Just in time, R. Vaishali sorted out her trouble with time management and drew with K. Humpy as the Indians made a steady start to their campaign in the FIDE Women’s Candidates in The Grand Hall in Toronto on Thursday.
As per the rules, compatriots from Russia and China were also pitted against one another in games that produced contrasting results. After top seed Aleksandra Goryachkina and Kateryna Lagno drew, Lei Tingjie’s search for victory ended in 52 moves against Tan Zhongyi in the day’s longest battle.
In the other game, the lowest seed Nurgyul Salimova, did well to take half a point off fancied Anna Muzychuk.
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Vaishali and Humpy were engaged in an interesting battle where the younger Indian took time to find the precise moves. Humpy was happy to play the waiting game as Vaishali soon found herself in serious time trouble around the 20th move. But once Humpy played her queen on the 26th move, the pressure eased on Vaishali, and she played the equal position well to earn a draw.
The only decisive battle of the day witnessed Tan stay in control against Lie in a repeat of their decisive title match in the last Candidates. Lei erred in the middle game by letting Tan trade the queen. Later, Lie was forced to give up her rook for a bishop and eventually, around the first time-control, Lie blundered a bishop and soon resigned.
First-round results (Indians unless stated): R. Vaishali drew with K. Humpy in 41 moves in Giuoco Piano; Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE) drew with Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) in 36 moves in Sicilian Rossolimo; Lei Tingjie (Chn) lost to Tan Zhongyi (Chn) in 52 moves of Queen’s Gambit Declined; Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) drew with Nurgyul Salimova (Bul) in 40 moves in Petroff Defence.
Second-round pairings: Lagno-Humpy; Tan-Vaishali; Goryachkina-Muzychuk; Salimova-Lei.
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