Bitte oder Registrieren, um Beiträge und Themen zu erstellen.

Anna Muzychuk gewinnt Grand Prix / Ärger um den Schönheitspreis

Der FIDE-Grand-Prix der Frauen in Nikosia ist die vierte von sechs Veranstaltungen des Frauen-Grand-Prix-Zyklus 2024-2025, der einer der Qualifikationswege für das nächste Kandidatinnen-Turnier ist. Mit im Feld: Elisabeth Pähtz. Die Partien beginnen täglich um 14 Uhr.

Livepartien, Ergebnisse, Tabelle

 

Vorschau beim DSB:

https://www.schachbund.de/news/grand-prix-zypern-elisabeth-paehtz-zwischen-formkrise-und-hausbau.html

Werbung

Zusammenfassung:

Elisabeth Pähtz vor dem Grand Prix: Ein letzter Kraftakt?

Elisabeth Pähtz startet am Samstag in Nikosia in die vierte Etappe des FIDE-Grand-Prix – mit gedämpften Erwartungen. „Mein Energielevel ist nicht mehr so hoch“, sagt die 40-Jährige und spricht offen über eine Formkrise. Die Qualifikation für das Kandidatinnen-Turnier 2026 ist außer Reichweite, doch allein die Teilnahme an diesem Weltklasseturnier ist Prestige. „Hinfahren, so gut wie möglich performen“, sagt sie, mehr erwarte sie nicht.

Monaco als Tiefpunkt, Zypern als Wendepunkt?

Im Februar beim Grand Prix in Monaco blieb Pähtz ohne Sieg – ein frustrierendes Erlebnis. Umso wichtiger war die Unterstützung ihrer Mutter Anna, die sie als „beste Freundin“ bezeichnet. Auch ihr Vater, Thomas Pähtz, steht ihr weiterhin zur Seite. „Elisabeth macht sich viele Gedanken, weil sie immer noch ehrgeizig ist. Aber sie steht immer wieder auf“, sagt er.

Schrittweise Rückzug aus dem Leistungsschach

Nach mehr als drei Jahrzehnten auf höchstem Niveau denkt Pähtz darüber nach, kürzerzutreten. Ihr Fokus verlagert sich: Neben der Bundesliga-Endrunde mit OSG Baden-Baden und einem möglichen Freestyle-Experiment beim Grenke Open in Karlsruhe wird sie sich stärker auf ihre Trainertätigkeit konzentrieren, u. a. als Online-Coach im Mädchenprojekt von Artur Jussupow.

Neues Zuhause für die Familie

Parallel zu ihrer Schachkarriere rückt das Private in den Vordergrund: In Bestensee bei Berlin beginnt bald der Hausbau – ihre Eltern werden nach der Fertigstellung zu ihr ziehen. „Mein Bruder lebt als Physikprofessor in China, da war klar, dass meine Eltern irgendwann näher zu mir ziehen. Das wird sicher richtig schön.“

 

https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1902442660918653032

Die FIDE teilt mit:

2025-03-24
 

Sensational Anna Muzychuk takes down WGP Cyprus after gripping finale

After nine long and tremendously exciting rounds, the Cyprus Women’s Grand Prix has come to a close.
Moreover, this afternoon’s final round was highly entertaining, despite all five games ending in draws. In fact, the final tournament winner, Anna Muzychuk, was only decided at the very end, based on a unique combination of factors.

Zhu Jiner failed to convert what seemed like a big advantage against Nana Dzagnidze while, at exactly the same time, Olga Badelka was unable to finish-off a decisive +12 advantage against Stavroula Tsolakidou.

Both Anna Muzychuk and China’s young prodigy Zhu Jiner scored solid +2600 performances and tied for first on 6/9, leaving behind Harika Dronavalli, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Mariya Muzychuk at a massive one-point distance in the final standings.

Anna will take home the trophy and winner’s recognition, but the prize-money and WGP circuit points will be shared with Zhu Jiner.

The next stop of the Grand Prix will be in Pune (India) from April 13 to April 24. Zhu Jiner, Harika Dronavalli and Divya Deshmukh, all three outstanding participants here in Cyprus, will be joined by seven other formidable female cycle players.

Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s playing session.

