Cairns Cup, Round 6: Humpy Koneru takes the lead

by Johannes Fischer
6/17/2025 – After the rest day following Round 5, fighting spirit returned to the Cairns Cup in Saint Louis: all five games in Round 6 ended decisively. The new tournament leader is Humpy Koneru, who won an interesting theoretical battle against Harika Dronavalli. She now leads with 4.5 points out of 6, half a point ahead of Alina Kashlinskaya, who defeated Mariya Muzychuk. | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

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The top encounter of the round was the game between Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli. In a double-edged opening White won the exchange but had to weaken her king. However, as the game progressed, Koneru showed why rooks are strong and won this crucial game.

Alice Lee, who had shared the lead with Dronavalli and Koneru after Round 5, was too enterprising in the opening and suffered a bitter defeat.

Tan Zhongyi and Carissa Yip also played an entertaining game. Tan had the better position out of the opening but then sacrificed two pawns. Yip responded with an exchange sacrifice of her own, which gave her strong play, a powerful attack, and ultimately the win.

Alina Kashlinskaya had White against Mariya Muzychuk and managed to get a reversed Benko Gambit, gaining several tempi in the process. However, she won the game not because of the opening, but thanks to precise tactical play and accurate calculation.

Nana Dzagnidze capitalized on a tactical mistake by Nino Batsiashvili in the endgame.

In this position Batsiashvili played 51...d4? and immediately resigned after 52.Rxe6+!. After 52...Kxe6 53.Bb3+ White picks up the rook on g8.

Results

Table

Games

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Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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