Norway Chess Women: Deshmukh takes the lead

Muzychuk beats Assaubayeva in Armageddon

There is a head-to-head race in the Norway Chess women’s tournament. With a half-point lead, Divya Deshmukh has overtaken her rival Bibisara Assaubayeva at the top of the standings. However, the Indian player cannot afford to rest on that half-point advantage. In Round 6, she will have to face Ju Wenjun, the reigning World Champion.

The decisive factor in the current standings was above all Deshmukh’s victory in the classical game against Zhu Jiner, which earned her 3 points.

Round 5 results

Standings after round 5

Zhu 0 – 3 Deshmukh

In the crucial game of the round, Zhu and Deshmukh transposed into an endgame with a minor piece and a rook per side. Deshmukh had a knight and an extra pawn, while Zhu’s minor piece was a bishop. In time trouble, both players missed chances. The game swung at several moments from equality to an advantage for Black.

The players had to make do with the time added by the increment, and therefore could not spend long periods calculating.

The end of the game became foreseeable when White no longer had any useful moves. The white pawn had advanced too far, the king was cut off, and the bishop no longer had any good moves available.

In this position, there was already nothing left for White to get. The engine suggests playing f5-f6 instead of 82.Ba2. That pawn is also simply captured, and Black wins in the long run.

YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH – Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.

The classical games between Anna Muzychuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva, and between Ju Wenjun and Humpy Koneru, both ended in draws. The decision then came in Armageddon. Muzychuk won with white against Assaubayeva, which meant that Assaubayeva finished behind Deshmukh in the standings. Koneru won with black against Ju. Koneru still needs half a point to catch Ju in penultimate place.

Humpy Koneru is slowly catching up | Photo: Michal Walusza / Norway Chess

All games – Classical

All games – Armageddon

Links