IM Anna Zatonskih clinched the Cairns Cup 2023 with a day to spare on Sunday. She defeated GM Zhansaya Abdumalik within the penultimate spherical to achieve an undefeated plus 4―1.5 factors forward of the sector. With this victory, Zatonskih secured her first GM norm with the $45,000 first prize.

Within the Sport of the Day, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk gained an thrilling battle vs. GM Bella Khotenashvili to leap up the scoreboard right into a tie for second. 

The Cairns Cup concludes with spherical 9 on Monday, June 12, beginning at 11:20 a.m. Pacific/20:20 CEST.

The way to watch?

Two opponents have been main contributors to Zatonskih’s early victory: Kosteniuk and IM Gunay Mammadzada, who held off Khotenashvili and GM Irina Krush respectively―Zatonskih’s two closest rivals.

Mammadzada vs. Krush

In a Classical Sicilian with the kings castled to reverse sides, Mammadzada and Krush rammed their flank pawns up the board towards the enemy monarchs, racing to create attacking possibilities. Although the Azerbaijani worldwide grasp appeared to have the swifter siege, Krush found a significant counterattacking useful resource. 

The American grandmaster quickly gained the initiative and an additional pawn, but it surely was Mammadzada’s flip to defend resiliently, guiding the sport right into a theoretically drawn, opposite-color bishop ending.

Kosteniuk vs. Khotenashvili

An Open Ruy Lopez took an surprising double-edged flip when Kosteniuk and Khotenashvili each rushed their queenside passers down the board within the middlegame. Although Kosteniuk had the higher hand within the pawn race, for one transfer, Khotenashvili missed a shocking tactical shot to avoid wasting the sport. Can you discover what she missed?

In the end, Kosteniuk allowed her opponent to queen first―making a place with 4 queens on the board―earlier than successful decisive materials of their dazzling time-scramble end. 

This wild duel is our Sport of the Day with annotations by GM Dejan Bojkov. 

Zatonskih vs. Abdumalik

Regardless of an early queen commerce, Zatonskih discovered a solution to generate a surge of dynamic play in what appeared a comparatively static place. Check out the event winner’s footwear. How did she do it?

With extra exercise and a greater pawn construction, Zatonskih pressed as they headed into the endgame. Although Abdumalik improved her place by activating her king, Zatonskih was unfazed, declining a repetition to proceed to pursue the complete level. The 44-year-old worldwide grasp enhanced her place little by little, finally discovering a means by her opponent’s defenses within the knight vs. bishop ending.

Zatonskih shared her mindset in regards to the ultimate ending: “I did not assume it was successful. I assumed it was significantly better, nice possibilities, and I’ll play this recreation one other 30-50 strikes.”

Zatonskih was ecstatic when she discovered that she had clinched each the event and a GM norm: “Very pleased. Wow, unbelievable. Sure, the most effective achievement in my chess profession, undoubtedly, the most effective in a few years…. Ketevan Arakhamia turned a GM on the age of 40; she’s considered one of my function fashions.”

Harika vs. Dzagnidze

GM Harika Dronavalli vs. GM Nana Dzagnidze was a pointy battle out of the opening, however because the smoke cleared, the sport quickly liquidated. Dzagnidze emerged with an additional pawn within the rook ending, however with simply pawns on the kingside, it wasn’t sufficient to transform.