World Juniors Rd.09: Can anyone stop Shtembuliak and Shuvalova?

Fitness is the key

Both the open section and the girls section have sole leaders. Evgeny Shtembuliak leads with 7.5/9 and Polina Shuvalova with 8.0/9. While both have quite contrasting styles of play, Shtembuliak is positional, while Shuvalova is aggressive, one common thing that has helped both of them is indulging in physical fitness each day. In their post-game interviews with ChessBase India, both players revealed that they spent time in the gym before the game in the morning and that has helped them to maintain their stamina and momentum. Shtembuliak even goes to the swimming pool along with the gym. For Shuvalova, this result is even more commendable because she played 11 rounds of intense chess in Mumbai at the World youth Championships 2019. She won the gold in under-18 girls section. Change in weather, food, time zone, opposition, nothing has come in between Shuvalova and her constant striving to play good games of chess.

Improving your positional understanding with Shtembuliak

Shuvalova's masterful endgame play

Annotations by WIM Angela Franco:

Annotations by WIM Angela Franco:

Annotations by WIM Angela Franco:

Annotations by WIM Angela Franco:

Tactics time!

Many of us practice the regular solving of tactics at home. But what we are unable to do is recreate a game like scenario during our practice session. Well, with this video we have tried to change that. We have captured the real time game between Leon Mendonca and P. Iniyan. However, there were several tactics that were missed by both the players. WIM elect Amruta Mokal tries to explain these tactics in the video and also tells you the amount of time both players had on their clocks when they reached this position.

Leon Mendonca vs P. Iniyan

Analysis by Amruta Mokal:

The norm makers:

After nine rounds, we had as many as twelve norms that were scored at the tournament. Five IM norms, Six WIM norms and one WGM norm. It is quite possible that we will see more norms as there are two rounds still left to be played. 

IM Norms:

1. Aronyak Ghosh,

2. Wang Shixu,

3. Audi Ameya,

4. Garidmagnai Byambasuren

5. Aaryan Varshney

WGM norms:

1. Shuvalova Polina

WIM norms:

1. Antova Gabriela

2. Altantuya Boldbaatar 

3. Avetisyan Mariam

4. Pandey Srishti

5. Toshali V

6. Potluri Supreetha

Results of round 9 open

Standings after round 9 in the open

Results of round 9 girls 

Standings after round 9 in the girls

Withdrawals from the tournament

As the rounds go by the number of players withdrawing from the tournament is increasing. These are not just Iran players, who anyway have more to worry about than just health issues. But if you look at the pairing list, there have been several withdrawals citing health reasons. But almost all of them have withdrawn after a loss. As a chess player I can completely understand the mental stress and helplessness one feels when he/she loses a game. If it is a winning game, it feels even worse. You are losing rating points like a leaking faucet, there is no longer a chance for making a norm, a medal finish is impossible to achieve. Why then should you continue? Let me give you an example from another sport - Cricket.

"It was one of the bravest things I've seen on the field of play," said Viv Richards later. Batting at No. 7, Kumble was hit by Merv Dillon. He spat out blood but batted on for another 20 minutes. The series was poised 1-1 and this was the fourth Test. India declared at 513 for 9. The sight of Anil Kumble emerging from the pavilion, ready to bowl, his face bandaged, in the Antigua Test of 2002, is one of cricket's most inspiring. Kumble sent down 14 consecutive overs and became the first bowler to dismiss Brian Lara while bowling with a broken jaw. He was due to fly back to Bangalore the following day for surgery, and as he said, "At least I can now go home with the thought that I tried my best. Kumble's Test was drawn, West Indies declaring at 629 for 9. His reason for returning to bowl: "I didn't want to sit around" is as fine an example of the self-effacing statement as you will find in cricket."

- Source: ESPNcricinfo

If Kumble's incident teaches us something, then it is the fact that great players do not care about the result - the test match was anyway drawn. The feeling of going back home having tried your best is something that cannot be explained in words, it has to be felt.

Related news:

	Who is Evgeny Shtembuliak? @ 05/11/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	एवेगेनी और शुवालोवा बने विश्व जूनियर शतरंज चैम्पियन @ 29/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	Evgeny Shtembuliak and Polina Shuvalova are World Junior Champions 2019 @ 26/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	World Juniors Rd.10: Who will win the World Juniors 2019? @ 25/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	विश्व जूनियर -अब प्रियांका -अरविंद से आखिरी उम्मीद @ 25/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	World Juniors Rd.08: YASQS - Yet Another Shuvalova Queen Sacrifice! @ 23/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	विश्व जूनियर में अब कार्तिक -दिव्या से बड़ी उम्मीद @ 23/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	World Juniors Rd.07: Unstoppable Shtembuliak @ 22/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	Live Games from World Juniors 2019 @ 21/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	विश्व जूनियर पर पड़ी ईरान और इज़राइल विवाद की छाया @ 20/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	World Juniors Rd.06: Alinasab leads, Iran-Israel pairing creates chaos @ 20/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	विश्व जूनियर - जीत के साथ प्रग्गानंधा सयुंक्त बढ़त पर @ 18/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	World Juniors Rd.03+04: Petrosian would have been proud @ 18/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	World Juniors 2019 Rd.02: The optimism of the young! @ 17/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	विश्व जूनियर R2- प्रग्गानंधा की दूसरी जीत ,मृदुल का उलटफेर @ 16/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
	World Juniors Rd.01: Dvorkovich visit and a tough start for the top seeds @ 16/10/2019 by Sagar Shah (en)
	रोमांच के साथ विश्व जूनियर चैंपियनशिप का आगाज @ 16/10/2019 by Niklesh Jain (hi)