ANNA MUZYCHUK IS THE EUROPEAN ACP BLITZ CHAMPION

European ACP Women’s Blitz Chess Championships 2018 took place on 1 April in Tbilisi, Georgia, with participation of 78 players from 16 European federations.

The Blitz competition took place on the 1st of April and was played over 13 rounds in Hotel Iota, the official venue of the event. The title of the European ACP Women’s Blitz Chess Champion went to Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine (2545 Blitz). She was the only player who reached 10 points, half a point clear of three players tied for the second. However, according to the tiebreak system, Silver went to Elizabeth Paehtz of Germany (2348 Blitz) while the Bronze went to Monika Socko of Poland (2314 Blitz).

The total combined Rapid and Blitz prize fund of the event was 20.500€, with 6.000€ reserved for the Blitz Championship.

The event was organized by government of Georgia, the Tbilisi City Hall, the Georgian chess federation and the Association of Chess Professionals (ACP) under the auspices of the European Chess Union.

Most of these ladies will now travel to Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia, for the 11 round European Women’s Championship that starts on 8 April. At stake will be 14 slots for the next Women’s World Championship knockout tournament.

Here is the round 3 game between the eventual gold and silver medal winners:

Paehtz,Elisabeth (2348) - Muzychuk,Anna (2545)

EIWCC Blitz 2018 Tblisi (3), 01.04.2018

1.d4 f5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 e6 4.Bb2 

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4...d6 5.g3N [5.h3 g6 6.g4 Bg7 7.g5 Ne4 8.h4 c5 9.Nd2 Nc6 10.Nxe4 fxe4 0–1 (38) Paehtz,E (2464) -Muzychuk,A (2582) Huaian 2017] 

5...g6 6.h4 A80: Dutch Defence: Unusual White second moves 

6...Qe7 7.Be2 Nc6 8.Nh3 The position is equal. 

8...Bd7 9.c4 e5 10.d5 Nb8 11.Nc3 Na6 12.h5 [12.Ng5=] 

12...Bg7 13.Qc2 c5 [13...Nxh5µ 14.Bxh5 gxh5] 

14.Qd2 Nc7 15.Ng5 Nfxd5 [15...Nxh5³ stays ahead. 16.Ne6 Nxe6 17.dxe6 Bxe6] 

16.Nxd5± Nxd5 

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17.Nf3? [Of course not 17.Qxd5?! Bc6=; 17.hxg6!± and life is bright. 17...Nf6 18.gxh7] 

17...Nf6µ 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.Rxh8+ Bxh8 20.Nh4 Ne4 21.Qc2 Qe6 22.Bd3 

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22...Bc6! 23.0–0–0 0–0–0 24.f4? [24.Rf1]
24...exf4 25.gxf4 Bf6 26.Nf3 Rh8 27.Ne1 Rh3 28.Bxf6 Qxf6 [Less strong is 28...Nxf6 29.Qd2–+] 

29.Bxe4 Bxe4 30.Qb2 Qxb2+ 31.Kxb2 0–1