European Chess Queens in Fighting Mood Antoneta Stefanova becomes 10th World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk wins 5th European title By Harald Fietz fter Linares 2004, the chess pions Xie Jun (1991-96 and 1999-2001) Aworld was suffering from the and Zhu Chen (2001-04) from China as Women’s chess has ‘draw disease.’ Three weeks later, well as new American resident Szusza come a long way. In the between March 21st and April 4th, Polgar (1996-99) did not participate for past a strong female the European women’s champion- various private reasons. Nevertheless, player might have a 2100 ship revealed a completely different it looks as if European women’s chess picture of the state of players’ minds. has gained new strength due to the or 2200 rating. Not only A 12-round Swiss system with 108 combative chess of three groups of are ratings higher these players (ranging from Elo 2488 to players: days, but there are more 1800) produced 647 entertaining 1. the ‘old guard,’ who have been events for women to games, of which only 25% ended in part of international top chess play in, and many very a draw! for more than 15-20 years (e.g., Chiburdanize, Galliamova, talented younger play- Cramling, Kachiani-Gersinska, ers who can play some Arakhamia-Grant, Matveeva, mean combinations. Foisor, and Bojkovic); Our European correspon- 2. the ‘post-USSR’ forces, who dent, Harald Fietz, re- received their chess education before 1991 but rose to top ports on two recent and level in the late 1990s (e.g., Ste- important chess events: Alexandra Kosteniuk fanova, Kovalevskaya, Zhukova, The European Women’s Skripchenko, Gaponenko, Pep- Championship in Dres- A few weeks later, in Elista, be- tan, Danielian, Socko, Zielinska, st th den and the Women’s tween May 21 and June 8 , the Khurtsidze, and Houska); European chess queens proved their 3. the ‘new kids,’ who joined the World Championship strength. Bulgarian Antonaeta Ste- scene in the new millennium held in Elista. fanova and Russian Ekaterina Kova- (e.g., Kosteniuk, Dzagnidze, levskaya fought for the crown in the Lahno, the Kosintseva sisters, All photos for this article final of the 64-player knockout world Cmilyte, Zimina, Radziewicz, were provided through the generosity of Harald Fietz championship. 14 of the last 16 players Sebag, Jackova, and Pähtz). who has taken a break from were from Europe. What has happened Against this background, a look at his work as a photojournal- to the recent dominance of Asian play- games and stories from these two pres- ist on page 10. ers in world women’s chess? Where tigious championships not only aims are America’s new hopes? to provide insight into the dramas at Admittedly, some world class play- the board but also hopes to give some ers were absent: former world cham- biographical background, and to ex- SQUARES 3 plain the part played by geography. sports science and married her man- ager Diego Garcés, caught up. Reliable Top In the final round, Peng did not have In April 2004, FIDE’s top 50 players’ too many problems in beating the Ro- list ascertained 37 players from Europe, manian Foisor, and the Muscovite had 11 from Asia, and 2 from America. From to crack a hard nut in her compatriot the group of 37 players, 21 participated Tatiana Kosintseva. A bitter fight en- in the European championship and 21 Zhaquin Peng sued, as victory would have given the used their qualification for the world in favor of the third category (born in shooting star from Archangelsk the sil- championship. If we zoom in to the the 1980s): Peng, Maja Chiburdanize ver medal (without needing a play-off top 20 figures (14 from Europe and 6 (GEO), Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska for the world championship ticket). from Asia), 6 Europeans took part in (GER), and Natasa Bojkoic (SCG) are As in the world championship, the the continental championship and 10 from group 1. Stefanova, Zhukova, European event was played under came to the world championship. The Kovalevskaya (RUS), Maja Lomineish- FIDE’s time controls (90 minutes for results reveal that according to the vili (GEO) were from group 2, and 36 moves + 30 second increments), categories outlined above, the top 14 T. Kosintseva, Dzagnidze, Elisabeth and in this final round the faster in Dresden break down as follows: 4 Pähtz (GER), Viktorija Cmilyte (LTU), time limit proved to be the decisive from group 1, 6 from group 2 and 4 Kateryna Lahno (UKR), Jana Jackova factor—although during the Dresden from group 3. (CZE) are from group 3. However, event both players displayed their su- Stefanova and