The opening round passed in a tense struggle on all the boards and as a result 3 games were scored. Playing white World Champion Hou Yifan got the advantage in the middle game and defeated Russian player Ekaterina Kovalevskaya. Zhao Xue and Anna Muzichuk won their games against Munguntuul Batkhuyag and Elina Danielian accordingly. Three other games Betul Yildiz – Zhu Chen, Tan Zhongui – Ju Wenjun. Viktorija Chmilyte – Ruan Lufei were drawn. During the press-conferences the players expressed their views about the games and shared first impressions about the organization of the tournament and their visit to Shenzhen.
Yildiz Betul Cemre – Zhu Chen 1/2 – 1/2
French defense was played in the game and after some exchanges Black managed to equalize the position but could not fight for more. In the equal bishop ending the game was drawn after the triple-repetition of the position.
Zhu Chen: I was trying to play some normal game today. I’ve got an equal position. I’ve played a similar game with Hou Yifan and today’s game looks very similar. I chose a move Ne5 which equalizes the position but in any case Black didn’t get much.
Betul Yildiz: My couch and I prepared for the opening today. After Ne5 we changed all the pieces and entered the equal endgame. I’m satisfied with the result because all the players have higher rating; still I want to catch some points.
Zhu Chen: I like Shenzhen very much. I’ve been here many times before. It’s a beautiful city and I’m always glad to come here. The hotel is nice, the food is excellent, and so the organization is on the very high level. I think it’s the best organization of the Women`s Grand Prix.
Betul Yildiz: I was here two weeks ago – I participated in Universiada. I’m glad to be here again. I`ve visited some places in Shenzhen before but I hope to see more during the free days.
Zhao Xue – Munguntuul Batkhuyag 1-0
Slav defense was played in the game. Chinese player missed a beautiful winning chance – on 31st move she could chose 31. Qd1 b1 Q. 32. Qf3! Kf8 33. Rb5 and White threatening both Queens. Both players didn’t see this variation during the game. Instead Zhao Xue played 31. Rb5 but still manage to win the game in the deep Queen ending.
Munguntuul Batkhuyag: After b3 the position was quite good for me and I thought White had to make a draw at that moment. In the end I’ve got a bad position with a pawn down but maybe I could hold the position more properly. For example I could have left my queen on b4 and not let her play Qc3. If her king comes to the center I can get some chances to give a perpetual check.
Zhao Xue: I think in the middle game I missed some chances but I still don’t know where was that moment. In the ending I’ve got very good chances for win. It was not easy but I think she played a bit quickly in one moment and missed a good move. Later on I started to push a pawn and after I put it on c5 it should be winning.
Munguntuul Batkhuyag: The organization is very good here. I was in Shenzhen one month ago playing in Universiada and everything was organized in a high level as well.
Zhao Xue: The organization is very good and the place, we are staying here, is a very beautiful one. There is a park outside and I`m enjoying fresh air here. Shenzhen is a good city for chess and I’ve been here many times before.
Hou Yifan – Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 1:0
Italian Game was chosen by the players today. In the middle game Hou Yifan got some attacking chances on the King`s side and received clearly better position after Black’s mistake 30…Nh7. After some complications Hou Yifan managed to convert her advantage into a full point.
Hou Yifan: The position was about equal after the opening then it transferred to the middle game with knight against bishop and I`ve got some chances to attack on her King side. I think after I took on h5 the position should be better for White but maybe before the time trouble I didn’t play very good. I didn’t see in any moment how my opponent could equalize the position but any way it was not easy to win for White.
Kovalevskaya Ekaterina: White didn’t put much pressure in the opening, so position was almost equal. Probably I played inaccurately and slowly in one moment. Later on I was in a time trouble and it was difficult to find the best moves. I’ve seen such moves as Nd5, Re5 long time ago but the problem is I don’t believe to myself sometimes and don’t play quickly. I should have played faster and maybe I would have better chances to save the game.
