Cairns Cup Highlights!

Hi ChessKids!

As some of you may know, I recently played in the 2020 Cairns Cup. Named for Jeanne Sinquefield's maiden name (Cairns), it's an invitational tournament with the best female players in the world. I was simultaneously nervous and excited: nervous for my debut upon the world stage, but also excited to be facing players that I looked up to when I was younger (and still now!).

It's quite a feeling when you realize you're at the level where you can seriously compete with your childhood heroes. 

Carissa Yip Irina Krush

Here I am playing against seven-time U.S. Women's Champion GM Irina Krush (on the left). I've played her before but not in an event this strong!


While I started abysmally with 0-4, I managed to turn things around with my first win in round 5, against Grandmaster Irina Krush. Here's how the game ended, can you find the crushing tactic? Black to move. 

 

Regaining my confidence after this win, I went into round six with a clearer mind and managed to score another win. This time it was against the tournament's defnding champion, Grandmaster Valentina Gunina.

Here it's White to move and mate in three (hint: one of the moves is a "quiet" move)! 

 

After a solid draw in round 7, I went into the penultimate round facing the current World Women's Champion, Ju Wenjun, as Black. I genuinely had no expectations prior to the game, and was just hoping to play some good chess. But somehow, I managed to outplay her to this position.

Black to move, and while the end position isn't a win, Black does gain significant material. 

 

An absolutely crazy game! I was in shock, but also glad that I was able to prove I could keep up with the best in the world. It was more than I could have hoped for after starting with four losses. In the end, I finished well with a draw in the last round and a solid 4/9, gaining 10 rating points. An amazing experience, to be playing with the people I admired growing up. 

Wenjun Ju Carissa Yip

Amazingly I was able to beat the current Women's World Champion, GM Ju Wenjun!

Here are the full games with the solutions to the puzzles. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hope you all learned something, or at least enjoyed! Until next time, ChessKids!
 
[Editor's note: IM-elect Carissa Yip is a longtime ChessKid contributor and now is nearly the numberone rated woman in the U.S. We wish her continued success! Feel free to send her a ChessKid message if you'd like to share your congratulations.]