Korolev's move: the women's national team confidently won the team Chess World Cup
The Russian women's team won all the matches of both the group stage and the playoff stages of the World Chess Championship without suffering a single match defeat and without making a single draw. In Linares, Polina Shuvalova scored 9.5 out of a possible 10 (breaking into the top 10 of the world ranking), and the most difficult match turned out to be with the Chinese team in the semifinals. After passing the Chinese women, the Russians beat the Azerbaijani national team, becoming the winners of the women's World Cup and repeating their success in 2017 and 2021. Unfortunately, Andrei Esipenko, who lost in the semifinals of the World Cup, could not support the initiative of our girls.
Brilliant job
The team World Cup in Spain was attended by 12 teams, which were divided into two groups, approximately equal in strength depending on the average rating. A round-robin tournament of five rounds was played in each group. The top four teams from each group advanced to the playoff stage, where the winner was determined in knockout matches.
Our team won all the group stage matches, beating Kazakhstan, USA, Spain, Azerbaijan and Peru.
In the first round of the playoffs, the opponent of our national team was the Uzbek team. Two matches ended with a total score of 7:1. After that, Sergey Rublevsky's team had to play with China, led by the first number of the FIDE rating Hou Yifan. In the first match, our team beat the Chinese women with a score of 2.5:1.5 thanks to the victory of Polina Shuvalova. In the second match, Anna Shukhman and the same Shuvalova won their games, correcting the situation after a misfire by Alexandra Goryachkina. Ekaterina Lagno drew her game.
In the final, we had to play with our group rivals, Azerbaijan, and we managed to continue our winning streak. In the first match, the Russians won 3-1 thanks to the victories of Goryachkina and Shuvalova! In the second match, the score was 2.5:1.5. Leia Garifullina won, Goryachkina, Lagno and Shuvalova drew.
The Russians won the tournament for the third time, having previously won the World Team Championship in 2017 and 2021.
"If the Russian team is allowed to go somewhere, then we always take the first place," Alexander Tkachev, executive director of the Russian Chess Federation (FSHR), emphasized in a conversation with Izvestia. — This is becoming an axiom. If we talk about the national teams, then the return to the international arena turned out to be a triumph. The girls won 11 out of 11 matches, once again proving that the Russian chess school has no equal. And this is despite the machinations of chess officials, first of all I am talking about the vice-president of the European Chess Union, Malcolm Payne. He plainly says that they want to deprive Russia of a national sport. They won't succeed. All issues should be solved at the chessboard, and behind it our team once again showed who is the boss in the house. Well done. This is a common victory. Not only our outstanding athletes, Russian chess, but all Russian sports.
Tkachev also noted the contribution of the chess players to the overall victory.
"In fact, the rivalry between Russia and China is crucial in all team tournaments, which is not surprising," continued the executive director of the Russian Chess Federation. — But I can say that every match was quite difficult. For example, the first final match, which we won 3-1. It seemed to be confident in the score, but in terms of content, everything was decided in the last seconds. And it has happened repeatedly. There has always been an inner nerve, and that's what makes sport great.
If we talk about personalities, then, of course, I'll start with Polina. Shuvalova scored 9.5 points out of 10 and broke into the top 10 in the Live rating. She was a real slaughterer. As for the first and second boards, Goryachkina and Lagno, everyone played against them in a special way. The opponents' task was not to lose. And when the opponent is just fighting back, it's very difficult. Overreacting is very fraught and dangerous.
Nevertheless, Alexandra and Ekaterina showed a plus in points, confirming their high class. Leia Garifullina played very reliably, scoring a decisive victory in the second match of the final. Anna Shukhman's debut turned out to be more than successful. I won four games and didn't lose a single one.
— This is a good start, and we are glad that the national team has gained a full-fledged member. And Anna, let me remind you, is only 16 years old. And Olga Girya traditionally played tightly. I was always ready to replace him and back him up. I would especially like to mention our coaches: Sergey Rublevsky, Konstantin Sakaev and Evgeny Naer. They worked brilliantly," concluded Alexander Tkachev.
Don't stay fourth
At the same time, the Men's World Cup is nearing its conclusion in Goa. The semifinals kicked off on Friday, November 21st. Predictably enough, both games ended in a draw: Javokhir Sindarov easily equalized in a duel with Nodirbek Yakubboev, and Andrei Esipenko even had some chances to intercept the game with Wei Yi, but the Chinese chess player clearly fought back after a poorly played opening.
The next day, the rivals dispersed again. Esipenko again had a little pressure throughout the game with Wei Yi, but did not achieve a significant advantage. The meeting between Sindarov and Yakubboev was uneventful, and the rivals quickly agreed to a draw.
Thus, the finalists of the tournament were determined by a tie-break. Surprisingly, everything was solved in the first rapid part. Sindarov was able to beat Yakubboev and barely defended the draw with black. At some point, Nodirbek seized the initiative, but could not find a win in the endgame. In the second match, everything was even more dramatic. In the first game, Wei Yi, playing black, had a slight advantage, but Esipenko was able to fight back after an unsuccessful opening. In the end, Andrey made almost all the moves on the first line, which inspired optimism before the second game.
The rivals played an Italian game, in which Esipenko is considered a great specialist. Back in 2021, the Russian beat Magnus Carlsen himself in it. With Wei Yi, Andrew was also as close to victory as possible. In the tense ending, with one second left on the Chinese grandmaster's clock, Andrei had two more pawns. The computer showed a "+2" advantage, but at that moment Esipenko let out a most insulting yawn.
This is how Wei Yi, the youngest chess player in history, reached the 2,700 mark, reached the final. Interestingly, he retired from professional chess for several years, but after returning to the big game, he has been firmly holding 2750+ for three years. Last year, the 26-year-old Chinese won the super tournament in Wijk aan Zee, and this year he is one victory away from winning the World Cup. Andrey should try to forget this failure as soon as possible. On Monday, November 24, he will start the match for the third place against Yakubboev.
This confrontation will be even more fundamental than the finale. If Sindarov and Wei Yi have already secured tickets to the 2026 Candidates tournament, which will be held in Cyprus from March 28 to April 16, then the loser of the third–place mini-match will leave Goa with only a consolation prize.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