Hou Yifan: I’ve been here several times before. During this summer I visited Shenzhen two times. The organization is very nice and I feel really comfortable here. There is a lot of attention here in China but it doesn’t bother me while I can concentrate on my game during the playing hours.
Kovalevskaya Ekaterina: I’ve been to China many times before and I must say the organization of the tournaments is usually on a high level. The organisers are very experienced and always trying their best.
Muzychuk Anna – Danielian Elina 1–0
Caro-Kann Defence happened in the game and White managed to create big troubles for Black. In complications that followed, Black got over some dangerous moments but lost in the Queen ending with pawn down.
Elina Danielian: I spent lots of time in the opening because I was just sleepy. Last days I had not enough sleep – I just finished to play in Botvinnik Memorial in Moscow and traveled after that, so I still feel a little bit tired. After 20 moves I had to play with 30 seconds only and had to wake up finally because there was no alternative if I wanted to continue my game (laughing). I could not even understand that I`m in horrible time trouble – I even played one move with 2 seconds left on my clock. In the game we had a lot of different possibilities for both sides, so maybe I just chose the wrong line, maybe I could have played better.
Anna Muzychuk: Firstly I was happy to receive such position in the opening because I think it was better for White and also I had more time. Still it was difficult to use this advantage because I had to do the best moves. So I spent a lot of time later on. In the time trouble I didn’t play so well. I could have played 16.Nc7 Nc7 17. Qd7 Kd7 18. Nc4 instead of 16.b3 but I was not sure if I was going to get enough advantage. I thought White can fight for more after 16.b3.
Anna Muzychuk: I have been to this city not so long time ago. Two months ago I participated in Chinese League. The tournament lasted three days only, so I didn’t have enough time to visit the city but I hope to use the opportunity here and looking forward for free days. Until now the organization is good – we stay in the nice hotel, playing in nice hall. Conditions are good here.
Elina Danielian: It`s my first visit to Shenzhen but not to China. Wherever I played I was always getting nice conditions and the organization was nice everywhere as well.
Cmilyte Viktorija – Ruan Lufei 1/2 – ½
Slav Defense was chosen in the opening. In the middle game Viktorija Chmilyte managed to win a pawn but lost her advantage by playing 41. f3. Ruan Lufei used the opportunity and equalized the position.
Viktorija Cmilyte: It was an interesting game, very tense one. Black’s position is very solid in this line. I think in one moment I had an advantage. I was even one pawn up but actually it was not so easy to win at least not in a practical game. I saw the move 41…d4 but at that moment I could not really see the easy way to win. Her knight is coming to c5 and eventually to e4 and it’s not so easy for me to prove that I’m actually have an edge unless I’m missing something very obvious. a6 was also a terrible move – I lost a track a bit.
Ruan Lufei: I think everything was ok in the opening but then I lost the direction. I played Qc2, Qb3 and missed a lot of time. It was a mistake, I should have done something else instead – to find some play in the Queen side or move my queen to the King side. White got an advantage and I think 41.f3 was a mistake. Instead she could have tried 41.Rd1 Ne4. 42. Rd4 and it seems to me White has more opportunities.
Ruan Lufei: It’s a very nice tournament. First of all it is in China and I’m used to the food and weather. We stay in a five star hotel and everything is fantastic.
Viktorija Cmilyte: I agree that organization is very nice. It’s a first time I’m playing in China and it’s my first Grand Prix event. it’s very exciting and interesting to be here.
Tan Zhongyi – Ju Wenjun 1/2 – ½
King`s Indian Defense was chosen in the game between two Chinese players. White didn’t get any advantage and the game was drawn after the triple-repetition of the position.
Ju Wenjune: We have played lots of games and both of us know each other very well. During the game we usually fight but after the game we are friends again. I played this position many times during this year. I think both of us prepared very well today and both of us played precisely. I could not find how to improve my position.
Tan Zhongyi: I checked the games of my opponent before the game and was ready for the opening. The position of Black is quite strong, so I could not find how to improve my position and prefer to draw the game by repetition.
Zhao Xue rocks.