The 3rd Szeged Cup was held from September 9th until 17th, in the Novotel Hotel. there were 36 participants from six countries, including ten WGMs (four IMs) and four WIM. The event was a nine rounds swiss, with time controls 90 min. for the game + 30 sec. increments per move.



Nino Khurtsidze in action

Nino Khurtsidze and Anna Muzychuk tied for first with 7.5 points each, the Georgian IM has one point better Bucholz, she won the Third Szeged Cup. It was a very interesting event, with a many exciting games. The hungarian WGM Ticia Gara won the first three games, in the third round she beat the second in the list, Georgian Nino Khurtsidze. But then she lost two games, and Anna Muzychuk from Slovenia took the lead.



Anna Muzychuk from Slovenia

Going into the last round it looked like Anna had the best Buchholz, and when she won a perfect game against WGM Anita Gara and she was sure that she had won the Tournament. But some results lower down changed the Bucholz favourably for Nino Khurtsidze.



WGM Ticia Gara, 22, the 2006 Hungarian Women's Champion

Ticia Gara became the 54th Hungarian Women's Champion. It was the first time she has won the title.

Final standings

No. Player Nat Elo Pts Bhz Perf 1 Khurtsidze, Nino GEO 2414 7.5/9 51 2541 2 Muzychuk, Anna SLO 2456 7.5/9 50 2563 3 Gara, Ticia HUN 2309 7.0/9 2488 4 Schneider, Veronika HUN 2195 5.5/9 51 2395 5 Madl, Ildiko HUN 2379 5.5/9 50 2327 6 Toth, Lili HUN 2217 5.5/9 49 2386 7 Olarasu, Gabriela ROM 2222 5.5/9 47 2280 8 Foisor, Cristina-Adela ROM 2393 5.5/9 46.5 2316 9 Gara, Anita HUN 2349 5.5/9 45 2241 10 Vajda, Szidonia HUN 2396 5.5/9 44.5 2303 11 Rudolf, Anna HUN 2249 5.5/9 44.5 2231 12 Foisor, Sabina-Francesca ROM 2292 5.0/9 47.5 2351 13 Pokorna, Regina SVK 2342 5.0/9 47.5 2269 14 Baki, Peterne HUN 2110 5.0/9 40 2169

Two key games

Schneider,Veronika (2195) - Khurtsidze,Nino (2414) [B10]

3rd Szeged Cup Szeged (9.1), 17.09.2006

1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be2 Nb6 8.d4 Nbxd5 9.Nf3 g6 10.Ne5 Bg7 11.Bf3 Be6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Re1 Qd6 14.Bg5 b5 15.Qd2 Rac8 16.Rad1 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bd5 18.Bf4

18...Bxf3? [18...Qa3! is better for Black] 19.Nxg6! e5 20.dxe5 Qxd2 21.Ne7+ Kh8 22.Bxd2 [22.Rxd2 Nh5 23.Bg5 h6 24.Nxc8 +/=] 22...Bxd1?! [22...Nd5 23.Nxc8 Bxd1 24.Nd6 Bc2] 23.exf6 Rce8 24.Bg5 Bg4 25.Re3 h6 26.Bh4 Kh7 27.Rg3 Rd8 28.h3 Bh8 29.hxg4 Rd1+ 30.Kh2 Rfd8

31.g5 [31.Rh3! R1d3 32.f3] 31...R8d3 32.f3 Rxc3 33.g6+ fxg6 34.Rxg6?! [34.Nxg6! Rc8 35.Nxh8 Kxh8 36.f7 Rd6 37.Be7+-] 34...Rc4 35.g4 Rd8 36.Kg3 Rf8 37.g5! hxg5 38.Bxg5 Bxf6 39.Bxf6? [39.Rh6+! Kg7 40.Nf5+ Kg8 41.Bxf6+-] 39...Rf7 40.Bg5 Rxe7 41.Rh6+ Kg7 42.Rxa6 Rb7 43.f4 Ra4 44.Bf6+ Kf7 45.Rxa4 bxa4 46.Bd4 a3 47.Kg4 Rb2 48.Kf5 Rxa2 49.Bc5 Ra1 0-1. [Click to replay]

Muzychuk,Anna (2456) - Gara,Anita (2349) [B01]

3rd Szeged Cup Szeged (9), 17.09.2006

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0-0 0-0-0 9.Bf4 Qb4 10.a3 Qc4 11.d5 e6?

12.dxc6 Rxd1 13.cxb7+ Kb8 14.Rfxd1 Bd6 15.Bxd6 [15.Nd2 Qc5 16.Nb3 was much stronger.] 15...cxd6 16.Rxd6 Qc7 17.Rad1 Nd5

18.Nxd5 Qxd6 19.Ne3 Qb6 20.Nxg4 Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Ne3 Kxb7 23.Kf1 Qb6 24.Nc4 Qc5 25.b3 Kc7 26.Ke2 f6 27.a4 a5 28.h4 e5 29.Ne1 Qb4 30.Ne3 Kd6 31.Nd3 Qc3 32.h5 g6 33.hxg6 hxg6 34.g4 Qd4 35.g5 e4 36.Nc4+?! [36.Nf4 fxg5 37.Nc4+ Kd7 38.Nxg6] 36...Ke6 37.Nf4+ Kf5 38.Nh3 fxg5 39.Ne3+ Kf6 40.f3 Qd7? [40...exf3+ 41.Bxf3 Qe5=] 41.Nf2 Ke5?! 42.fxe4 Kf4 43.Nd3+ Kg3 44.e5 Qh7 45.e6 Kh4 46.Ne5 Kg3 47.Bd5 Qh2+ 48.Kd3 Qh8 49.Nc6 Kf4 50.e7 Qe8 51.Be6 Kf3 [51...Qxc6 52.Nd5+ Ke5 53.Bf7+-] 52.Nd5 Qxc6 53.Bf7 Qa6+ 54.c4 Qb7 55.e8Q Qxb3+ 56.Nc3 1-0. [Click to replay]

Picture gallery



The youngest participants



WIM Veronika Schneider, 19, missed the WGM norm by half a point



Nino Khurtsidze receives the Szeged Cup from the Vice Mayor Jozsef Kozma



Anna Muzychuk receives her prize of the best game



Veronika Schneider, Hungarian Champion under 20

Hungarian Women's Champion Ticia Gara

Chess sisters Anita and Ticia Gara

Information and pictures provided by WGM Zsuzsa Veroci

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