Koneru Humpy became the Women’s World Rapid Champion for the second time by winning the game against Irine Kharishma Sukandar of Indonesia with Black.
In the 11th and last round of the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship 2024 held in New York, the following position was reached after White’s 47th move in the game between Irine Kharishma Sukandar (White) and Koneru Humpy (Black).
Koneru Humpy
Irine Kharishma Sukandar
The position is a theoretical draw. Black’s only plan is to try to push the ‘h’ Pawn to h4. This can be stopped with correct defence. Basically any way to prevent it is good enough to secure a draw. However, the idea did not seem dangerous to the Indonesian, who committed an instructive mistake.
47…h5! [15] Humpy prepares for ….h5–h4. There followed 48.Kf4?? [8]
A gross blunder. 48.gxh5 Rxh5 49.h4 was the easiest way to draw. 48.h4 is also good enough. 48.Kg3 is a forced draw too. 48.Rd6+ Kg5 49..gxh5 Kxh5 50.Kg3! .Rg5+ 51.Kh2 is also a draw.
48…g5+ [13] 49.Kf3 [1] h4! [6] Black now won with a perfect endgame technique. 50.Rd6+ [19] Ke7 [3] 51.Ra6 [4] Re6 [25] 52.Ra7+ [6] Kd6 [4]
53.Ra6+ [24]Ke5 [5] 54.Ra5 [4] Rb6 [18] 55.Ra3 [1] Kd4 [14] 56.Ra4+ [2] Kc3 [7] 57.Ra5 [4]Rf6+ [14]
58.Ke2 [4] Re6+ [5] 59.Kf2 [12]
59.Kd1 loses to 59….Re3! 60.Ra8 (60.Rxd5 allow 60….Rd3+) 60…Kd3 61.Kc1 d4 62.Ra5 Ke2 63.Rxg5 d3
64.Rd5 Rxh3 65.g5 Rh1+ 66.Kb2 d2 etc.
59…Re5 [6] 60.Rc5+ [7] Kb4 [6] 61.Rc8 [6] d4 [4] 62.Rb8+ [38] Kc3 [4] 63.Rc8+ [8] Kd2 [1]
64.Ra8 [1] d3 [16] 65.Ra2+ [36] Kc3 [3] 66.Ra3+ [3] Kc2 [2] 67.Ra2+ [3] Kb3[2] 0–1
