A full-point lead for the Ukrainian sensation

The European Women's Chess Championship crossed its halfway point in Batumi with Anastasiia Hnatyshyn still on a perfect score. The 15-year-old Ukrainian WFM defeated Poland's Oliwia Kiolbasa in Saturday's sixth round, moving to 6/6 and maintaining her position as the clear leader of the tournament.

Hnatyshyn's run has become the main storyline of the championship. She began the event well outside the top seeds (ranked 76^th, in fact), but has now scored five consecutive upset wins and stands a full point ahead of the nearest chasers with five rounds still to play.

Mastering the London System

In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
The London System is one of the most popular openings at every level of chess but not all Londons are the same. In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: 5...cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6 sidelines

Three players are now tied for second place, one point behind Hnatyshyn. Ulviyya Fataliyeva of Azerbaijan, Meri Arabidze of Georgia and Sabrina Vega of Spain all won their sixth-round games and moved to 5/6. All three were among the top 20 players in the starting list.

Meri Arabidze | Photo: European Chess Union

Sabrina Vega defeated Nadya Toncheva with the black pieces | Photo: European Chess Union

Fataliyeva's win came against another of the tournament's surprise performers, Türkiye's Gulenay Aydin. The Turkish WIM had been among the closest pursuers after five rounds, but her defeat on Saturday dropped her into the large group on 4½/6. That group contains 13 players, half a point behind the trio in shared second place.

With a full point separating Hnatyshyn from her nearest challengers, the leader has created a significant margin, though the length of the 11-round tournament leaves room for further changes in the standings.

Hnatyshyn 1-0 Kiolbasa

Annotations by GM Karsten Müller

Fritz 21

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Oliwia Kiolbasa | Photo: European Chess Union

Standings after round 6

...165 players

All available games

Links

• Official website
• Full technical information on Chess-Results