After three rounds we have three leaders with 2,5 out of 3: Marsel Efroimski, Josefine Heinemann and Anastasia Avramidou.
Let’s start with the game between Josefine Heinemann and Anastasia Avramidou. After a Giuoco Piano or quiet Italian Game the chances were about even. Yet, both players were slightly pessimistic about their own chances as they admitted after the game. Each felt she was the side having to equalize. With 33…Nxg3 the Greek player sacrificed a knight for two pawns (no Greek gift!) which should have led to complete equality had White continued with 35.Nf5 (or 35.Ne2). After the game continuation 35.Nf1 Black was also able to force a perpetual. However, as both players discovered after the game in an animated post-mortem Black’s positional compensation is so powerful that she could have played 36…Qg5+ and 37…Qg2+ followed by a march of the h-pawn.
Marta Garcia Martin was White against Robin Duson. In an open Sicilian the Spanish IM went for the surprising 5.a3!?, a move that has already been played by several GMs. Robin thought for quite some time, but responded well with 5…Bc5. A complicated position arose with both players finding sharp and correct moves. Robin’s 10…h5 and 11…h4 were absolutely correct as was 14…e5! and 15…d5!. And yet, Marta did everything right too, until she played 17.Bb5+? where 17.Nxe4 or 17.Bxf6 would have preserved a dynamic equilibrium. After 20…Qxc2 Black was ahead on material and she did not let go.
Petra Papp played a Rossolimo against Alicja Sliwicka’s Sicilian. The Polish player forced the exchange on c6 by means of 3…a6?!. Petra played well and obtained a substantial edge. Especially 18.f4! would have been very powerful. However, with 25.f4! the Hungarian player managed to execute that strategic thrust after all. With strong and logical moves she build up a completely winning position. Chess can be a very cruel game, though, as we all know. Just when a concrete win was there (34.Qa8+ Bb8 35.Rxf7 Qxf7 and now 36.Bf4!), one hesitant move (34.Rfe1) turned the tables completely. Alicja grabbed her chance with 34…Bb8!. When suddenly it is Black who gets a winning attack.
Marsel Efroimski also opted for the Rossolimo against Trisha Kanyamarala who chose 3…Nf6. On move 9 Trisha could have just protected the c5-pawn, but instead she chose to sacrifice it. The engine does not really disapprove, but for mere mortals obtaining sufficient compensation is no mean feat. Pretty soon Marsel had the pawn and the compensation. The Israeli IM opened the h-file and eventually sacrificed a full rook for a mating attack.
Via a transposition of moves a closed Catalan arose in the game between Laura Unuk and Machteld van Foreest. Black’s position is solid (and has been played by many strong players) but passive. Laura traded all the right pieces and then emphasized her strategic edge with 18.c5!. She then was a little too eager perhaps immediately setting a battery on the b1-h7 diagonal. With 21…bxc5 Machteld could have escaped into an even position. After 21…g6 22.b4! things were looking bleak again for Black. Laura did not let go and scored her first point.
So after three rounds there is no one with a perfect score. Tomorrow at 14.00 the fourth round is played, while the Youth Olympiad starts its first round at 16.00.
