Needing only a draw to move to the quarterfinal, N. Kosintseva shockingly lost a better endgame. The pair will now play a 2 blitz playoff game.
IM N. Kosintseva (2460) – WGM Shen (2445) [C68]
Women’s World Championship – Round 3 playoff, 06.09.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 Qf6 6.d4 exd4 7.Bg5 Qd6 8.Qxd4 f6 9.Be3 Bg4 10.Nbd2 Ne7 11.e5 Qxd4 12.Bxd4 Kf7 13.h3 Bf5 14.c4 Ng6 15.Rfe1 Rd8 16.Bc3 Nf4 17.Ne4 Be7 18.Ng3 Be6 19.exf6 gxf6 20.Re4 Nd3 21.Nd4 Bc8 22.b3 Bc5 23.Rd1 Ne5 24.Rde1 Rhe8 25.Kf1 Nd3 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.Nge2 Kf7 29.Bd2 Bd7 30.Be3 Bd6 31.Nc3 b5 32.cxb5 cxb5 33.Ke2 Ne5 34.Ne4 Be7 35.Nc2 a5 36.f3 Be8 37.Bc5 Bd8 38.Nd4 Bd7 39.Nc3 b4 40.Nd5 f5 41.f4 Ng6 42.g3 h5 43.h4 Nf8 44.Bxf8 Kxf8 45.Ne3 Kf7 46.Nc4 Kf6 47.Ne5 Bc8 48.Ndc6 Be7 49.Nxe7 Kxe7 50.Kd3 Ba6+ 51.Kd4 Kd6 52.Nf7+ Ke6 53.Nd8+ Ke7 54.Nc6+ Kd6 55.Nxa5 c5+ 56.Ke3 Kd5 57.Kf3 Kd4 58.Nc6+ Kc3 59.g4 Bb7 Black wins 0–1
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Game should be drawn (white was even better for some time). Since kosintseva won the first game all she needed was a draw. And she played only for a draw (her knight was just jumping around)
However Kosintseva panicked as the black king penetrated her position (game is still objectivelly drawn) and made a huge blunder.
It shows that playing for a draw is not as easy as it seems.
Kosintseva surely just blundered again, giving away a piece, in the first Blitz game.
Handing over minor pieces seems a bit of a weakness at this level.
Seems like she doesn’t have her nerves under control.
1st blitz is drawn
Sorry it was actually 2nd 😉
WHY ISNT MARY MANAKOVA, THE BEATIFUL WGM PLAYING HERE?