chessbase india logo

Astana GP Round 9: Kateryna Lagno wins four in-a-row, emerges sole leader

by Shahid Ahmed - 28/09/2022

GM Kateryna Lagno has won four games in a row to emerge sole leader at FIDE Astana GP 2022. She defeated WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) in a dicey game where she could have probably lost at some point. IM Polina Shuvalova also averted disaster as her opponent GM Tan Zhongyi (CHN) missed an opportunity to trap her opponent's queen. IM Vaishali suffered her second loss of the event, against the FIDE Women's World Cup 2021 winner, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk. Vaishali will face IM Polina Shuvalova in the penultimate round 10 which starts today at 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Exciting games

The ninth round had 50% decisive games including a Berlin draw. Nevertheless, the remaining five games were quite exciting. At least two decisive games could have gone their opponent's way, if they had spotted their opportunities at the right time.

GM Kateryna Lagno is certainly looking strong to win the entire tournament | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Zhongyi - Shuvalova: 1-0

GM Tan Zhongyi (CHN, 2525) could have won her game against IM Polina Shuvalova (2510). The former Women's World Champion needed to spot her opponent's queen getting trapped.

Position after 32...b6

Black had a good position until she played 32...b6. White needed to go 33.f3 Bh5 34.g4 Bg6 35.Bf1 Qd5 36.Bc4 and the queen gets trapped. Well Black would have been forced to give up her bishop to prevent the queen from getting trapped. Eventually, White went for an incorrect exchange of pieces which gave her opponent a decisive advantage.

Polina Shuvalova: "I just want to play chess and enjoy it" | Video: FIDE

GM Tan Zhongyi (CHN) - IM Polina Shuvalova: 0-1 | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Jiner - Lagno: 0.5-0.5

WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN, 2464) had one good opportunity against GM Kateryna Lagno (2547).

Position after 24...Rc6

There was nothing to worry about the c5-knight. White just needed to launch an attack of her own on the kingside. 25.f5 exf5 26.a4 Qa5 27.Nxd7 was certainly the best course of action. Instead, 25.Rc4 helped Black Bxc5 26.Bxc5 Rfc8 27.f5 f6 28.exf6 and now Black can simply take the bishop Rxc5. After 28...Nxf6 29.fxe6 Black got another opportunity Rxc5 this time she did not let it go, won the game in another three moves.

Kateryna Lagno: "First I could not believe it, thought maybe it's a trick" | Video: FIDE

WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) - GM Kateryna Lagno: 0-1 | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Kosteniuk - Vaishali: 1-0

IM Vaishali R (2449) had the difficult task to find a safe square for her queen against GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2521).

Position after 26.Nxa6

26...Qb6 or Qe7 would have been better than the a4-square. Perhaps Vaishali wanted to remove the a2-pawn, for which she had to pay a heavy price as the position disintegrated.

Alexandra Kosteniuk: "I will try to do my best, especially tomorrow" | Video: FIDE

GM Kateryna Lagno - IM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER): 1-0 | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Replay the live stream

Replay Live Commentary of Astana Women's GP Round 9 with GM Ilya Smirin and WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni | Video: FIDE

Replay all Round 9 games

Round 9 Results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
152525
GMTan Zhongyi0 - 1IMShuvalova Polina
251012
262358
WGMWagner Dinara½ - ½IMAssaubayeva Bibisara
24434
372477
IMPaehtz Elisabeth½ - ½IMKashlinskaya Alina
24913
482464
WGMZhu Jiner0 - 1GMLagno Kateryna
25472
592503
GMAbdumalik Zhansaya½ - ½GMGoryachkina Aleksandra
25791
6102521
GMKosteniuk Alexandra1 - 0IMVaishali R
244911

Round 10 pairings

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
1122510
IMShuvalova PolinaIMVaishali R
244911
212579
GMGoryachkina AleksandraGMKosteniuk Alexandra
252110
322547
GMLagno KaterynaGMAbdumalik Zhansaya
25039
432491
IMKashlinskaya AlinaWGMZhu Jiner
24648
542443
IMAssaubayeva BibisaraIMPaehtz Elisabeth
24777
652525
GMTan ZhongyiWGMWagner Dinara
23586

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations


Related news:
Harika speaks up about the New Delhi GP incidents

@ 06/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aleksandra Goryachkina wins New Delhi GP on tie-breaks

@ 06/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP is poised for an exciting finish

@ 05/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 9: Vaishali puts up resistance against Humpy

@ 04/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 8: Harika beats Nino

@ 03/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 7: Humpy halts Bibisara's winning streak

@ 02/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 6: Vaishali draws with Goryachkina

@ 01/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 5: Humpy bounces back, Vaishali draws

@ 31/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 4: No Punches Pulled

@ 30/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 3: Bibisara wins two in-a-row

@ 29/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 2: Vaishali loses against Bibisara

@ 28/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
New Delhi GP Round 1: Elisabeth withdraws, two exciting endgames

@ 27/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
What is happening in New Delhi at the FIDE Grand Prix 2023

@ 26/03/2023 by Sagar Shah (en)
Alexandra Kosteniuk wins Munich GP 2023, Humpy second

@ 14/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 10: Kosteniuk barely escapes with a draw against Humpy

@ 13/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 9: Can Humpy stop Kosteniuk?

@ 12/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 8: Humpy wins and moves to second place

@ 11/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 7: Nana Dzagnidze reduces the gap

@ 10/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 6: Six draws

@ 09/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 5: Harika halts Kosteniuk's winning streak

@ 07/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 4: Humpy wins, Kosteniuk increases her lead

@ 06/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 3: Kosteniuk scores a hat-trick

@ 05/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 2: Tenacious Humpy shows incredible resilience

@ 04/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Munich GP Round 1: Humpy makes a quiet start with Harika

@ 03/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Humpy and Harika set to battle at FIDE Women's GP in Munich

@ 02/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Kateryna Lagno wins FIDE Astana GP, Vaishali impresses

@ 30/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Kateryna Lagno or Aleksandra Goryachkina - Who will win the FIDE Astana GP?

@ 29/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 8: Vaishali moves up, Lagno joins Goryachkina in the lead

@ 27/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 7: Vaishali draws with the leader Zhu Jiner

@ 26/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 6: Vaishali scores a win against Paehtz

@ 24/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 5: Goryachkina and Jiner still in the lead

@ 23/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 4: Vaishali splits the point with Tan Zhongyi

@ 22/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 3: Vaishali draws with Assaubayeva

@ 21/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 2: Four decisive games

@ 20/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Astana GP Round 1: Vaishali makes a solid start

@ 19/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vaishali will make her FIDE Women's GP debut at Astana, Kazakhstan

@ 17/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)