Game 7: Hou Yifan won again and embraces the World champion title
In the 7th game Hou Yifan had white pieces. Humpy Koneru managed to equalize in Ruy Lopez that was played for the third time in the match. But in the middle game the challenger started to act too risky and gave her opponent a chance to win a pawn that was immediately grabbed by Hou Yifan. In the endgame the Chinese player took another pawn to secure her victory.
After 7 games the World champion is leading 5-2 and only a miracle can help Koneru to win all of the remaining three games.
The 8th game (November, 24) of the match can decide the competition – if it ends in a draw, Hou Yifan would have 5,5 points and the World champion title. Koneru needs only to win.
Few questions from the press-conference:
Did you expect to win today?
Hou Yifan: I just tried to play normal chess. In the middle game it was unclear. I think her h5 move was not good and after Qh6 she should have put her knight back, instead of Qf6. But of course when I exchanged the pieces for the rook ending, this endgame is winning for me.
Humpy, what do you think about the game?
Humpy Koneru: I think that at one point it was ok for Black. Probably I should not allow Qh6, so h5 was a mistake. I underestimated the play that White has after Qf6.
At the opening you play quite stable and get promising position. What is the reason for unsuccessful middle game play? Can it be tiredness?
Humpy Koneru: I do not think that it happens because of tiredness. I am simply out of form.
Official website: http://www.wwcc2011tirana.com
It is not about form.. As Vishy said sometime back about her game ” she has to be tactically alert” . That has not happened.. Her tactical prowess is not anywhere around 2600.. Probably she should had a professional coach ( with due respects to her Dad) long time back who would have worked on this weakness. Now it may be too late with Hu on the ascent.. she is gonna get stronger. Middlegame play is the one which determines the better player..
At least we probably won’t have one of those tiebreakers!
She’s had several months to train for this big event in her career and she’s “out of form”. She was out of form all the previous time she faced Hou.
Now, I’m convinced that Hou Yifan is a much stronger player than Koneru Humpy (my last chess crush and never again). She was very unconvincing without cracking a smile at all this championship… well barely.
Please note that I have a history of jumping on the bandwagon. I was late to being a Carlsen fan even as he seem to have been the Justin Bieber of young fans (or is Biever the Carlsen of his genre of music).
Now if you visit my blog, you’ll see I have videos dedicated to my fave player Koneru. I deleted the YouTube ones, now these will come down soon. Sorry Koneru, you lost a #1 fan. (Whether you care or not).
With Judit Polgar, you get a sense she’s always trying to dominate without losing her feminine aesthetics away from the board(lovely smile, confidence, fans drooling for a date; well wishful thinking there).
Being out of form for a World Championship Match? Playing a Novelty in one of the games, and pressing in many others? I just Think she just got outplayed! Hou is getting stronger!
“…out of form…”
Didn’t Fischer say something like the only time he ever beat anyone was on one of their bad days.
And I never dreamed anyone had the hots for Humpy’s feminine aesthetics. But whatever…
Concerning Koneru, I’ve stopped defending her. But back in the days, I would have argued tooth to nail about her beauty as a chess Goddess. Note, without all the makeup so pervasive in Hollywood and those slutty reality TV shows. If those girls are your kind of girls, then go for out. You might end up being blindsided by money hungry materialistic gold diggers. I rather be blindsided on the chessboard!
Sadly, I am not longer on the Koneru team. Princess Judit Polgar is already taken. sigh
Humpy out of form?…she gets out of form when she loses her composure which is a problem she has not been able to overcome. When she becomes a clutch player she will be WWC.
Humpy takes very classic and demure photos and certainly looks into the camera… and smiles. She is a whole lot more photogenic than most chess players we follow. Anyway what does that have to do with anything??
Here’s logic….
Anyone who doesn’t appreciate the classic beauty of a Humpy Koneru must be enamored with the plaster-laden girls on slutty reality shows…
Let me guess, your favorite piece must be the Queen…and how long have you been interested in women chess players for more than their games?