IM Mai Narva of Estonia convincingly triumphed within the second qualifier of the 2024 Julius Baer Ladies’s Velocity Chess Championship by profitable the Knockout stage of the second Play-In after defeating WFM Hong Nhung Nguyen of Vietnam within the finals with a 3.5-0.5 rating.
Although IM Eline Roebers of the Netherlands dominated the Swiss portion, she was defeated 4-3 via an armageddon tiebreak in a topsy-turvy semifinal match by Nhung Nguyen. Narva defeated the top-seeded GM Zhu Jin’er of China with a 3.5-1.5 rating within the different semifinals.
The following qualifier for the occasion, Play-in 3, takes place on Wednesday, August 15, beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST.
Julius Baer Ladies’s Velocity Chess Championship Play-In 2: Knockout
Julius Baer Ladies’s Velocity Chess Championship Play-In 2: Swiss
Early on within the day, commentators IM Jovanka Houska and GM Judit Polgar launched a vital phrase that may come to dominate the proceedings all through: “turnaround.” All through the Swiss and Knockout phases of the occasion, the primary excessive for the spectators occurred when the gamers got here right down to their ultimate half-minutes. Nonetheless a lot the gamers had labored onerous to realize any benefit till that time—materials or positional—the final minute made them lose management of the place and play whichever strikes got here to their heads, and even worse, their mice. This was when the turnarounds would occur, serving to the defending aspect attain equality and even win the sport.
This rollercoaster form of sport was the everlasting characteristic of the day, particularly within the video games of Roebers, proper as much as the cliffhanger of the armageddon section throughout the semifinals. Although a matter of pleasure for the spectators, it certain left the shedding gamers with disagreeable reminiscences for a protracted, very long time.
Play-In Swiss 2
In contrast to the primary qualifier, there weren’t too many dramatic twists within the preliminary rounds of the Swiss, no less than within the video games of elite gamers. Reasonably, one witnessed many attention-grabbing endgames. One of many stars of the primary Play-In, IM Anastasia Bodnaruk‘s sport in opposition to GM Natalia Zhukova featured attention-grabbing play in an opposite-colored bishop endgame.
There was one other attention-grabbing opposite-colored bishop ending between IM Gulnar Mammadova of Azerbaijan and Hong Nhung.
Narva tricked the formidable IM Karina Ambartsumova within the third sport in a deceptive-looking rook endgame.
This difficult king and pawn endgame made commentator Polgar comment, “Pawn endings might be humorous. And they are often very irritating!”
Pawn endings might be humorous. And they are often very irritating!
—Judit Polgar
Although she misplaced to Jin’er and Roebers in the middle of the occasion, she scored a vital final-round victory from a shedding place in opposition to Mammadova, with a typical turnaround within the middlegame.
Roebers dominated the Swiss occasion with many combating video games. Her sport in opposition to Narva within the seventh spherical was an excellent tactical battle, the place Noebers was clearly misplaced in some unspecified time in the future however pulled out a powerful turnaround in a tactical skirmish adopted by a posh endgame.
Jin’er has a typical grinding model, enjoying lengthy video games and sometimes grinding endgames. Her win in opposition to the nine-year-old WFM Bodhana Sivanandan of England within the third spherical was typical of her model. Each gamers dedicated errors, which is inevitable within the ultimate seconds of a 3+1 time management. To her credit score, Jin’er confirmed glorious resourcefulness.
Bodhana had a wonderful occasion, even reaching to play the highest board within the final spherical in opposition to Roebers, although she misplaced.
The opposite finalist, Nhung Nguyen, has a gorgeous tactical model. Her means to identify tactical assets was the perfect a part of her play.
Play-In Knockout 2
In contrast to the primary qualifier, each the semifinals and finals had been well-fought, and it’s not possible to explain all of the battles intimately. Therefore, I’m presenting you with probably the most spectacular sport of every match of the Knockout stage.
We’re about to start the knockout! https://t.co/5sjC7UObEd #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/qcePH6ZVAk
— chess24 (@chess24com) August 14, 2024
Semifinals: Narva – Jin’er
Narva began the match tentatively by drawing the primary sport and shedding the second by hanging an entire rook. However she received the subsequent three video games in a row to progress into the finals. Her finest effort was within the fourth sport of the match, the place she convincingly outplayed Jin’er.
Semifinals: Nhung Nguyen – Roebers
This was an electrifying match, the place Nhung Nguyen was main with a rating of 3-2 after the primary sport of the 1+1 section. Within the final sport of the match, Roebers appeared to be in a totally misplaced place, along with her queen being in probably the most inactive place achievable on the board.
Think about yourselves in Roebers’ state of affairs—would you might have the center to battle out this place? Roebers did put up an admirable comeback and even went on to win the sport.
Taking a look at Noebers’ resourcefulness on this sport, Polgar exclaimed, “It is Eline’s Day!”
It is Eline’s Day!
—Judit Polgar
Eline Roebers traps a queen, however she did not win the sport: “Essentially the most painful sport to date of the day!” (Judit Polgar) https://t.co/m3dFVo7jSX pic.twitter.com/XXrSIuL9XZ
— chess24 (@chess24com) August 14, 2024
Nonetheless, Roebers’ resourcefulness lastly got here to a halt within the armageddon sport, the place she wanted to win with the white items. Nhung Nguyen performed successfully to attain a win and progressed to the finals.
Finals: Narva – Nhung Nguyen
Narva’s therapy of her openings was an necessary characteristic of her enjoying energy, particularly when she was pushing the h-pawn down the road. This curious issue enabled her to win two necessary video games. The very first sport of the match featured an unlucky blunder by Nhung Nguyen in an in any other case equal place. She by no means recovered from this setback, in the end shedding the match with a rating of 0.5-3.5.
Polgar remarked about Nhung Nguyen’s blunder, “One second of insanity, and the entire home has come crashing down for Black!”
The Julius Baer Ladies’s Velocity Chess Championship is a Chess.com occasion the place a few of the strongest feminine chess gamers on this planet battle for a $75,000 prize fund. The primary occasion sees 16 gamers compete in a single-elimination bracket in matches performed at 5+1, 3+1, and 1+1 time controls. 4 locations go to the winners of 4 Play-ins held on August 12-16 and open to all feminine titled gamers. In every Play-in the highest 4 gamers in a Swiss qualify to compete in a knockout.
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