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Monday, February 7, 2011

Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk wins Moscow Open 2011

Chess blog for latest chess news and trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011



Kosteniuk wins the Women's Closed 2011 Moscow Chess Open
1. Kosteniuk (RUS) 2. Munguntuul (MON) 3. Zhao Xue (CHI)


Tournament Win for Alexandra Kosteniuk

Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk has begun 2011 on a great note by winning one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year - the Moscow Open 2011 Women's closed chess invitational today. It was also a proud moment as Russian grandmaster Boris Grachev won the parallel Young Grandmasters (Men) section. Both www.chessqueen.com and www.chessblog.com relayed the Chess Queen's games, including live the last decisive 2 days.

Thanks to Alexandra's large Twitter and Facebook following, www.chessqueen.com relayed the games LIVE to lots of of chess fans, made even more convenient since the PGN LIVE applet works fine on iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads, and of course any type of PC.

Photo by Surov from www.chess-news.ru

You can check the official website of the tournament here.

The final ranking table can be found below. Both Alexandra Kosteniuk and Batkhuyag Munguntuul finished the tournament with 7 points out of 9, but Alexandra got a higher Berger coefficient by beating stronger opponents. She drew #2 Munguntuul, Beat #3 and #4 Zhao Xue and Gunina, giving her 2.5 out of 3 against the strongest ladies, while Munguntuul lost to #4 Zhao Xue, so she gets only 1.5 out of the 3 against the strongest. That accounts for the difference in the tie-breaks. Here are the final standings and the crosstables.

You can watch all of Alexandra's games on www.chessqueen.com.

No.
Name
Total
Place
1
Kosteniuk
7
I
2
Munguntuul
7
II
3
Zhao Xue
5.5
III
4
Gunina
5.5
4
5
Girya
4.5
5
6
Zawadzka
4
6
7
Galojan
3.5
7
8
Fominikh
3
8
9
Kashlinskaya
3
9
10
Ambartsumova
2
10




Name
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total
Place
1
Fominykh, Maria

0.5
0
0
0.5
0
0
1
1
0
3
8
2
Girya, Olga
0.5

0.5
0
0.5
0
0.5
1
1
0.5
4.5
5
3
Kosteniuk, Alexandra
1
0.5

1
1
1
0.5
1
0
1
7
I
4
Gunina, Valentina
1
1
0

1
0.5
0
1
1
0
5.5
4
5
Galoyan, Lilit
0.5
0.5
0
0

0.5
0
1
0.5
0.5
3.5
7
6
Zawadzka, Jolanta
1
1
0
0.5
0.5

0
0
0.5
0.5
4
6
7
Munguntuul, Batkhuyag
1
0.5
0.5
1
1
1

1
1
0
7
II
8
Ambartsumova, Karina
0
0
0
0
0
1
0

1
0
2
10
9
Kashlinskaya, Alina
0
0
1
0
0.5
0.5
0
0

1
3
9
10
Zhao Xue
1
0.5
0
1
0.5
0.5
1
1
0

5.5
III


Chess Queen Kosteniuk before one of her games

Photos will follow from the prize distribution tonight.
The news just came out on the organizers page:

GRACHEV AND KOSTENIUK ARE VICTORS AT MOSCOW OPEN 2011

7th International Chess Festival Moscow Open Young Grandmaster Tournaments finished with the victories of Russian chess players.

Boris Grachev, Grandmaster from Moscow, won the first place in Men Tournament and scored 7.5 points in eleven rounds. In the final round he shared points with American Robert Hess. The main competitor for Grachev Belarus Sergei Zhigalko also had a draw score in the final round with Ivan Chaparinov from Bulgaria – he has second place chasing the leader by 0.5 points.

Sanan Sjugirov, grandmaster from Lipetsk, won the third place. In the final round he de-feated Alexander Rakhmanov from Moscow and scored 7 points as Zhigalko did, but lost him by tie-breaks.

Players’ final scores are: 1. Grachev – 7.5 points; 2. Zhigalko – 7 points; 3. Sjugirov – 7 points; 4. Inarkiev – 5; 5-9. Kuzubov, Chadaev, Alexeev, Safarli, Chaparinov – 5 points each; 10-11. Hess, Rakhmanov – 4; 12. Krylov – 2.5.

Alexandra Kosteniuk, former world champion, won the Women Young Grandmaster Tour-nament. In the final round chess player from Moscow finished in a draw with another leader - Mon-gol Bakhuyag Munguntuul. In the end they both scored 7 points. Kosteniuk won by extra criteria.

