Kateryna Lahno - Elina Danielian

Anastasia: the game Ekaterina LAhno - Elina Danielian has been finished. Ekaterina Lahno won with black. My first question is to Katya. How was today's game developing for you? When was the moment you managed to take an advantage?

Ekaterina: The position was very complicated with the chances for both opponents. I am not sure I can estimate it correctly. We both had few time. Elina made a rough mistake and I managed to take an initiative. Elina sacrificed a pawn, which, to my mind, was not correct. I think I underestimated a bit the possible threats. It seemed to me that White could have moved Qf7 after Bg2. I still don't estimate this position quite well.

Elina: it seemed to me that after sacrificing a pawn on e2, I got an interesting play. That is why I chose this line. I also think that Ng7 is not a good move, she should have played Ne7. Anyway this pawn sacrifice was very interesting. I am not sure about the move Qf7, I did not like it so much due to Re7. Probably I made a wrong move Qf3. In the time trouble I started to give out the material as usual. I think I did something wrong. I should have played Ne4 at some point instead of Qf3. I think White had good chances but there was not enough time and as usual I chose the worst variation (laughing).

Anastasia: coming back to yesterday's rest day. Please share your impressions, how did you spend time? Did you like it?

Elina: we had a very good time. Everything was prepared in a family way. Noone was tense, everyone was just relaxing.

Ekaterina: the rest day programme was planned perfectly. We abstracted from chess, but the day was not overloaded. We visited a very interesting museum, some other places of sightseeing. Later we had lunch at one of the very good restaurants of Rostov. In general we had good rest, relaxed, did not get tired at all. All the preferences of a chess player was taken into account.



Nadezhda Kosintseva - Hou Yifan

Anastasia: The game Nadezhda Kosintseva - Hou Yifan was drawn. You played quite quickly in the opening, you almost did not think over any move. Did you play according to your home preparation?

Yifan: Actually I think Nadezhda played this in the World Team Championship not so long ago and I remember her playing this position. I think in that game it was a draw in the end and in our game it was more complicated, She had two passed pawns and my pawn was in the center, it was a little bit dangerous but still I think this position was okey for me.

The ending looked equal, but then I think her two passed pawns made her position little bit stronger, however, when I changed b pawn to h pawn - it is drawish. I don't know exactly if she could improve her position.

Anastasia: Nadezhda, how can you comment the game? It seemed that in the opening it took you more time to think than Yifan...were you frightened by your opponent's home preparation?

Nadezhda: I think that for sure she was preparing this position, because this line is very dangerous and it is not easy to go for it without preparation. Frankly speaking, I forgot those sharp lines and did not remember the exact moves order, that is why I spent much time for recollections for nothing. Then when we started the play I was not sure whether it was the right way for black to play, who was the first to avoid the line, I could not remember it...However, at least I liked my position and it seemed to me that it was more dangerous to play Black and, on the other hand, Chinese chess players stick to such a style where they like such positions in which precise moves is the furst consideration both from Black and White. I blundered a move Qе1 and I was still lucky that I found moves Qh8 and Qс3, otherwise there would have been a mate, and after the exchange we got an equal endgame. I don't think that I had enough material to play for the winning position in this endgame.


Ekaterina Kovalevskaya - Tatiana Kosintseva

Tatiana: Already the first move е4 was unexpected for me, because lately Katya mainly plays English opening c4 and I was preparing for it more than for anything else. As a result we got a rare variation of the closed Sicilian Defense. To my mind, we got some kind of a combination that resulted in an approximately equal position as it seemed to me. When White played Bd5-Bd5-Nh3, of course, Black already started playing for win, because bishop on d5 is strong and the White's King is weak. Black might have a more pleasant position due to their activity, the pawn on с3 is weak, but effectively there should be equality.  

Anastasia: What do you think, Ekaterina?

Ekaterina: I absolutely agree with Tanya, I simply did not see the move f5. It became a terrible revelation for me. Once again White tricked themselves. I did not want to use the Queen's position on h6.

Anastasia: Did you manage to get any rest on the free day and did you like everything?

Tatiana: This day was really fruitful, the organizers arranged a large excursion program. We were taken to the natural history museum, then we learned a lot after visiting the sport complex. Indeed we managed to somehow relax on the rest day. Generally everything went very well.

Anastasia: Ekaterina, this is your home town, but still, how did you find this rest day? Did you visit the museum yesterday?

Ekaterina: I was not there yesterday because I visited it about 15 times before (laughing). If I went there yesterday, that would be too much.

Anastasia: Where did you disappear yesterday?

Ekaterina: One can always find where to go in the native town.




Ruan Lufei - Alisa Galliamova

Anastasia: how was your preparation to today's game? You managed to materialize what have been planned? How did today's game develop?

Alisa: Again I guessed which move my opponent would make in the opening. Ruan did not play the move dc before she used to play Bf5. I asked my coach to check the new line but he assured me that Ruan would not play it. In the game she played exactly what I was expecting but did not prepare. As usually I was left without a material but fortunately Ruan gave me back the material right away later, though she could keep this pawn. Later on I was playing not badly and I think I fully overplayed my opponent. At the end I had too long realization. Though I did not have a lot of time and was converting my advantage to the full point not very well. On my opinion Re5 should be played, instead of Re3. Taking away her rook my opponent got a loosing position. During the game I had two bishops advantage and it was comfortable for me to play this position. But usually it is always difficult to play a good position. You should find precise moves. Fortunately I was playing well and my opponent helped me a bit. By the way many of my pawns were taken during this game, I got tired of that. I will not give my pawns in the next game, for sure (laughing). Though I should agree that one plays much more better without a material.

Anastasia: Ruan, was it your home preparation, taking the pawn on dc?

Ruan: Actually I did not prepare this move. But I knew that my opponent would be ready for Bf5 and I wanted to change something. So, I played a line I did not play before. Actually I am satisfied with the opening. I think my mistake was that I should not play Nc5. To say the truth I was preparing to play either Bd6 or Nb4. I really don't know how it happened that I played Nc5. After this I think the position was worth for me. Second mistake was Kc7 to my mind. I should have tried Na4.  I thought it was not dangerous, but at the end it turned out to be a very strong move.

Anastasia: thank you, ladies. share your impression on the rest day.

Alisa: We did not join the excursion organized by the organizers. On the recommendations of the hotel's employee we decided to find the river embankment. We had a long explanade, up and down. I did not walk that much for a long time, so I felt very tired. That is why I don't feel well today, it was very hard physical pressure.

Ruan: I like visiting museums. So I am happy that the organizers have prepared an excursion to one of the museums on our free day. I could see something different. Also we were taken to a good restaurant where we had a good lunch. So, we had nice time and managed to relax.




Antoatena Stefanova - Anna Muzychuk