World champion looses to the lowest seed

“The match was a bit complicated, - commented on Ekaterina Lahno. – I think, both we couldn’t understand what we have done on board and couldn’t say for sure if we are playing right or wrong. 

Meanwhile Chinese Hou Yifan and Turkish Betul Yildiz entered the room. With a metallic cup in her hand, Hou Yifan stood by the wall, Betul Yildiz decided to rest modestly somewhere in the back rows. Who would have said judging upon the just-parted-opponents faces, that the lowest seed of the tournament a minute ago sensationally beat the current world champion with black pieces.

The first press-conference of the day was in the wings, when one more pair arrived. Armenian Elina Danieljan and Indian Hampy Koneru were through with their match. Following FIDE Regulations, they had a look to the conference-site and discovering their colleagues still talking to media, returned back to the corridor to analyze their game without witnesses.

“I thought I had got a slight advantage, - will say Elina Danielyan 10 minutes later, commenting on her game in public in her turn. – Nevertheless, I didn’t manage to find a variant to make it bring me some fruits”.

“I like the way the tournament is going on, - proceeded Armenian player. – Facilities are pretty nice, and I like very much the fact we are staying at the same site (hotel) we are playing”. 

Now it was the turn for Hou Yifan and Betul Yildiz to share their opinions on the game passed. They were excitedly discussing positions and maneuvers they employed or could have perform, when Alisa Galliamova and Tatiana Kosintseva appeared in the doorway. They concluded a draw again and were the third in the queue. Unlike predecessors, the ladies didn’t miss their chance to listen to the colleagues.

“We were very much pleased to see your move 14 ход g4, - press-officer of FIDE Women Grand Prix Kazan-2012 Anastasia Karlovich addressed Alisa Galliamova.

“The move had been played before me, - responded the local celebrity, – There were plenty of variants to choose and that’s why both Tatiana and I could not remember how we should play on. It happened so, that the time control didn’t let me find the way to win”.

“Reflections on Alisa’s move took you half an hour or so, - went on Ms.Karlovich turning to Tatiana Kosintseva”.

“I knew, there is such a move in the theory, but couldn’t remember what I should do further”- answered Tatiana. –I went deep in thought, and this resulted in the time control trouble by the midgame”. 

Chess players were changing each other at the press-conference room. Anna Muzychuk representing Slovenia inflicted a defeat on Bulgarian Antoaneta Stefanova appeared on the stage. She sealed her win on the 44th move to help Gallyamova run in a solo-lead with 1,5points out of 2.

“I decided to take forced positions because I believed, the best the white have got is the everlasting checkmate, - said Antoaneta. – Although I had had an extra pawn, the position was not good that bit. The knight rested too far, and it was not an easy task to return it in play”.

Bulgarian player spoke in good English, which made journalists iquire is she is afraid to practice Russian.

“It’s much easier for me to speak English, - answered Stefanova with a smile. – To be sure what I’m speaking and what I’m asked to answer I’m keeping to English at official events and press-conferences”.

Anna Muzychuk was asked about her sister Maria, who is also a chess-player. The question concerned her last year’s trip to Shenzhen World Summer Universiade.

“Masha is 2.5 years younger than me, and she is a grandmaster, - said Anna. -  She played in Shenzhen in 2011 for Ukraine, and I was also called on there to play for Slovenia. It happened so, that I couldn’t go to Shenzhen since I had Grand Prix in Rostov-on-Don. As for Maria, she pretty much liked her trip to China. She said it was interesting to compete. The only things she didn’t like at all were the tough schedule of competitions and long distance to the venue. Competitors were supposed to play 2 matches a day and had to spend much time in traffic”.

“Next year we will have Universiade in Kazan, - proceeded Anna. – I’d love to come back here with my sister since the only time we played together was during Olympics, and of course, we played for different countries”.

The last match of the day finished in favour of Russian Alexandra Kostenyuk, who managed to defeat Victoria Chmilyte from Lithuania.  

“I believed my positions in the endgame had been much worse, and therefore I was to defend them ardently, - commented the winner. – I thought we’d rather have a draw after all”.

“I had suffered a rough yawn indeed, - confessed Chmilyte, - Time control had been pressing a lot”.

Thanks to the wins deserved in the 2nd round, Alexandra Kostenyuk and Anna Muzychuk reached Alisa Galliamova, each having 1.5pts after two games.