Jermuk R8: Hou Yifan catches Ju Wenjun in the lead

by ChessBase
7/26/2012 – The Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun has been alone at the top of the table for most of the tournament, but two draws allowed her main rival Hou Yifan, to catch her after a round eight win. With three rounds to go the two are a full point ahead of the rest of the field and hot favourites to win. We bring you an illustrated report on rounds seven and eight, again with 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 seven: Tuesday July 23, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
Hou Yifan 2617
½-½
GM
Zhao Xue 2556
WGM
Ruan Lufei 2483
½-½
GM
Danielian Elina 2480
IM
Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
0-1
IM
Khurtsidze Nino 2456
GM
Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
1-0
GM
Koneru Humpy 2598
GM
Lahno Kateryna 2537
½-½
WGM
Ju Wenjun 2518
IM
Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
½-½
IM
Mkrtchian Lilit 2450

Summary commentary of the round

This analysis is being done by Aghasi Inants in Armenian and translated into English by and Aram Hajian.

In this game Black equalized out of the opening, and after White attempted a dubious idea, Koneru's advantage might have become significant. However, Black not only failed to take advantage of the opportunity but misplayed the continuation, missing a tactical sequence which led to her demise. Nadezhda won in 40 moves.


Our annotator Aghasi Inants discussing the game with Nadezhda and Humpy

The organizers, as well as the many fans of chess, were happy to see Nino Khurtsidze register her first victory, and that with the black pieces. She equalized out of the opening and then, with initiative in hand, began to dictate the play.


Chinese players Ju Wenjun, Zhao Xue and Hou Yifan who lead on the scoreboard


Round eight: Wednesday July 24, 2012 at 15:00h
GM
Zhao Xue 2556
1-0
IM
Mkrtchian Lilit 2450
WGM
Ju Wenjun 2518
½-½
IM
Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2447
GM
Koneru Humpy 2598
0-1
GM
Lahno Kateryna 2537
IM
Khurtsidze Nino 2456
½-½
GM
Kosintseva Nadezhda 2516
GM
Danielian Elina 2480
½-½
IM
Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2417
GM
Hou Yifan 2617
1-0
WGM
Ruan Lufei 2483

Summary commentary of the round

The tension is rising in Jermuk as the 8th round of the Women’s Grand Prix is complete. Not surprisingly, chess fans today witnessed the greatest number of blunders, as seemingly solid positions unraveled with a single misstep. With three rounds to go, Ju Wenjun was joined at the top of the leaderboard by world champion and compatriot Hou Yifan. The following analysis was provided by Aghasi Inants in Armenian and translated into English by Aram Hajian.

In this game Black equalized out of the opening, and after White attempted a dubious idea, Koneru's advantage might have become significant. However, Black not only failed to take advantage of the opportunity but misplayed the continuation, missing a tactical sequence which led to her demise.


To the chagrin of the hometown fans, Mkrtchian also blundered away a key central
pawn in an innocuous position in which White had a nominal advantage but not more.

In this game the women's world champion didn't get too much out of the opening, though it was probably a bit easier to play with White. However, in the middle game, White deployed active measures and forced Black to commit a mistake.

Early in the opening, Russian GM Kosintseva Nadezhda, right, simply blundered a central pawn, handing Nino Khurtsidze (left) a winning position. However the Georgian IM was unable to turn it into a full point.

Photos by Arman Karakhanyan

Standings after eight rounds

Remaining schedule

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

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 a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


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