
Round ten report
By FM Geoffrey Borg
In the penultimate round, one of the most important, the two leaders had key
games against other players in the middle of the table. Their results in these
two games were therefore highly critical.
Xu Yuhua |
1-0 |
Kovanova, Baira |
Zhao Xue |
1-0 |
Sebag, Marie |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
1-0 |
Yildiz, Betul Cemre |
Shen Yang |
1-0 |
Zhu Chen |
Munguntuul, Batkhuyag |
½-½ |
Dzagnidze, Nana |
Fierro Baquero, Martha |
0-1 |
Ju Wenjun |
GM Nana Dzagnidze who had been leading for the majority of the tournament repeated
her Sicilian Taimanov against Batkhuyag Mungutuul. The latter was suffering
from a chicken pox attack, and since Dzagnidze had never been exposed to it
before, it was agreed for the two board setup in different rooms. The game was
played with each player having an arbiter facing them and a third arbiter relaying
the moves. Additionally, Dzagnidze was given an additional time increment as
the live clock was kept on her table.

Batkhuyag Munguntuul during her remotre game against Nana Dzagnidze [photo
Ye Rongguang]
After a number of exchanges in the early middlegame black had a little pressure
against a weak a-pawn but not enough to really win it and White defended accurately
to keep the balance throughout.

Former Women's World Champion GM Xu Yuhua, China, rated 2485
In the other game, Xu Yuhua repeated a line normally played by WGM Kovanova
and IM Pogonina. In a Spanish Zaitsev variation she came out with the new idea
16.Bh6 and 17.e5 and Black went immediately wrong. White had a winning position
very shortly aftewards and Xu Yuhua wrapped up the point.

GM Zhao Xue
Another critical game was Zhao Xue-Marie Sebag. Two of the top seeds were
jostling for the final position and a win fo Sebag would have left her in contention.
As it turned out, the game transposed from a Semi Slav to a Closed Catalan position
and the ultra solid Zhao Xue built up her positional advantage until finally
black cracked and resigned just after the time control.

WGM Shen Yang, China, rated 2453
Former Women's World Champion Zhu Chen
The Chinese players have obviously been doing their homework, as another game
to finish quickly after some home preparation was Shen Yang-Zhu Chen. The former
world champion was surprised with a novelty by White on move 24 of the Rauzer
Variation in a QGD. Zhu Chen should have played 23..Rg8 which gives a playable
game for black but instead followed a game dreev - Gustafsson whcih went 23...Bc5.
After white's 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25. Bxc4 white finished the game splendidly with 28.Nd6!
giving mate in all variations.
Martha Fierro of Equador
Martha Fierro had a reasonable opening against Ju Wenjun's Sicilian Scheveningen
but then started drifting and black took the point.

The final game was between Mkrtchian and Yildiz where white played very agressively
and took the point quite well.
The press conference after round ten, with the players Yidiz, Fierro, Xu
Yuhua and Zhao Xue
Standings after ten rounds

Robert A Mundell visits the event
World famous economist Robert Mundell
The tournament had once again a very important visitor these last days. Robert
A Mundell had also been a guest of the Nanjing organisers last year, and this
year he combined his visit to the tournament with a lecture at Nanjing University.
For those who may not know who Robert A Mundell is a professor of economics
at Columbia University and the recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics
in 1999. Mundell laid the groundwork for the introduction of the Euro through
his pioneering work in monetary dynamics and optimum currency areas, for which
he won the Nobel. Mundell helped to start the movement known as supply-side
economics, and is known for the Mundell-Fleming model and Mundell-Tobin effect.
He is also a keen chess player and was the originator of the Pearl Spring tournament.
More about this can be read in last year's excellent interview located here.
Final round
As we "go to print" the final round of the Women's Grand Prix has
been completed, and we have the results and the standings. We will bring you
a final report with pictures and games, but here for the record is the raw data:
Dzagnidze, Nana |
½-½ |
Zhao Xue |
Sebag, Marie |
½-½ |
Xu Yuhua |
Ju Wenjun |
1-0 |
Munguntuul, Batkhuyag |
Kovanova, Baira |
½-½ |
Shen Yang |
Zhu Chen |
½-½ |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
Yildiz, Betul Cemre |
1-0 |
Fierro Baquero, Martha |
Final standings

Links
The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the
chess server Playchess.com.
If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase
Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program
to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009! |
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