2,50	0

Details

Round 6 pairings

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