GM Kosteniuk (2510) – GM-elect Hou (2557) [B45]
WWC – Nalchik, 14.09.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0–0 a6 9.a4 0–0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Bd7 12.Nb3 b6 13.Qe1 Bc8 14.Qg3 Bb7 15.f5 Kh8 16.Rad1 Rae8 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Qh3 Bd8 += 19.Nd4 Nxd4 Black has 3 choices here. The one Hou played or Qe7 or Bc8. The one Hou played is fine.
20.Rxd4 This is a dangerous position for Hou. She seemed to have difficulties coming up with the right plans in complicated middlegames in the first 3 games. Black is spending quite a bit of time here.
20…e5 Another option is 20.Rf7 or 20…d5 which is riskier.
21.Rc4 Qb8 21…Qf7 is also playable. Even though White is a little better due to better space advantage, there are still plenty of play left in this game.
22.Rd1 Black can make things complicated now with 22…b5 23.axb5 axb5 24.Nxb5 Nxe4. Black is down by about 16-17 minutes on the clock.
22…b5 Hou was spending a lot of time for this move. She is trying to complicate things since she needs a win. White has no choice but to capture.
23.axb5 axb5 White has 2 choices: 24.Nxb5 or Rb4
24. Nxb5 Nxe4 25. Bd3 Nf6 26. Rh4 e4 27. Be2 Bc8 += 27…Ba6 is also playable. If White plays 28.Qg3 then Ba6
28.Qg3 Another fine option would be g4
28…Ba6 29.c4 Bxb5 30.cxb5 += Bb6 If White plays 31.Bxb6 Qxb6 32.Qxd6 Qf2 -+ If 32.Rxd6 then Rc8. White has no choice but to play 31.Bf4 then Black has Qa7
31.Bf4 Qa7 Now things can get somewhat complicated because White has many possible response. Qh3 is probably the most obvious. Time may play a factor as Kosteniuk’s time is now down just about the same as Hou while she had a big edge before.
32.Bxd6 Bf2 Kosteniuk is going for the more complicated and riskier line. Time is about the same for both players now. 33.Qf4 and Qg5 are the 2 strongest response now.
33.Qf4 White chose the strongest reply under pressure. Now can Hou find the clutch Nd5 move?
33…Nd5 Hou found it and now the pressure shifts back to White. White must play 34.Qc1. If White plays 34.Qd2 Bxh4 35.Bxf8 Ne3 =+
34.Qc1 Impressive showing by both sides so far.
34…Rc8 I do not like this move as much as I like Bxh4 35.Bxf8 Qf2 and Black has chances.
35.Qd2 I seems that Black is over complicating things for herself right now, especially when she is low on time.
35…Rfd8? Now she allows White to play 36.Rxh7 with a very strong position.
36.Rxh7 Kxh7 37.Qxd5 Now Black MUST play g6 or Kosteniuk will be the next WWC.
37…Qe3? White will have a dominating position with Bg4
38.Bg4 Now it would take higher divine intervention for Hou to pull this one out.
38…Ra8? White can simply play b6 and it’s over.
39.Qe6?! She missed the knockout punch b6. White is still better but not as decisive.
39…Kh8 40.Qe7 Not sure what Kosteniuk is trying to accomplish here. But she made the time control with about 1 minute to spare. Black can play Qh6 and still has some life left.
40…Qh6 Now they each get another 30 minutes. It is a whole new ball game now. Even though White is still slightly better, anything can happen. It will all come down to nerve now.
41.h3 A nice safe move. Black can push her passed pawn to e3.
41…Qg6 42.Qe5 Bb6 43.Bh5 Black can simply play Qh6 and she is fine.
43…Qh6 44.Bg4 e3 This is a risky move as it opens up more squares for the White color Bishop. White’s strongest move here would be Qe4
45.Qe4 This game may come down to the 30 second increment play. Hou has about 12 minutes left for the entire game and Kosteniuk about 18.
45…Qf6? Now Rd5 wins!
46.Rd5 It’s over. The best option would be Rxd6 but White is much better. Ra1+ loses badly.
46. …Rxd6 47. Rh5+ Kg8 48. Qxa8+ Rd8 49. Qa2+ Kf8 50. Qa3+
46…Ra1+ 47.Kh2 Qxd6 48.Rxd6 Bc7 49.Qf5 Kosteniuk is handling pressure very well. Her experience, preparation, and nerve will help her win this match.
49…Bxd6+ 50.g3 Kg8 and now Bf3 and it is over.
51.Qd5+ Kf8 52.Qf5+ I think she will choose the easy perpetual check which of course is all she needs.
52…Ke7 53. Qe6+ Kf8 54. Qf5+ Kg8 55. Qd5+ Kf8 56. Qf5+ {Game drawn} 1/2-1/2
Congratulations to GM Kosteniuk! I just sent a congratulatory email to Alexandra and her husband. Well done!
I recently met Alexandra’s father in Italy. He reminded me that he took her to meet me when I was playing at the Tal Memorial Blitz tournament in Moscow in 1993. She was just a young girl at that time and she has come a long way to achieve excellence in chess. Well done Alexandra!
Hou seems to not have learned to walk the tension of the Sicilian tightrope.
I agree it’s dangerous for black after 20.Rxd4. Her play is too passive, simplifying and allowing white to solidify long-term positional advantage. Especially as she needs to win.
Kinda reminds me of a one-sided Grischuk-Ponomariov game (1-0) several years ago where the latter afterwards ridiculed Ponomariov as “not understanding the Sicilian”. (Rather than seeking dynamic counterplay with kings-on-opposite-wings, Pono shuffled leisurely as though a symetrical opening.)
Kosteniuk is building up pressure on Hou’s position… to win the title is her mission!