Mariya Muzychuk – Aleksandra Goryachkina ½-½

The first game to finish exhibited excellent home preparation by both players. Facing her opponent’s Berlin Defence in the Ruy Lopez, Mariya chose a line that’s well-known for being very drawish at the highest level, although every now and then White is able to score a win.

However, Goryachkina who has always been exceptionally well-prepared in the opening, side-stepped any potential dangers. Maybe 28.Kh2 instead of 28.Qc3 might have been a way to keep things going for White but after the exchange of queens the position ultimately liquidated into a clearly drawn rook endgame. To top things up, the accuracy score displayed was uncanny: 99%!

With this result, both players both players finished with a solid, undefeated +1 score (eight draws and one win). For Goryachkina, she picks up some useful Grand Prix points in her third and last leg of the cycle, giving her excellent chances to qualify for the future Women’s Candidates Tournament. 

Elisabeth Paehtz – Divya Deshmukh ½-½

The German Grand Master, who has manifested publicly that Cyprus will probably be her last official classical tournament, opened the game with the London system. In response, Divya opted for a lesser-known line, but which has been tried out by some of the best players in the world, including Magnus Carlsen.

After fifteen moves the position was totally blocked and there didn’t seem much going on. However, at one point, Divya offered the exchange of queens, which wasn’t accepted by Elizabeth, and the game immediately ended in a draw by move repetition.

Understandably, Paehtz just wanted to end the tournament as soon as possible, but the ending suggests that after the exchange of queens she would have had a sizeable advantage. Divya finishes the event very slightly under expectation but takes away a huge learning experience in her journey to the top. 

Harika Dronavalli – Anna Muzychuk ½-½

Both players have a long playing history together: eighteen games, with 14 draws and three wins for Harika – a slight statistical edge. They have been playing since they were kids – their first official game was in Spain, at the U-10 Oropesa del Mar World Championship in 2000, exactly twenty-five years ago!

Ultra-solid, Harika was looking for a risk-free edge in her game today, knowing very well that the pressure was on her opponent: Anna needed at least a draw to remain in contention for first place.

Intending to unbalance the game, Anna went for the slightly unusual but playable 5…Nh6 variation in the English Agincourt, an idea tried out by Gukesh’s second Gajewski in 2022.
Caught by surprise, Harika played it safe and traded queens, but White had no advantage in the queenless middlegame.

After more piece trades, a draw was agreed in a completely equal rook ending on move forty: Harika had an extra pawn but no way to progress. Once again, accuracy levels of 99% indicate the extremely high level of precision in this game.

Olga Badelka – Stavroula Tsolakidou ½-½

“I was so lucky,” a happy Stavroula told me immediately after the game. “I was completely lost if she had played 36.Qg5, I think I would have been mated in a few moves.” Badelka missed a golden opportunity to score her second win in the event.

The game began with the ceremonial move performed by Mr. Evros Stylianou, General Manager of the magnificent Hilton Nicosia, the perfect venue for an elite round-robin chess tournament.

The former Belarus player, now representing Austria, played a great attacking game, and totally outplayed Tsolakidou in a fashionable line of the King’s Indian Defence. But just when she was probably expecting Stavroula to resign, Olga missed her chance to score.

Moment of the day

Badelka would have taken the point home had played here 36.Qg5! with decisive checks on e5 or f6.
Instead, she went 36.Qe4 and after 36…Qe7! realized that things were not so simple as 37.fxe5 runs into 37…Qxa3 and it’s a mess.

Even after the miss, the engine still gives her a decisive advantage, but it’s always tricky to bring it home after realizing you let go of a winning opportunity.

Stavroula started to defend perfectly and after trading queens transitioned into   a rook ending, down a pawn. And as the saying goes, “All rook endings are drawn!”

Zhu Jiner – Nana Dzagnidze ½-½

Tied for first, and aware that Anna Muzychuk had drawn her game against Harika, the young Chinese prodigy Zhu Jiner did her utmost to defeat Nana Dzagnidze, to the point of playing out a rook vs three passed pawns ending.

But Nana’s defensive skills, once again put to the test, were up to the challenge. She clocked in an unbelievable 97% accuracy score, which, considering the complexity of the game, is absolutely uncanny.

“Was it equal all along?” Zhu Jiner asked me immediately after finishing the game. She was sure that she had missed a win at some point. In any case, shared first with the point and prize-money going 50% is an excellent result, specially taking into account that this is her first leg of the three she will play. 

