Top seed Tan Zhongyi is the clear favourite to win the fourth edition of the Cairns Cup, as she now has a 1-point lead over five players with only one round to go in Saint Louis. Tan has scored 3 wins and 5 draws, and only needs a half point in her final-round game against Alexandra Kosteniuk (Tan will have the white pieces) to claim tournament victory.
Kosteniuk, who stood in sole second place before Friday’s round, was defeated by Anna Muzychuk after losing the thread in the early middlegame. Kosteniuk is now one of five players tied for second place with 4½ points — she is joined by Anna and Mariya Muzychuk, Nana Dzagnidze and Harika Dronavalli.
It should be noted that Kosteniuk has only agreed to one draw so far in the event, so she is likely to engage in a double-edged battle in her final-round encounter against Tan.
Standing a half point behind the chasing pack is 14-year-old Alice Lee, who defeated Anna Zatonskih in round 8 to return to a fifty-percent score. In the game, Lee showed good technique to convert her extra pawn in a queen endgame.
Results - Round 8
Alice Lee | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Sole leader Tan Zhongyi | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Analysis by Klaus Besenthal
Anna Muzychuk | Photo: Lennart Ootes
