2011 Womens Grand Prix GM Zhao Xue VS GM Nadezhda Kosintseva, Russia Chess

♕ ARTICLE: www.onlinechesslessons.net ♕ Pogonina.com ♕ http ♕ twitter.com In this video, I take an in-depth look at Xue’s monsterous round 8 victory over the aforementioned Russian female chess star, Nadezhda Kosintseva. At this point in the tournament, Xue had achieved a significant lead over the field with an incredible score of 6.5/7, however Ju Wenjun and Ekaterina Kovalevskaya were close on her heels. Xue opened with d4, and Kosintseva played a fashionable line of the Queen’s Indian Defense with 4. …Ba6. Xue responded with 5. Qa4, and went on to quickly achieve pressure on the d-file by doubling her rooks with 12. Rd2 and 13. Rad1 – making black’s subsequent development of her queenside knight an uncomfortable affair. This d-file pressure provoked Kosintseva into playing 14. …e5 – creating a static weakness on the d5 square which played a critical role in the middlegame. Xue played very precisely and continued building her pressure against Kosintseva’s center – then switched at the perfect moment to a very dangerous kingside attack with 20. Bxh6! and 21. Rxd4! This exchange sacrifice enabled Xue to maintain constant, long-term pressure against Kosintseva’s kingside – which white was able to accurately convert to a full point in 35 moves. PGN Available at: www.chessgames.com FINAL STANDINGS FOR 2011 WOMEN GRAND PRIX: Rank Name Rtg FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts Rp 1 GM Zhao Xue 2497 CHN * 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9½ 2817 2 WGM Ju Wenjun 2536 CHN 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ …