Nana Dzagnidze became winner of ACP Cup held at “Sheraton Metechi Palace”. The rapid tournament was round robin system between 12 grand masters from 9 different countries.

 

 

3 rounds were held on February 21^st. Nana Dzagnidze, who improved her condition perceptibly after unsuccessful start, made a draw with one of the leaders Kateryna Lahno (Ukraine) in the 9^th round.

Nana’s competitor 2-time European Champion Pia Cramling, who beat Azerbaijanian Zeinab Mamedjarova, went ahead of Dzagnidze with half point.

Situation changed in the 10^th round: Georgian grand master won over American Anna Zatonskih and Cramling made a draw with reigning champion Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania). Dzagnidze caught up with 2-time European Champion Kateryna Lahno, who made a draw with Tatiana Kosintseva (also 2 times European Champion).

Final round should have determined the fate of winner. According to the schedule Cramling and Lahno played against each other. They didn’t take a risk, agreed on draw on the 17^th move and took their place in triplet.

Georgian grand master used rival’s weakness, having won over 2010 Olympic Champion Tatiana Kosintseva shared I-II places and gained right to play tie-breaks.

In the tie-break two games ended with draw. An Armageddon was fixed which consisted of a single blitz game where white started with 5 minutes and needed to win the game in order to win the match whereas black only needed a draw to win and had 4 minutes. Dzagnidze played by black and beat the opponent on the 53^rd move. She gained the main prize 10 000$.

Another Georgian participant five-time World Champion, nine-time winner of World Chess Olympiads and the owner of four chess oscars, Maia Chiburdanidze won over Nadezhda Kosintseva (Russia), made a draw with Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia) and Anna Zatonskih (America) in the last three rounds. She gathered 6 points from 11 rounds and took V place.

IX round:

Kateryna Lahno (Ukraine)  0.5 - 0.5  Nana Dzagnidze

Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia)  1 - 0  Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania)

Pia Cramling (Sweden)  1 - 0  Zeinab Mamedjarova (Azerbaijan)

Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia)  0 - 1  Anna Muzychuk  (Slovenia)

Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria)  1 – 0  Nadezhda Kosintseva (Russia)

Maia Chiburdanidze  0.5 – 0.5  Anna Zatonskih (USA)

X round:

Dzagnidze  -  Zatonskih  1:0

N.Kosintseva  -  Chiburdanidze  0:1

Muzychuk  -  Stefanova  0.5:0.5

Mamedjarova  -  Kosteniuk  0:1

Cmilyte  -  Cramling  0.5:0.5

Lahno  -  T.Kosintseva  0.5:0.5

XI round:

T.Kosintseva  -  Dzagnidze  0:1

Cramling  -  Lahno  0.5:0.5

Kosteniuk  -  Cmilyte  1:0

Stefanova  -  Mamedjarova  0:1

Chiburdanidze  -  Muzychuk  0.5:0.5

Zatonskih  -  N.Kosintseva  0.5:0.5

Final Standing:

1-2.Dzagnidze – 8, Cramling – 8 points

3.Lahno – 7.5

4.Muzychuk – 7

5.Chiburdanidze – 6

6-7.T.Kosintseva, Kosteniuk – 5.5

8.Stefanova – 5

9-10.N.Kosintseva, Zatonskih – 4.5

11.Cmilyte – 3.5

12.Mamedjarova – 1.

 

 

 

 

General sponsor of the tournament visited press centre during final round....

 

 

 

 

The winner was awarded 'In the Shadow of Metekhi'

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chess cake

 

 

 

 

The most experienced participants of the tounament

 

 

 

The winner with her husband

 

 

President of Georgian Chess federation with his wife