Women’s Grand Prix: Dinara Wagner joins the leading group

After her win over Aleksandra Goryachkina at the beginning of the tournament, Dinara Wagner is looking very confident and has not lost a game so far. In the 6th round of the Grand Prix tournament, she won against Oliwia Kiolbasa, scoring her second win.

The Polish player tried the same variation against Wagner's Catalan Opening, 7...Nc6, as Aleksandra Goryachkina, but deviated with 12...Qe5. After an even middlegame Dinara Wagner put her opponent under pressure in the endgame and after 51...Kf3? (51...Ra8 =) the game was decided in favour of the German participant.

After the game Dinara Wagner talked about the game and the tournament

Alexandra Kosteniuk also won, and with her position in the overall standings of the Grand Prix Series she can hope for one of the two qualification places for the Candidates Tournament.

Kosteniuk defeated Nana Dzagnidze. The former world champion, who is now playing under the Swiss flag, had the black pieces and in a line of the Ragozin she soon seized the initiative on both wings. In the end, Kosteniuk decided the game with a mating attack.

The sixth day of play at the Women's Grand Prix in Nicosia also saw a duel between the two young Russian top players, Aleksandra Goryachkina (24) and Polina Shuvalova (22). Both are playing under the neutral FIDE flag. However, the permission for the Russian players to participate in the FIDE Grand Prix tournaments was certainly the reason why the Ukrainians Anna and Mariya Muzychuk withdrew from the tournament.

Shuvalova defended against Goryachkina's 1.d4 with the Semi-Tarrasch Variation. The players followed a long and popular variation after 22.Qe7 Black was able to use her home preparation, which led to further exchanges and an even bishop ending. Here a draw was agreed.

Polina Shuvalova is a very fast player and an excellent blitz player. Blitzing out the well-known line didn't cost her any time, and thanks to the increment she had more time on the clock at the end of the game on move 30 than at the beginning.

After the game she shared her thoughts in a short interview.

The other three games also ended without a winner.

Bibisara Assaubayeva and Tan Zhongyi fought a theoretical duel in the English Four Knights Variation, which, however, ended in a 30-move draw.

The queen's pawn opening on the board of Bella Khotenashvili and Gunay Mammadzada led to a minor piece endgame, in which neither side had an advantage and that was also drawn.

And the game between Harika Dronavalli and Kateryna Lagno also ended in a draw. Here the Vienna Variation of the Queen's Gambit was on the board. After a lively middlegame, a rook ending with four pawns against three on one wing emerged, which Harika successfully defended to a draw.

After six rounds, four players share the lead: Tan Zhongyi, Kateryna Lagno, Harika Dronavalli and Dinara Wagner, all with four points, two wins and no losses.

On Monday, the players get a breather. There will be a rest day. On Tuesday, the tournament will continue at the usual time, 2 p.m. CEST.

Results round 6

Table

Games

Tournament page...