Kanying holds Xie Jun

By P.K. Ajith Kumar

NEW DELHI, DEC. 13. Qin Kanying may be playing her first ever World championship final. She may be meeting someone who is playing her fifth final, someone who has clearly been a cut above the rest in this competition. But on Wednesday, the slightly built, 26-year- old Chinese proved that she is no pushover, not even for the World champion.

Kanying found the right move at the death and killed all hopes of a second straight victory for compatriot and overwhelming favourite, Xie Jun in the women's World chess championship at Hyatt Regency. After the draw in the second game, Jun has 1.5 points against Kanying's 0.5. The younger woman has fought to live another day. It is still an uphill task for her, and it should be interesting to see how she responds with the black pieces on Thursday.

As in the first game, it was Ruy Lopez today, this time Kanying with the white pieces. Xie Jun, who hasn't looked absolutely convinced of herself when it comes to opening preparations in this tournament, chose to tread cautiously.

It was the Smyslov variation of Ruy Lopez and the game progressed calmly without any exchange taking place till the 19th move. Then Jun opened the queen-side by pushing her `b pawn, forcing an exchange. The `b file was opened, and she took control of the file, bringing her rook on the 23rd move. She had put pressure on White's `c4 by bringing her light squared bishop to `a6 on the 21st move.

After the exchange of rooks on the 26th move, Black went a pawn up on the 28th move. A move later the other rooks were also exchanged. Jun's position was now looking better, though it would not have been easy to force a win, and not everythig was lost for White, by any means. For, her passer on `a had the potenitial of equalising. Black had a passer on the adjacent file too. Instead of clinging to her one pawn advantage Jun chose to push her `d6 pawn, offering it for what turned out to be for little in return.

Kanying could now afford to breath a little easier. She would have been under more pressure if Jun had brought her queen to `b5.

Black probably overlooked from a nice plan form her rival - `a tactical escape, Valery Salov called it which saved her the day. She rode her knight to `c3 on the 37th move, and forced the exchange of minor piece and pawn. The players decided to split the point after 40 moves.

lThe result (final, game two): Qin Kanying (Chn 2501) 0.5 drew with Xie Jun (Chn 2568) 1.5.

The moves: White: Qin Kanying (Chn) Black: Xie Jun (Chn) Ruy Lopez, Smyslov variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 h6 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. Bc2 g6 13. Nf1 Bb7 14. Ng3 Bg7 15. Bd2 Nb8 16. b3 Nbd7 17. d5 c6 18. c4 Qc7 19. a4 bxc4 20. bxc4 a5 21. Be3 Ba6 22. Nd2 Rec8 23. Ra2 Rab8 24. Qa1 Rb4 25. Rb1 Rcb8 26. Rxb4 Rxb4 27. dxc6 Qxc6 28. Rb2 Bxc4 29. Rxb4 axb4 30. Nxc4 Qxc4 31. Qb2 Nc5 32. a5 Nfd7 33. Nf1 d5 34. Bxc5 Nxc5 35. Ne3 Qb5 36. Nxd5 b3 37. Nc3 Qc4 38. Bxb3 Nxb3 39. a6 Qxa6 40. Qxb3 Qa1+ 1/2-1/2.

China's Qin Kanying ponders her next move during her game against Xie Jun, also of China, in the World women's chess championship in New Delhi on Wednesday.

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