
From June 9 to 23, 2012 Kazan,
the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, will play host to the 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).
Round eight
Four games in the eighth round in Kazan were decisive, all won with the white
pieces. In fact all six games could have ended with wins if Betul Yildiz and
Viktorija Cmilyte, who had big advantages, had been able to defeat their opponents,
the sisters Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva.

The central game of the match, between the tournament leader Elina Danielian...

...and chaser Kateryna Lahno finished in favor of the Armenian grandmaster

Anna Muzychuk (above) got a better position after the opening in the game against
Alisa Galliamova but later didn’t play precisely and allowed Black to
equalize. In the deep endgame the Slovenian GM managed to find winning chances
and beat her opponent.

World Champion Hou Yifan (above right), who had white against Alexandra Kosteniuk,
for a second time in this tournament sacrificed a knight on g7 – she already
did so in her game with Antoaneta Stefanova in the sixth round. The attack of
Chinese player was decisive and Alexandra could not defend her position.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.Bg2 c6 5.d4 d6 6.Nge2 0-0 7.h3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Re8 9.Be3 Ba5 10.a4 a6 11.g4 Nf8 12.Ng3 Ng6 13.f4 exf4 14.Bxf4 Nxf4 15.Rxf4 Nd7 16.Qd3 Qb6 17.Rb1 Ne5 18.Qd1 Ng6 19.Rf2 Qd8 20.Nce2 Bc7 21.Qd2 d5 22.e5 Be6 23.Rbf1 c5 24.c3 cxd4 25.cxd4 Rf8 26.Nh5 Qh4 27.Neg3 f6 28.Nxg7 28.Rxf6 28...Kxg7 29.Nh5+ Kh8 30.Qh6 Rg8 31.Rxf6 Rae8 32.Rf7 Bxf7 33.Rxf7 Nf8 34.Rxc7 Rg6 35.Rxh7+ Nxh7 36.Qxg6 Rg8 37.Qf7 Qg5 38.Qxd5 Nf8 39.Kh2 Qd2 40.Qd6 Nh7 41.e6 Qe3 42.d5 b5 43.axb5 axb5 44.Qf4 Qxf4+ 45.Nxf4 Kg7 46.Nh5+ Kh6 47.d6 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Hou Yifan | 2623 | Kosteniuk,A | 2457 | 1–0 | 2012 | C26 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Please, wait...

Humpy Koneru created strong initiative in the middle game and defeated...

... former women's world champion Antoaneta Stefanova.
Missed a clear win: disappointed WGM Betul Cemre Yildiz at the press conference
Betul Yildiz: "I’m sure my position was better in the endgame,
but it was so hard to find the correct way to win it. I got really tired. This
is a tough job indeed! When I studied at university, I had no time to play chess
professionally. However now I have graduated from the law department and can
concentrate on chess. In a few years I might again be faced with the choice,
and depending upon results I will see if it make sense to stay in chess or up
take some another profession."

Tenacious: GM Nadezhda Kosintseva saved a lost position against the tail-ender
Nadezhda Kosintseva: "I remember a game of Shirov in that variation, and
I was ready to play those kind of positions wth black. 27…Qa2 was a mistake
I should have taken another pawn on e4. A few moves later I realized my position
was just worse, so I'm glad to have made a draw in the end."

GM Viktorija Cmilyte (middle) was equally unhappy with a missed chance
Viktorija Cmilyte: "I was ready for the opening, and I even thought the
position can be a bit worse for black I was ready to play it. I think after
30…Qd7, 31…Qd7 my position was okay. I think I could have won the
endgame, but it's not easy to say where exactly, after so many hours of play."
Round eight results
GM |
Anna Muzychuk |
2598 |
1-0 |
IM |
Alisa Galliamova |
2484 |
GM |
Hou Yifan |
2623 |
1-0 |
GM |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2457 |
GM |
Elina Danielian |
2484 |
1-0 |
GM |
Keteryna Lahno |
2546 |
GM |
Humpy Koneru |
2589 |
1-0 |
GM |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
2518 |
WGM |
Betul Cemre Yildiz |
2333 |
½-½ |
GM |
Nadezhda Kosintseva |
2528 |
GM |
Tatiana Kosintseva |
2532 |
½-½ |
GM |
Viktorija Cmilyte |
2508 |
After the eigth round Elina Danielian is on the top with six points, Anna Muzychuk
is second, half a point behind. Viktorija Cmilyte and Humpy Koneru share the
third place with five points. Hou Yifan increased her tournament position and
shares the fifth place with Katerina Lahno at 4.5/8 points.
Standings after eight rounds of play
Replay all games of the round on our Javascript player

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Qb6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Nb3 Bd7 10.f4 0-0-0 11.Be2 h5 12.Rf1 Ne7 13.0-0-0 Bc6 14.Nd4 d5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Na4 Qc7 17.Qc3 Ng6 18.f5 Ne5 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Rxf6 Re8 21.exd5 cxd5 22.Ba6+ Kd8 23.Bb5 Qxc3 24.Nxc3 Bg7 25.Rff1 Ref8 26.Rxf8+ Rxf8 27.Rf1 Bh6+ 28.Kb1 Rxf1+ 29.Bxf1 Ng4 30.Be2 Nxh2 31.Bxh5 Nf1 32.a4 a5 33.Nb5 Ne3 34.Bf3 Kd7 35.c3 e5 36.g4 Kc6 37.Ka2 Nc4 38.b4 Bd2 39.Kb3 axb4 40.cxb4 Bf4 41.Be2 Nd2+ 42.Kc2 Ne4 43.Nc3 Nf6 44.a5 e4 45.b5+ Kb7 46.Na4 d4 47.Bc4 d3+ 48.Kb3 d2 49.Be2 Nd7 50.Kc2 Bg5 51.b6 Kc6 52.Nc3 Nc5 53.Nxe4 Nxe4 54.Bf3 Kd5 55.Bxe4+ Kxe4 56.a6 Kf3 57.Kd1 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Muzychuk,A | 2598 | Galliamova,A | 2484 | 1–0 | 2012 | B63 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Hou Yifan | 2623 | Kosteniuk,A | 2457 | 1–0 | 2012 | C26 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Danielian,E | 2484 | Lahno,K | 2546 | 1–0 | 2012 | D79 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Koneru,H | 2589 | Stefanova,A | 2518 | 1–0 | 2012 | B14 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Yildiz,B | 2333 | Kosintseva,N | 2528 | ½–½ | 2012 | B51 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Kosintseva,T | 2532 | Cmilyte,V | 2508 | ½–½ | 2012 | B77 | 4th WGP Kazan 2012 | 8 |
Please, wait...
Video stream of the round
The Russian organisers are providing a HD video stream
of the action with expert commentary from Kazan. |

Photos and reports by Anastasiya Karlovich and Rashit Shiriyazdanov (above)