Humpy Koneru continued her winning row in the FIDE Women’s World Championship. After defeating former Alisa Galliamova the Indian player arrived to the media room to analyse the game.

Anastasia Karlovich: Dear chess friends, welcome to the press center of the Women’s World Chess Championship. Our guest today is Koneru Humpy of India. Humpy has just won her first game against Alisa Galiamova. But I would like to ask first about her two previous matches. How does it go so far for you?

Humpy Koneru: Obviously my first match was quite easy; I was playing with the last seed. My first game of the second match was very interesting. I had a pawn up in the endgame. I could not convert it into win. So, my opponent had a lot of chances to make a draw. It was quite an interesting endgame with a lot of tricks. Finally I managed to win it.

– Tell us please about today’s game.

Today’s game is quite interesting from the opening itself. I did not expect her to play this kind of position. At one point it was not easy for white to continue to play. I had to be very accurate then. For this structure doesn’t give white any playing continuation. So, I went for Bf4. What black played (14…g5) was logical to continue. At some point I was thinking to play 15.Be3. At first I was thinking that I am having some compensation for the pawn but I was not clear. Because here black is safe: king is well placed on f8 and g7.

I was expecting her 15…h5 and after h3 I felt that 16…Nc5 was very interesting because after 17.Be4 Ne4 black keeps the bishop on b7. If black wants to continue its attack, having this light-squared bishop is very important. So here we had very interesting position. But after 16…h4 17.Bh2 Nc5 I could have played 18.Be2. And there is no flexibility to play g4.

It is quite dangerous to take 18…hxg4 as we would come to the same position with light-squared bishop. Now it is clear that white is having a pleasant position, there is no attack. I have got an initiative with 20.Nb5. If black takes on g2 I can play 21.Rd1. After playing 21…Rb8 I can even play Rd4. Later on, I was thinking that I could double rooks, and plat Nd6, Qf4 and black’s King would be in a very dangerous position. That was my plan at this point. It was important that I keep the queen in the certain position as black’s king is still at the center and it is not a good idea to go into the endgame with the pawn structure which I had, unless I make some some changes in the pawn structure as there was in the game.

Another critical moment came after 24…Rc8: black is aiming to move its queen on c5 and then play Qc6 in order to change queens. And I think my move 25.Rae1 is a good move. After Qc5, I can play Qg4. If black moves Qc4, I play Qg5, f6, Qg7. The position is already better for white, black is struggling everywhere.

– You won this interesting game today. What is your strategy for tomorrow?

– It will be one more game tomorrow. I will just continue playing the match.

– Do you know if Indian media are following the Championship. You and Harika are doing very well here.

– Yes, sure, in India they follow chess a lot. For sure, we have coverage in all newspapers. Many chess fans are following. It is good that we both are doing well so far.

– Who came to support you in the championship?

– I came with my mother as usual.

– Do you have a second?

– No, I am preparing on my own.

– Thank you so much for coming, we wish you good luck.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar