26 November 2010
Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010
Complete Focus: Defending champion Alisa Galliamova
Photo: www.russiachess.org
Find great portraits of the world’s best chess players at www.chesspics.com
Hi Everyone,
The Russian Superfinal has witnessed some of the most exciting games of chess this whole year. Fortunes swung back and forth as the leaderboard changed with virtually every round. After 9 rounds, with two to go, defending champion Alisa Galliamova is leading with a nice 6.5 points. But only half a point behind is Nazi Paikidze.
Standings after 9 rounds
1. Galliamova – 6.5
2. Paikidze – 6
3-4. Pogonina, Kosintseva T. – 5.5
5-6. Kosintseva N. Shadrina – 4.5
7-9. Nebolsina, Kosteniuk, Bodnaruk – 4
10. Olga – 3.5
11-12. Gunina, Matveeva – 3
Here are some nice games from the ninth round. You can check out some great photos, news updates and all the games at the official website of www.russiachess.org.
For now, run the moves in our pgnplayer or watch in flash below.
PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 c6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O d5 8. e5 Ne8 9. Qd2 Bg4 10. Ng5 Bxe2 11. Nxe2 h6 12. Nf3 Kh7 13. h4 Nc7 14. h5 Ne6 15. Be3 Nd7 16. Nh2 Qe8 17. hxg6+ fxg6 18. f4 h5 19. Rf3 Rf5 20. Ng3 Qf7 21. Nxf5 Qxf5 22. Nf1 Rf8 23. Ng3 Qg4 24. f5 h4 25. fxe6 hxg3 26. exd7 Qh4 27. Rxf8 1-0
PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Be2 O-O 9. Nb3 e5 10. O-O exf4 11. Bxf4 Re8 12. Qxd6 Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Nxe4 14. Nxe4 Rxe4 15. Bf3 Re6 16. Qd2 Re8 17. c3 Bf5 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. Qc1 Ne5 20. Be3 Qc7 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Nd4 Nxf3 23. Nxf3 Be4 24. Qe1 Bd3 25. Rf2 Bc4 26. a3 Re8 27. Qd2 a6 28. Bd4 Bxd4 29. cxd4 Bd5 30. Ne5 Rc8 31. h3 Qc1+ 32. Kh2 Kg7 33. Nd3 Qxd2 34. Rxd2 f5 35. Kg3 g5 36. Nc5 Kf6 37. Kf2 Rc7 38. b4 h5 39. g3 h4 40. a4 hxg3+ 41. Kxg3 f4+ 42. Kf2 Rh7 43. Re2 b6 44. Re5 bxc5 45. Rxd5 cxb4 46. Rd6+ Kf5 47. Rxa6 Rxh3 48. Rb6 Rh2+ 49. Kg1 Ra2 50. Rb5+ Kg4 51. a5 b3 52. Rxb3 Rxa5 53. Rd3 Kf5 54. Rd1 Ke4 55. Kf2 g4 56. Rd2 Rd5 57. Re2+ Kxd4 58. Re8 Ra5 59. Rd8+ Ke4 60. Re8+ Re5 61. Ra8 g3+ 62. Kg2 Kf5 63. Rf8+ Kg4 64. Rg8+ Rg5 65. Rf8 Rg7 66. Rf6 Ra7 67. Rg6+ Kf5 68. Rb6 Ra2+ 69. Kg1 Kg4 70. Rb4 Kh3 71. Rxf4 Ra1+ 72. Rf1 Rxf1+ 73. Kxf1 Kh2 0-1
From Alexandra Kosteniuk’s
Also see her personal blog at
