Nordic Ladies Zonal 1999, final results

Round 9

Peicheva-Hansen - Rantanen           ½-½
E.Hageseather - Koskela              0-1
Berg - Guindy                        0-1
Andersson - N.Hageseather            0-1
Agrest - Paasikangas-Tella           0-1

WIM Niina Koskela from Finland won her last game against Ellen Hagesaether from Norway and qualifies for the World Championship tournament in Moldova in September this year. Esmat Guindy from Denmark become second after winning her last game, and Tanja Rantanen from Finland was third.

Tanja Rantanen as well as Ellen and Nina Hagesaether achieved a title of Woman FIDE-master scoring 50% score in a zonal tournament.

Final Results

1. WIM Niina Koskela, Finland              6,5
2. Esmat Guindy, Denmark                   5,5
3. Tanja Rantanen, Finland                 5,0
4. WIM Svetlana Agrest, Sweden             5,0
5. Nina Hagesaether, Norway                5,0
6. WIM Johanna Paasikangas-Tella, Finland  4,5
7. Ellen Hagesaether, Norway               4,5
8. WIM Evgenia Peicheva-Hansen, Denmark    4,0
9. WFM Susanne Berg, Sweden                3,0
10. Christin Andersson, Sweden             2,0

The best game of the tournament

Nordic Ladies Zonal
1999.01.31

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. h3 e5 7. Nge2 d5 8. dxe5 Nxe5 9. Bg2 Nc4 10. Bd4 Nxb2 11. Qb1 Nc4 12. exd5 O-O 13. Qb3 Nd6

After an opening surprise black has got the better position.

14. O-O Re8 15. Rfe1 Nf5 16. Bc5 Nd7 17. Ba3 Ne5 18. Rad1 Nd6 19. Bc1 Bd7 20. Na4 Qc8 21. Kh2 Bb5 22. Nf4 Bc4 23. Qb1 b6 24. Nb2 Ba6 25. c3 Qd7 26. Qc2 Re7 27. Nfd3 Nxd3 28. Rxe7 Qxe7 29. Nxd3 Qf6 30. Bb2 Bc4 31. a4 a5 32. Nf4 Re8 33. Ba3 Qe7 34. Bc1 g5

After some manouvering black decides to start the action.

35. Nh5 Qe2 36. Qxe2 Bxe2 37. Nxg7 Bxd1 38. Nxe8 Nxe8 39. Bxg5 Bxa4 40. Bd8 Bb3 41. d6 cxd6 42. Bxb6 a4

Now black had the possibility 43. Bc6 a3! 44. c4 Nc7! keeping her knight to help to promote the pawn.

43. Bc6 Kf8 44. c4 a3 45. Bxe8 Kxe8 46. Kg2 Kd7 47. Kf3 Ke6 48. Ke4 Bxc4 49. Bd4 Bf1 50. h4 Bh3 51. Ba1 Bf5+ 52. Kd4 a2 53. Bb2 Bg4 54. Ba1 Kd7 55. Bb2 Kc6 56. Ba1 Be6 57. Bb2 Kb5 58. Ba1 Kb4 59. Kd3 Kc5 60. Bb2 Bf5+ 61. Ke3 Kc4 62. Kd2 d5

63. Ke3 should hold the position, unless there were 63...Kb3 64. Ba1 Kc2.

63. Ba1 d4 64. Bb2 Kd5 65. Ke2 Bd7 66. Kd2 Ke4 67. Ba1 Bb5 68. Bb2 h5 69. Ba1 f5 70. Bb2 f4 71. gxf4 d3 72. Be5 Bc4 73. Ke1 Be6 74. Kd2 Bf5 75. Bb2 Kxf4 76. Bc3 Kg4 77. Bf6 a1=Q 78. Bxa1 Kxh4 79. Ke3 Kg4

A study-like finish like in the text books.

80. f3+ Kg5 81. Be5 h4 82. Bf4+ Kf6 83. Bc7 h3 84. Bb8 Ke6 85. Bf4 Kd5 86. Bc7 Kc4 87. Kd2 Bd7 88. Bh2 Bc6 89. f4 Be4 90. f5 Bxf5 91. Bg1 Bg6 92. Bh2 Kd4 0-1

Games

Games of round 9 in PGN