Jermuk: Chinese players Ju Wenjun and Ruan Lufei lead

by ChessBase
7/20/2012 – After three rounds of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix in Armenia it is the only two WGMs in the tournament – all other players are IMs or full GMs – who have taken the lead. Both have 2.5/3 points and performances of 2797 and 2757 respectively. We bring you a big report of rounds two and three, with splendid photos supplied by the organisers, as well as annotated replayable games.
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From July 16 to 29, 2012 the southern Armenian hamlet of Jermuk is playing host to the Fifth FIDE Women's Grand Prix, part of a series of elite events organised by FIDE and Global Chess. There will be six tournaments over two years in various countries around the world. The winner of each tournament takes home 6,500 Euros, the total prize fund is 40,000 Euros. The overall winner will get a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series. Starting time of the games is 15:00h (check your local time here). A full shedule with all results is given at the bottom of the page. Monday, July 23 is a free day.

Round two

An astonishing round in which every games was decided – we are trying to think when it was the last time we saw a tournament with more than four players where a round was unblemished with a ½-½ result.

Round two: Wednesday July 18, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
0-1
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
1-0
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
0-1
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
0-1
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
1-0
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
1-0
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456

Annotated games of round two for replay

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,184,21554%2421---
1.d4958,93255%2434---
1.Nf3286,32756%2441---
1.c4184,72256%2443---
1.g319,88456%2427---
1.b314,59854%2428---
1.f45,95348%2377---
1.Nc33,90650%2384---
1.b41,79048%2378---
1.a31,25054%2406---
1.e31,08149%2409---
1.d396950%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446654%2382---
1.c343951%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39267%2511---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Bd7 7.Qd2 Rc8 8.f4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Qa5 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 e6 12.0-0-0 Bc6 13.Nb5 Bxb5 14.exf6 Bc6 15.h4 g6 16.Bc4 Bc5 17.Qe5 Bb4 So far the players have been following the moves from last month's game between Bodnaruk-Kovalevskaya, which White won. Clearly Black had prepared something different this time around. However, it was White who unleashed the novelty: 18.Qg3!? 18.Qe2 0-0 19.Bh6 Rfd8 20.Qxe6 Qc7 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Qg4 Qd7 23.Qxd7 Rxd7 24.c3 Bf8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.Rd1 Rxd1+ 27.Kxd1 Bxg2 28.Kd2 Bh3 29.Bd5 b6 30.Bc6 h6 31.Ke3 g5 32.h5 Bg4 33.b4 Bxh5 34.Bd7 Bd1 35.c4 h5 36.c5 bxc5 37.bxc5 g4 38.Kf4 Be2 39.a4 Bd1 40.Bb5 a6 41.c6 g3 42.Kxg3 axb5 43.a5 h4+ 44.Kf4 1-0 (44) Bodnaruk,A (2394)-Kovalevskaya,E (2417) Tyumen 2012 18...Be4 19.Rd4 Bf5 20.Bh6 b5 21.Bb3 Bc5 22.Rd2 Bb4 23.Re2 Qc7 24.Qf3 Qc6 25.Bd5 Qc7 26.c3 Qd6? 27.Rd1 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Qa3+ 29.Kd2 Kd8 30.Ke1 Rxc3 31.Bb3+ and Black is going to get mated. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lahno,K2537Kovalevskaya,E24171–02012B61FIDE WGP Jermuk 20122
Koneru,H2598Khurtsidze,N24561–02012D37FIDE WGP Jermuk 20122
Munguntuul,B2447Ruan,L24830–12012C61FIDE WGP Jermuk 20122
Ju,W2518Danielian,E24801–02012A61FIDE WGP Jermuk 20122
Zhao,X2556Kosintseva,N25160–12012D38FIDE WGP Jermuk 20122
Mkrtchian,L2450Hou,Y26170–12012E562


Novelty and a nice win: Ukrainian GM Kateryna Lahno


Hou Yifan and Lilit Mkrtchian analyse in the press conference after the round


Friends? You bet! Lilit Mkrtchian and Katya Lahno


The games are displayed on large demo boards for the public in the park


Gottcha! An Armenian chess fan following the games

Round three

This round saw two draws – and four decisive games, emphasizing the fighting and sometimes error-prone quality of women's chess. In any case fans are glad for it.

