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Round three of the Women's Candidates produced the first decisive results of the event, with wins by Bibisara Assaubayeva and Kateryna Lagno leaving them as co-leaders. After two rounds in which several chances went unconverted, the event finally saw two games ending decisively. Out of the two draws, the game between Vaishali Rameshbabu and Anna Muzychuk remained comparatively quiet and ended peacefully in 41 moves.
The longest game of the round saw Aleksandra Goryachkina press for victory against Divya Deshmukh in a game that lasted 81 moves. Goryachkina gradually took control as a series of decisions by Deshmukh - including an early forced exchange of minor pieces, declining a queen trade when offered and later simplifying into a heavy-piece endgame - left her with an increasingly difficult position. Goryachkina eventually reached a rook endgame a pawn up that appeared winning in principle, but converting the advantage proved far from straightforward.
As the endgame progressed, the position became less clear, and at one stage Goryachkina even found herself in a worse position before the game simplified to bare kings and a draw. Both players thus remain on an even score after three rounds.
Round 3 results
Divya Deshmukh had to fight hard for hours - but her resilience was rewarded with a half point | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza
In the game between Zhu Jiner and Bibisara Assaubayeva, the Chinese grandmaster once again obtained a strong position out of the opening, marking a third consecutive game in which she held the initiative. Assaubayeva adopted a sharp approach inspired by earlier practice, advancing her kingside pawns in a Sicilian structure with the idea of playing ...Rg8 and pushing the g-pawn.
Although Zhu initially handled the position well, she later misplaced her pieces and came under sustained tactical pressure. As the complications grew, her position deteriorated, and she was eventually left without adequate defensive resources.
Assaubayeva converted the advantage without difficulty, securing her first win of the event, while Zhu's score after three rounds stood at 1/3 despite getting three promising positions.
Bibisara Assaubayeva | Photo: FIDE / Yoav Nis
Kateryna Lagno's victory over Tan Zhongyi followed a similarly complex course. Tan introduced an opening idea in the Italian Game and, after an inaccuracy by Lagno, built up a position that was close to winning.
However, a subsequent blunder allowed Lagno to generate counterplay, highlighted by the tactical sequence beginning with 22...Ne3+
Although Lagno later erred herself, dropping a piece as the players approached the time control, Tan failed to consolidate her advantage. A hurried 41st move proved costly, leaving Tan's position vulnerable. Then she blundered the game away in the very next move.
Lagno then seized the initiative with a precise attacking sequence, featuring a striking knight sacrifice that was underpinned by a remarkable queen sacrifice. The attack proved decisive, and Lagno secured the full point.
It was surely a painful loss for Tan Zhongyi | Photo: FIDE / Yoav Nis
Kateryna Lagno is sharing the lead - despite having been completely at some point in all three of her games so far! | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza
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