Grandmaster Valentina Gunina of Russia, the current Women World Blitz Champion, won the gold medal in the Women's rapid chess event. Having a perfect score with 4/4 she was leading the World Classical Champion, Hou Yifan by a full point, before their encounter in todays fifth round.
Another eventful game ended in a draw, but only after a fierce struggle, where the World "Classical" Champion put the leader under some serious pressure, but some very accurate defensive moves saved the draw, and kept Gunina in the sole lead with 2 rounds to go. After defeating Tatiana Kosintseva from Russia, the Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun was fortunate in the tie-break, and took 3rd place and the bronze medal.
The Ukranian Grandmaster Kateryna Lagno started looking like a serious challenger for the gold medal, as she defeated Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia in the following energetic way:
Kateryna Lagno (Ukraine) - Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia)
28 c6! this strong moves makes sure white breaks through on the queenside, as if now 28...bxc6 29 b6! is very strong. 28...Be7 29 b6! Qxc6 30 Nb5! now the black queen is surprisingly trappen on c6, and Dzagnidzes position, thus completely lost, so after: 30... Rd7 31 Rxc6 Rxd1 32 Rxc8 Bxb5 33 Rc1 she resigned.
This meant that in round 6, Gunina was facing Lagno, and the Ukranian attacked fiercely as her only chance for gold was beating the leading Gunina. It looked very dangerous, as Guninas king was in trouble, but at a critical moment the russian managed to exchange the queens, getting and equal ending, securing both the draw as well as keeping her lead in the tournament. However the lead shrunk to just a half point, as World Champion Hou Yifan won in elegant fashion:
Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia) - Hou Yifan (China)
Having just played the sacrifice:36...Nc3+! her opponent, had no other choice than resigning as 37 bxc3 bxc3+ check leads to mate, and if white do not take the knight on c3, then black simply captures the white queen on d5.
This mean that Gunina was leading by a half point ahead of Yifan, and 1 full point to Lagno and Dzagnidze and instead of leaving anything to the result of her closest rival, Gunina took fate in her own hands, and efficiently secured the gold with:
Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia) - Valentina Gunina (Russia)
54...Rxd4! Exploiting the point that if 55 exd4 the white queen hangs on d3, Gunina breaks deceisively through. 55 Qa3+ Kg7 and with less than 15 seconds left on her clock Dzagnidze resigned and Russia had taken gold in the womens rapid chess event.
1. Valentina Gunina (Russia) 6. Pts
2. Hou Yifan (China) 5. Pts
3. Ju Wenjun (China) 4.5 Pts |