Third and fourth places were shared between Chinese Zhao Xue and Valentina Gunina from Moscow, they scored 5.5 points each. The final round games they both finished in a draw. Gunina – with Jolanta Zawadzka from Poland, Zhao – with Lilit Galoyan from Armenia. According to extra criteria the bronze was won by Chinese chess player.

Players’ final scores are: 1. Kosteniuk – 7 points; 2. Munguntuul – 7 points; 3. Zhao – 5.5 points; 4. Gunina – 5.5 points; 5. Girya – 4.5 points; 6. Zawadzka – 4 points; 7. Galoyan – 3.5 points; 8-9. Fominukh, Kashlinskaya – 3 points each; 10. Ambartsumova – 2 points.

It should be noted that the prize fund is equal for both Young Grandmaster Tournaments – 800 000 rub (20 000 Euro).
More useful links:

- Commented game Kosteniuk vs. Ambartsumova
- Interview of Alexandra Kosteniuk
- Organizer's Photo Gallery

Alexandra right before the prize ceremony


Alexandra tweeted this image right after getting her prize

Chess Queen Kosteniuk in the Tournament Hall

To find more photos, news, impressions, comments directly by Alexandra Kosteniuk
follow her on Twitter (English account "ChessQueen", Russian account "Kosteniuk"), and become her Facebook Fan.

Additional links of interest:
- Sovetsky Sport (Russian)
- Ediny Portal (Russian)
- Mail.ru News (Russian)

You can watch all of Alexandra's Games on www.chessqueen.com.
For example, the game Kosteniuk - Gunina:

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Valentina Gunina 1-0



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
Also see her personal blog at

27 comments:

  1. Поздравление!!!

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  2. Congrats Alexandra !!!!
    Great fighyting after that early loss.
    ChessQueen :-)

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  3. Congratulations! Good luck in the Aeroflot Open

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  4. Congratulations Alexandra!

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  5. Good job Chess Queen. You rock.

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  6. Alexis Cochran, New ZealandFebruary 7, 2011 at 4:13 AM

    I am going to replicate your handling of the Caro Kann with a ruthless White plan. What a fantastic game against Gunina. The end is such a pretty picture just like you.

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  7. Congratulations my Chess Queen. I would also like to congratulate the organisers in Moscow for giving an equal prize fund for both men and women's section. It could happen only in Moscow. It would be nice if the trend is followed at more tournaments. Maybe the women's and men's world championship would be held thus too. All the best in Aeroflot Alexandra.

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  8. Congratulating you Alexandra not just for your tournament win but for the fantastic wins in succession despite losing. You are a model for everyone - a comeback after a loss. Wow. I know how devastating it is to lose. I will now put your Moscow win as an inspiration for me for my future tournaments. All the best for Aeroflot.

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  9. Congratulations and all the best too. Two tournaments back to back... You're awesome.

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  10. Congrats Alexandra! Awesome!

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  11. Aniruddha Pathan, NepalFebruary 7, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    Very nicely picked up. Congrats. :)

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  12. Good preparation for the Aeroflot. Good show. You know what - you're the most gutsy fighter there ever was and that's why I love you. Congrats and all the best. Hope to see 2011 full of such news about you.

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  13. Asheema George, New Delhi, IndiaFebruary 7, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    Congratulations for your winning start to 2011. Maintain the rhythm Chess Queen. Cheers.

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  14. Good show. All the best in Aeroflot. Will there be live broadcast here on www.chessblog.com and/or www.chessqueen.com? You know I cannot miss your games.

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  15. derrick fanthome, new delhi, indiaFebruary 7, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    glorious victory for a glorious girl

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  16. Andrea Simone, LondonFebruary 7, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Well played. Good answer to everyone who spoke rubbish about you. You are the best Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk. Just read a super interview of yours in www.chess-news.ru.

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  17. Killer games. COngrats. Best wishes for Aeroflot. COntinue your winning form.

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  18. Congrats and all the best in Moscow for further at the aeroflot. i understand this your first time tourney in this year so goody start. wish u best in future, a fan, indeed.

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  19. Picture perfect victory. Cool one nice that it's the first in Moscow this year to begin with. Good positive indication. Congrats and all the best. Hope to hear of at least 12 more victories this year Chess Queen.

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  20. Hi Alex, congratulations on the win!

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  21. Very stong show. Keep the tempo in Aeroflot.

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  22. Russians are the best.

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  23. Sebastian Wolff, MarylandFebruary 8, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    Alexandra I am very impressed by your tournament attitude, your chess outlook and a true sportsperson personality. My heartiest congratulations to you for the first victory of the year. I look forward to many more.

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  24. Go go go all the best in aeroflot.

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  25. All the best for Aeroflot. Your photo after receiving the award is very artistic.

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