Kosteniuk,Alexandra vs. Maltsevskaya,Aleksandra - European Women Blitz-ch 2024 0-1
In the European Women Blitz-ch 2024 event on January 10, 2025, Alexandra Kosteniuk played with white pieces against Aleksandra Maltsevskaya with black pieces. Kosteniuk made a move that captured Maltsevskaya's queen, playing Qxh6.
This capture follows from a previous position and puts pressure on Black's material. However, the queen exchange may have been more advantageous if it had led to a better material balance or revealed an attack on a piece. Instead, Kosteniuk chooses to develop her queen for active play, potentially preparing to launch a counterattack or create threats elsewhere on the board.
Kosteniuk's decision ignores the opportunity to gain a pawn or other material advantage by exchanging queens earlier in the game. By playing Qxh6, she also neglects to challenge Maltsevskaya's superior threat, which may have been addressed through an earlier exchange or more cautious play.
The queen move is characterized as developing a piece for active play.
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[Date "2025.01.10"]