Round three: Thursday July 19, 2012 at 15:00h
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
0-1
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
1-0
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
½-½
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
1-0
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
1-0
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
½-½
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537

Annotated games of round three for replay

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This game saw White play a new idea, sacrificing a pawn to achieve positional compensation. Danielian's Indian opponent accepted the offer, but did not react in an optimal manner, as the Armenian built up first an advantageous position, and then a winning one. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.e3 c4 9.Nd2 Be6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.g3 0-0 12.Bg2 Rd8 13.0-0 Nc6 14.a3 Ba5 15.Rc1 Qe7 16.Qh5 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qxa3 18.e4 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Qa5 20.Nc5 Bc8 21.Rfe1 Qc7 22.Re3 b6 23.Rce1 bxc5 24.d5 a5 25.dxc6 Be6 26.f4 Rd2 27.Bf3 Qd6 28.f5 Bd5 29.c7 Rf8 While Danielian eventually won the game, it must be noted that she missed the winning continuation: 30.f6?? 30.Re8 Qxc7 31.Bxd5 Qd7 31...Rxd5 32.R1e7+- 32.Bxc4 Rxe8 33.Qxf7+ is winning for White. 30...Bxf3 31.Qxf3 Qxc7 32.fxg7 Kxg7 33.Re4 Rd6 34.Re7 Qc6 35.Qg4+ Kh8 36.Qf4 Rf6 37.Qxc4 a4 38.Ra7 The position is a draw, but in the run-up to the time control Humpy's flag unfortunately fell, resulting in the first victory for Danielian. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Danielian,E2480Koneru,H25981–02012D38FIDE WGP Jermuk 20123.3
Khurtsidze,N2456Zhao,X25560–12012E48FIDE WGP Jermuk 20123.1
Kovalevskaya,E2417Munguntuul,B24471–02012A33FIDE WGP Jermuk 20123.6
Hou,Y2617Ju,W2518½–½2012B90FIDE WGP Jermuk 20123.2
Ruan,L2483Mkrtchian,L24501–02012B47FIDE WGP Jermuk 20123.5


The setup in Jermuk, at the start of roung three


Before the start of a critical game that threw the tournament leader back a notch


After her draw today against top seed Hou Yifan Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun is in the lead


The Georgian IM is not in form, as her three losses in the first three rounds prove


What went wrong? Armenian IM Lilit Mkrtchian and Chinese WGM Ruan Lufei ...


Lilit has so far only managed a single draw in the first round...


... while her opponent leads with 2.5/3 and a 2757 performance


Kateryna Lahno, who is married to GM Robert Fontaine and now lives in Paris


Youthful fans in Jermuk follow the games on – an Android tablet!


The youngest can only look in wonder – with Sinatra-blue eyes

Standings after three rounds

Note that so far only five games (=27.8% of all games) were drawn. Black won the same number of games, while White won eight, which adds up to 44.4% of all the games in three rounds.

Remaining schedule

5th day: Round 4 20.07.2012
6th day: Round 5 21.07.2012
7th day: Round 6 22.07.2012
8th day: Free day 23.07.2012
9th day: Round 7 24.07.2012
10th day: Round 8 25.07.2012
11th day: Round 9 26.07.2012
12th day Round 10 27.07.2012
13th day: Round 11 and Closing Ceremony 28.07.2012
14th day: Departure 29.07.2012

Schedule and results

Round one: Tuesday July 17, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
1-0
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
0-1
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
½-½
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
½-½
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
½-½
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
1-0
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
Round two: Wednesday July 18, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
0-1
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
1-0
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
0-1
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
0-1
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
1-0
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
1-0
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
Round three: Thursday July 19, 2012 at 15:00h
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
0-1
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
1-0
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
½-½
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
1-0
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
1-0
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
½-½
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
Round four: Friday July 20, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
-
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
-
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
-
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
-
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
-
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
-
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
Round five: Saturday July 21, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
-
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
-
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
-
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
-
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
-
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
-
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
Round six: Sunday July 22, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
-
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
-
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
-
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
-
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
-
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
-
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
Round seven: Tuesday July 23, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
-
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
-
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
-
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
-
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
-
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
-
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
Round eight: Wednesday July 24, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
-
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
-
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
-
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
-
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
-
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
-
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
Round nine: Thursday July 25, 2012 at 15:00h
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
-
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
-
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
-
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
-
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
-
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
-
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
Round ten: Friday July 26, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
-
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598
-
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
-
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
-
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
-
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
-
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
Round eleven: Saturday July 27, 2012 at 15:00h
IM
 Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
-
GM
 Zhao Xue 2556
GM
 Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
-
WGM
 Ruan Lufei 2483
GM
 Lahno Kateryna 2537
-
GM
 Hou Yifan 2617
IM
 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
-
GM
 Danielian Elina 2480
IM
 Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
-
IM
 Khurtsidze Nino 2456
WGM
 Ju Wenjun 2518
-
GM
 Koneru Humpy 2598

Links

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