Gibraltar GP R4: Abdumalik, Mariya and Lagno share three-way lead 3.0/4

by Shahid Ahmed - 26/05/2021

The fourth round of FIDE Gibraltar Women's GP had 50% decisive results which means the other 50% were draws. The tournament witnessed its shortest draw in just 12 moves. Both Abdumalik and Lagno made comfortable draws against Bulmaga and Stefanova to maintain their lead with 3.0/4. Meanwhile Mariya Muzychuk beat Mammadzada to join the leaders as she moved to 3.0/4. Anna Muzychuk scored her first win of the event and moved to 2.0/4. Round 5 starts today at 6:30 p.m. IST. Photo: John Saunders/FIDE

Both Muzychuk sisters score victories

Anna Muzychuk scored her first win of the event against Valentina Gunina as the latter misplayed in the endgame which cost her the game. Mariya Muzychuk made a short work of her opponent Gunay Mammadzada as she made a tactical error. Both Abdumalik and Lagno drew their respective games against Bulmaga and Stefanova respectively to stay in the lead with 3.0/4 along with Mariya.

It was a good day for the Muzychuks | Photo: John Saunders/FIDE

A Muzychuk - Gunina: 1-0

One thing you can be sure of is, even if you do a slightest of mistake against Anna Muzychuk in the endgame, she will seize it and that is exactly what she did against Gunina.

Position after 23...Qa4

23...Qa4 is a dubious move. It started to shift the balance in favor of white after 24.f3 Nf6 25.Rd2 Qb5 26.Qg5 c5 and now 27.e5 drops the h5-pawn but the game went with 27.Qe5 which is also good and white eventually arrived at a winning knight endgame.

Anna scored her first win of the event and moved to 2.0/4 | Photo: David Llada/FIDE

Interview with Anna Muzychuk | Video: FIDE

Stefanova-Lagno had a lukewarm draw | Photo: David Llada/FIDE

Saduakassova scored for the first time in the event by making a 12-move draw with Kashlinskaya | Photo: John Saunders/FIDE

Paehtz - Dzagnidze: 1-0

Dzagnidze did not anticipate Paehtz's attack on her kingside correctly.

Position after 19...Rfe8

19...Rfe8 allowed white to wreck black's kingside with 20.Bxf6. Black needed to avoid that possibility with either 19...Be7 or Nd7.

Position after 22.Bf4

How should white continue the attack after 22...Bf4 ? 22...f6 was a better defence.

Position after 25...f5

It seems like black has managed to save all threats with 25...f5. Well that is far from truth. Find out the best continuation for white. Soon black had to give up her queen for two rooks. It was just a matter of technique for white, one she converted with ease without any difficulty.

Paehtz scored a fine victory over Dzagnidze | Photo: David Llada/FIDE

Mammadzada - M Muzychuk: 0-1

Mammadzada made a tactical error which Mariya immediately capitalized upon and white had to resign in the next three moves.

Position after 25.b4

25.b4 is a huge mistake. Find out why. White just needed to focus on her advantage and continue the game with 25.d6. With this win, Mariya joined the three-way lead with Abdumalik and Lagno at 3.0/4.

Mariya joins the leaders with 3.0/4| Photo: David Llada/FIDE

Interview with Mariya Muzychuk | Video: FIDE

Abdumalik made a comfortable draw with Bulmaga to stay in the lead | Photo: John Saunders/FIDE

Interview with Zhansaya Abdumalik | Video: FIDE

Replay all Round 4 games

Replay the live stream

Women's GP Gibraltar Round 4 with Nigel Short and Fiona Steil-Antoni | Video: FIDE

Round 4 Results

Stefanova - Lagno: 0.5-0.5

Anna Muzychuk - Gunina: 1-0

Saduakassova - Kashlinskaya: 0.5-0.5

Paehtz - Dzagnidze: 1-0

Mammadzada - Mariya Muzychuk: 0-1

Bulmaga - Abdumalik: 0.5-0.5

Standings after Round 4

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	3	IM	Abdumalik Zhansaya	KAZ	2472	3,0	0,0	2	4,75
	4	GM	Muzychuk Mariya	UKR	2544	3,0	0,0	2	4,75
3	8	GM	Lagno Kateryna	RUS	2546	3,0	0,0	2	4,50
4	11	IM	Paehtz Elisabeth	GER	2456	2,5	0,0	2	5,00
5	1	IM	Mammadzada Gunay	AZE	2443	2,0	0,0	1	4,00
6	9	GM	Muzychuk Anna	UKR	2535	2,0	0,0	1	3,50
	12	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	BUL	2470	2,0	0,0	1	3,50
8	5	GM	Dzagnidze Nana	GEO	2524	2,0	0,0	1	3,00
9	2	IM	Bulmaga Irina	ROU	2440	1,5	0,0	1	3,50
10	6	IM	Kashlinskaya Alina	RUS	2494	1,5	0,0	1	2,25
11	7	GM	Gunina Valentina	RUS	2421	1,0	0,0	1	1,50
12	10	IM	Saduakassova Dinara	KAZ	2500	0,5	0,0	0	0,75

Details

Schedule

Everyday game starts at 6:30 p.m. IST except the last round which will be notified later.

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

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