Kosteniuk’s decisive final win

Hou Yifan vs Alexandra Kosteniuk

Women’s world championship · 2008 · 0-1

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The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

The opening game of the 2008 women’s final. Kosteniuk creates a passed pawn that reaches the first rank.

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33... Nd3

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A knight creates a passed pawn. Black’s knight jumps to d3. After Bxd3, the c-pawn recaptures and becomes a dangerous passed pawn on d3.

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36... Nxf3

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Remove a defender. The knight captures f3. White’s queen takes the knight, but ...Bxg4 attacks that queen and helps Black gain time for promotion.

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38... d1=Q

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Promotion as a tactical device. The pawn promotes on d1. White captures the new queen with the knight; Black’s bishop recaptures, leaving Black’s original queen and bishop active.