FIDE WGP Cyprus final standings:

More information about the event, including the regulations and details of the pairings, as well as live games can be found on the official website: womengrandprix.fide.com.

Written by Michael Rahal

Photos: Mark Livshitz

Thorsten Cmiel über den Grand Prix:

Anna vor China und Indien

Kateryna Lagno, regelmäßige Teilnehmerin an Karjakins-Putin-PR-Turnieren, diagnostiziert eine anti-russische Tendenz bei der FIDE, eine Diagnose, die außerhalb des Kremls nicht viele Leute teilen dürften. Sie kommt zu diesen Schluss, weil sie beim Grand Prix nicht den Schönheitspreis bekommen hat. Über eine Freundin lässt Lagno via Facebook mitteilen:

As I predicted, FIDE called my refusal from Grand-Prix in India "for personal reasons". Here is the real story:
 
Dear Arkadiy Vladimirovich,
 
During Monaco stage of women Grand-Prix a very unpleasant incident happened. There was a special prize for the most beautiful game of the tournament.
In round 4 I played and won one of the best games of my career against Elizabeth Paehtz. It was both hi quality and very spectacular.
Unfortunately I couldn't capitalise on that victory and spoiled the tournament lead at the end.
However during closing ceremony I was still in fine mood eagerly awaiting presentation of beauty prize.
Much to my shock and disappointment it was awarded to the game Kosteniuk-Tan Zhongyi. I believe I have enough chess competence to evaluate both my game and the award winner game. Yes, Aleksandra played fine, but it was spectacular only in a sense that black (Tan Zhongyi) made a completely unsound sacrifice, and white had a number of winning possibilities on each move.
 
Given that 2 members (out of 3) of jury are very competent players (Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Dana Reiznice) I can't view their decision other than politically biased. The prize just "couldn't" go to russian player, and because of the lack of really great games, they chose a game that at least looks spectacular.
 
As I said, I find that decision insulting and humiliating and in view of that I refuse to play my final Grand-Prix stage in India.
My apologies to the chess fans and organizers of the Indian Grand-Prix.
Best regards,
Kateryna Lagno
 
Thorsten Cmiel dazu:

Chess.com über das Schönheitspreisgate:

Zusammenfassung:

Kateryna Lagno hat ihre Teilnahme an der letzten Etappe des FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Indien zurückgezogen. In einem offenen Brief an FIDE-Präsident Arkady Dvorkovich begründet sie den Schritt mit ihrer Enttäuschung über die Vergabe des Schönheitspreises beim vorherigen Turnier in Monaco. Dort wurde nicht ihre Partie gegen Elisabeth Pähtz ausgezeichnet, sondern die Partie zwischen Alexandra Kosteniuk und Tan Zhongyi. Lagno empfindet diese Entscheidung als „politisch motiviert“ und „beleidigend“ und wirft der Jury vor, sie aufgrund ihrer russischen Herkunft benachteiligt zu haben.

Elisabeth Pähtz, gegen die Lagno in der ausgezeichneten Partie gewonnen hatte, äußerte sich auf Facebook. Sie schrieb, es sei ihre „Lieblingsniederlage“ gewesen, betonte jedoch, dass man die Hintergründe kennen müsse, um die Entscheidung einordnen zu können. Der Preis – eine Cartier-Uhr – sei von der russischen Sponsorin Irina Bazhenova gestiftet worden. Pähtz sieht daher keine politische Absicht hinter der Entscheidung. Stattdessen vermutet sie eine eher zufällige Auswahl zwischen zwei Partien und verweist darauf, dass Kosteniuk seit Jahren eng mit dem Veranstaltungsort Monaco verbunden ist, während Lagno keine solche Verbindung habe. Interessanterweise habe sogar die Organisatorin aus Monaco für Lagno gestimmt.

Alexandra Kosteniuk selbst zeigte sich überrascht über die Auszeichnung und erklärte, sie hätte persönlich die Partie Lagno–Pähtz gewählt. Sie bedauerte, dass ein gut gemeinter Preis solche Folgen nach sich ziehe, und zeigte Verständnis für Lagnos Enttäuschung. Es sei aber schwer, bei einem Schönheitspreis von absoluter Objektivität zu sprechen. Aus ihrer Sicht war keine politische Motivation erkennbar.

Werbung