Never a dull draw here…
Rui leprechaun
(…a bold attack is coming near! :))
I understand this position. It can only end in a draw. Thank you for your while to read.
Yifan may want to complicate but the clock isn’t in her favor.
After 24 Nxb5, Nxe4 25. Bh5..looking for a weak h7.
I feel like dancing, as Kosteniuk’s pieces are.
White’s doomed after B to a6.
Is Pawn to g4 good now?
I dislike very much how the fide nalchik is displaying the live game and website.
No live commentary by expert, FORTUNATELY WE HAVE MRS. SUSAN POLGAR – THANK YOU!!!
No pictures of ladies
No live streaming video
No time management details
In the computer age we live in, it looks more like stoneage to me.
Can you please simplify the commentary with a few words more and variations less? Thank you!
32. Bxd6!
The more aggressive answer!!!
This is pure romantic play…
Rui leprechaun
(…both are fearless anyway! :))
It’s about chess, not money or ‘marbles’.
Anyway, it’s one game if Kosteniuk draws, 3 games if not.
Never let the facts get in the way of a headline.
You may delete that one then, too.
how’s the position now? i don’t have fritz or something like that.
Polgar, do you have the chess engine running nearby you?
chess engines are good, like coffee machines, metal help we all need for modern life.
also helps to release the brain from too much stress. i like chess engines to help us make less human errors. too bad they cannot talk or write, then no need for humans at all.
Is that how she is coming up with the moves fast?
i don’t see any problem with that!?
if an expert commentator would use only their brain, they would find even better moves, but then no time for all of that, and its not the point, is it?
every chess commentator works with a little help from the computer;
it would be silly not to do it…
Alexandra and Hou are not using engines, and they are coming up with the moves fast, too, so what’s the big deal? All is in order, just perfect!
Yes, I am using the Radio Shack TRS-80 MC-10 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Susan’s about as good as Hou or Kosteniuk, probably better than Kosteniuk by ~50pts.
I really admire how this blog can cope with all the mean intruders.
i think match is over now
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hou has taken to the precipice, we shall see who can walk it.
White has a draw by repetition checking with the Queen… at least!!!
38. Qh5+!
Hou has taken Sasha to the precipice, we shall see who can walk it.
i amnot sure about that, i see rc1 and qe1 for black!!!
Polgar: where did you find the name of the old Radio Shack TRS-80 MC-10 computer? Surely, you wouldn’t have even seen that machine? What are you trying to say? That, you were using computers in your childhood.
39.Qf5+ should at least draw and win the match!
Yes, 39.Qf5+ looks to me like it draws at least. But it’s such an obvious move, it makes me think we are missing something…
Susan, please enlighten!
what was wrong with queen takes e4 pawn and if rook takes d6, queen takes rook a8 check?
Block the anons, please.
> Block the anons, please.
Look who is talking ….
I don’t mind at all me as anon being blocked, too, as long the mean people are out of reach.
This is a monumental even for chess, and should stay like that.
I don’t understand positions with uneven pieces. How is best to evaluate them? By counting points?
I prefer kickass, its some kind of chess terminology also. Let’s meet at kickass.blogspot.com and settle any dispute there?
Susan, you need to delete Anon 9:54 too.
From the lack of response and interest, I am assuming that 39.Qf5+ doesn’t work for some reason. It looks good to me, but I’ll plug the position into Fritz later.
(last chance to comment on it (;)
Looks like += or +- after 41. h3.
Hou would happily take a draw in this position, were it not for the match situation.
Black cannot generate real threats. Her king is badly exposed against Q+B+B assaults, and the B+B+P+P is stronger than her B+R.
Black can easily blunder into a losing combination.
39.Qf5+ Kh8 and White has a very small advantage. 39.b6 would be stronger.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Thanks Susan! I’m still not awake (obviously). If I understand correctly, 39.b6 potentially draws the queen away from h6…
Anyway, great job on the commentary! I’m glad that you are providing this service.
White is threatening Rd5 –> Rh5
Thx very much for your great coments Susan !!!!!
I am sure Hou will have a try next time.
Congrats to Alexandra Kosteniuk !!
This is bewildering: lines of attack from both sides.
What happened to Black’s Queen: I was distracted by a ‘phone call.
Genius: an exciting and worth finish to the match.
These two players are the future of Women’s chess – terrific
Thanks for Susan’s excellent commentary.
Hou is very young and her future is bright.
Congratulation for the Russian!
NOT BORING AT ALL
When I saw Kosteniuk in Mainz this summer, I never calculated her as new world champion. And Hou, coming to Olympiad Dresden this autumn, was awaited later on in this highest standard.
Well chess can surprise anyway. Always and forever.
okay
😉
It is fantastic to see Alexandra take the crown.
I hope the next women’s world title match is between Alexandra and a deserving challenger.
It certainly looks like that would be Hou.
Hey, per Susan’s first remark, don’t trash the Radio Shack “Trash-80”! For my undergraduate senior thesis work in 1981, I programmed matrix algebra on 10×10 matrices to solve game-theory problems on that baby.
This is a great win after her time out for motherhood last year and caring for her “preemie”, who is now fully healthy according to Wikipedia. This seems to be the first truly major title she’s won, and it emphasizes that in both the men’s and women’s games (Judit Polgar apart), there is great equality and challenge and fluidity at the top.
DRAW IN STYLE (TM) – Anon
This is a fantastic result for chess. Hou Yifan reaching the finals will whet everyone’s appetite for the greatness that she can achieve in the (near) future.
Alexandra winning the title is great publicity for chess, demonstrating that a well balanced individual, who is a fierce & talented competitor, as well as having a family, can become world champion.