14 October 2021

Polina Shuvalova Joins Leaders at Russian Women's Superfinal

Nikita Vitiugov maintains leadership in the open event.

The sixth round of the Russian Championships Superfinals took place in Ufa on the 14th of October.

In the open tournament, Alexander Motylev and Kirill Alekseenko played a very exciting game in the Taimanov Variation of the Sicilian Defence. In the position with both kings castled long, White won a pawn, but Alekseenko acted actively and created dangerous counter chances. Motylev preferred to play solidly and went for a move repetition. A draw was fixed on the 40th move.

Maxim Matlakov, who had played against Alexandr Predke, had chances of success as well. The grandmaster from Saint Petersburg won a pawn but missed the strongest continuation in the middle game, after which Black managed to create counterplay. A draw was agreed on the 37th move.

The games Fedoseev - Chigaev, Andreikin - Esipenko, Goryachkina - Rakhmanov, and Ponkratov - Vitiugov were drawn as well.

Standings after Round 6:

1. Nikita Vitiugov - 4
2-4. Vladimir Fedoseev, Maxim Matlakov, Kirill Alekseenko - 3.5
5-7. Aleksandra Goryachkina, Dmitry Andreikin, Andrey Esipenko - 3
8-12. Aleksandr Rakhmanov, Maksim Chigaev, Alexandr Predke, Alexander Motylev, Pavel Ponkratov - 2.5.

The 15th of October is the tournament's rest day.

Round 7 pairings:

Alekseenko - Matlakov
Vitiugov - Motylev
Esipenko - Ponkratov
Rakhmanov - Andreikin
Chigaev - Goryachkina
Predke - Fedoseev.

In the women's event, Polina Shuvalova and Alina Bivol were waging a sharp struggle in a position with an opposite castling in the Rubinstein Variation of the French Defence. White gave up two bishops for a rook and a pawn while fighting for the initiative and created unpleasant threats on the kingside. Bivol made a sacrifice in response; however, Shuvalova exchanged a dangerous black bishop, warded off an attack, and got a position with two extra pawns. She was precise while converting and celebrated the victory on the 48th move to become one of the tournament leaders.

Alina Kashlinskaya celebrated a bright victory over Marina Guseva with the black pieces. A structure typical for the Benoni Defence arouse, where Black organised a traditional assault on the kingside. Kashlinskaya sacrificed a pawn and then a piece to literally crush the white king's position. Guseva replied rather erroneously and resigned after the opponent's 27th move.

The games Girya - Garifullina, Bodnaruk - Voit, Ovod - Galliamova, and Gunina - Pogonina ended in a draw.

Standings after Round 6:

1-3. Valentina Gunina, Evgenija Ovod, Polina Shuvalova - 4.5
4-5. Alina Kashlinskaya, Alisa Galliamova - 3.5
6-7. Natalija Pogonina, Leya Garifullina - 3
8. Olga Girya - 2.5
9-10. Daria Voit, Marina Guseva - 2
11-12. Anastasia Bodnaruk, Alina Bivol - 1.5.

Round 7 pairings:

Kashlinskaya - Ovod
Garifullina - Guseva
Bivol - Girya
Pogonina - Shuvalova
Voit - Gunina
Galliamova - Bodnaruk.

Various social event with children, including simultaneous exhibitions, will be organised on a free day.

The tournament is a part of the Chess in Museums international programme realised by the Chess Federation of Russia and the Elena and Gennady Timchenko Foundation.

An exhibition featuring the chess sets from the Chess Museum is organised at the venue. The Museum's curator, Cand. Sc. History Dmitry Oleinikov conducts tours around the exposition for everyone.

The spectators are not allowed in the playing hall due to the anti-Covid measures. However, the chess fans are welcome in the commentating area where they can listen to GM Sergey Shipov in Russian.

GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Alexandr Shimanov are commentating on the tournament in English.

Tournament on Chess-Results

Tournament page