Kosteniuk,Alexandra vs. Kanyamarala,Trisha - European Women Blitz-ch 2024 1-0
In the European Women Blitz-ch 2024 event on January 10th, 2025, Kosteniuk played with white pieces against Kanyamarala with black pieces. The move Nd8 by Black is a notable choice that aims to enhance the knight's influence, allowing it to potentially kick an opponent's piece.
However, this move also misses the opportunity to escape an impending attack on the queen, as the knight now takes up a relatively exposed position. Furthermore, the move blocks an opponent attack, suggesting that Kosteniuk is taking defensive measures by committing her pieces to the center of the board.
Despite these considerations, the knight's advanced placement may be perceived as well-defended, given its proximity to other pieces and potential counter-attacks on potential attacking squares for Black.
However, there seems to be an oversight regarding protecting an underdefended piece, as Kosteniuk might have done better in shielding this piece from further attack.
The move Nd8 also develops the knight for active play, indicating that Kosteniuk is seeking a more dynamic approach rather than simply playing defensively.
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[Date "2025.01.10"]