Kovalevskaya reached perior abilities in time trouble on more the final. This might indicate that than one occasion. the knockout format better suits the younger players (in addition, 17 year old semi-finalist Humpy Koneru from India beat 28-year old Yuhua Xu from China in the quarter final, in the duel of those two non-Europeans who sur- Natalia Zhukova vived round two). But, finally the expe- The final standing was Alexandra rience of those born in the 1970s paid Kosteniuk (RUS), and Zhaquin Peng off. The established pyramid, with the Tatiana Kosintseva (NED) both with 91⁄2 points. Stefanova reliable top from groups one and two (BUL), Natalia Zhukova (UKR), Nana remains the foundation of women’s Kosintseva, T (2447)– Dzagnidze (GEO), Irina Slavina (RUS) chess in Europe, but some players from Kosteniuk, A (2469) all had 81⁄2 pts. Cristina Adela Foisor, the youngest age group have already [B53], Dresden (ROM), Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant started to burst in (e.g., Kosteniuk as European Women‘s Championship 2004 (GEO), Pia Cramling (SWE), Monika vice-world champion in 2001, Shirov’s 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 d6 4. Socko (POL), Tatiana Kosinteva (RUS), wife Cmilyte as European vice-cham- Bb5 Bd7 5. Bxc6 Bxc6 6. d4 cxd4 Jovanka Houska (ENG), Olga Zimina pion in 2003, or T. Kosintseva as Euro- 7. Qxd4 Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. 0–0–0 Be7 (RUS), and Nino Khurtsidze (GEO) all pean bronze medallist in 2003). 10. Qd3 Qa5 11. h4 a6 12. Nd4 Rc8 had 8 pts. All of these—except Zimina In Dresden, the 12-round race was 13. f4 0–0 14. f5 Rfe8 15. Rhf1 h6 and Khurtsidze who lost play-offs— fought out by Kosteniuk and Peng. 16. fxe6! fxe6. qualified for the next world champion- Chinese-born Peng, who moved to the 16… hxg5 17. exf7† Kxf7 18. Rf5 ships (somewhere, sometime). Netherlands in 1995, had the sole lead Qc7 19. Nxc6 Qxc6 20. hxg5 is good In Elista, the pattern among the 14 until round eight. Then the Russian, for White. Europeans among the last 16 was more who last year finished her studies in 17. e5! 4 SUMMER 2004 SQUARES 5 !@@@@@@@@# 30. Qc8 Rb8 31. Qc4 Rb7 32. Qe4 and sometimes feels the deficits of $zx‰x‰xx% Qb4. not having her own coach (however, $x∏xzBzPz% !@@@@@@@@# in Elista she benefited from her second $∏xıP∏NzP% $zxzRzxzK% GM Vladimir Georgiev). Although she $Qzxzpzbz% $x‰xπxzPz% is a professional player, she enjoys life $zxznzxzp% $∏xzxzxzP% and among her fellow-players is well- $xznœxzxz% $xzxzxzxz% known as a party animal. $πpπxzxπx% $zQzxœxzx% $xzk®x®xz% $xznzxzxz% Kovalevskaya, E (2467)— ^&&&&&&&&* $πpπxzxπx% Stefanova, A (2490) 17… Ng4! $x˚x®xzxz% [C78], Elista All the alternatives are less con- ^&&&&&&&&* Women’s World Championship 2004 vincing: 33. Qe8†? 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 A) 17… hxg5 18. exf6 Bxf6 19. 33. Qxb4 Rxb4 34. Rd6 Rf4 35. b3 Nf6 5. 0–0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Bb7 Rxf6 Qe5 (19… gxf6 20. Qg6† Kh8 21. Rf6 36. Rd2 holds the balance. 8. d3 d6 9. Nc3 b4 10. Ne2 0–0 11. Qxf6† Kh7 22. Qf7† Kh8 23. Nxe6+–) 33… Kh7 34. Na4? Rbxd7! 0–1. Ng3 h6 12. Nf5 Bc8 13. N3h4 Nd4 20. Rff1+–; 14. Nxd4 Bxd4 15. Qf3 Bg4 16. Qg3 B) 17… Qxe5 18. Rde1 Bxg2 (18… After this exciting showdown Kos- Kh7 17. Be3?! Qa5 19. Qg6+–; 18… Qxe1† 19. Rxe1 teniuk was in high spirits; she won This move came as a surprise— hxg5 20. hxg5+–) 19. Rxe5 Bxf1 20. the rapid chess tie break 11⁄2-1⁄2 against where is the compensation for the Qg6 dxe5 21. Nxe6 Nh5 22. Bxe7 Rxe7 Peng and both players were awarded pawn? 17. Nf3 Bc5 18. h3 keeps the 23. Nd5+–; the male GM title. Kosintseva over- balance. C) 17… dxe5 18. Nxc6 Rxc6 19. Bxf6 came the experienced player Khurtsize 17… Bxb2 18. Rab1 Bc3 19. f3 Bd7 Rd8 (19… Bxf6 20. Rxf6+–) 20. Qg6 with the same result. A bronze medal 20. Qf2 a5 21. g4 Qe8. Rxd1† 21. Nxd1 Bxf6 22. Rxf6+–. went to Stefanova after a four-player A typical pragmatic decision 18. Nxc6 Bxg5† 19. hxg5 bxc6 20. tie-break. by Stefanova—after winning the exd6?! Six weeks later, the Bulgarian had a-pawn Black can use the potential 20. Qh3 Nxe5 21. gxh6 g6 (21… a psychological advantage—as in the threat of a free pawn. gxh6 22. Qxh6 Qc7 23. Ne4+–) 22. Dresden play-offs she eliminated Zhu- 22. Nf5 Bxa4 23. g5 Nh5 24. Qh4 g6 Rxd6+–. kova and Dzagnidze with rapid games 25. Nxh6 Bxb3 26. Ng4. 20… Qxg5† 21. Kb1 Rb8 22. d7 in the last sixteen and the quarter-fi- !@@@@@@@@# Red8 23. Qd6. nal of the world championship. She $‰xzxŒRzx% Better is 23. Rde1 Ne5 24. Qd6 played poker with two short draws $xzPzx∏x% Nxd7 25.