Kazan GP R09: Danielian falters, as Koneru, Kosteniuk and Hou win

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 nine results

5	GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2508	½-½	GM	Anna Muzychuk	2598	12
6	GM	Nadezhda Kosintseva	2528	½-½	GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2532	4
7	GM	Antoaneta Stefanova	2518	½-½	WGM	Betul Cemre Yildiz	2333	3
8	GM	Keteryna Lahno	2546	0-1	GM	Humpy Koneru	2589	2
9	GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2457	1-0	GM	Elina Danielian	2484	1
10	IM	Alisa Galliamova	2484	0-1	GM	Hou Yifan	2623	11

Elina Danielian (above left) lost the first game in the tournament, to Alexandra Kosteniuk

The former women's world champion, who had white pieces, played for initiative from the opening and found nice sacrifice to open the central files and create a decisive attack on opponent's king. The defeat of the Armenian player allowed Anna Muzychuk, who made a draw against Viktorija Chmilyte, and Humpy Koneru, who won against Katerina Lahno, catch her on the top of the scoreboard. Although two rounds to go there are three leaders in the tournament.

The begin of the round, with the game Galliamova-Hou Yifan about to begin

Hou Yifan managed to win in close to draw rook endgame against Alisa Galliamova

After five hours of play Antoaneta Stefanova got winning chances in a bishop endgame against Betul Yildiz,
but didn’t find the way to create more problems for her opponent and as a result the game was drawn.

Predictably, the Kosintseva sisters drew their game, which this time only lasted 14 moves

Humpy Koneru gound her opponent Kateryna Lahno down in an 82-move marathon

The Ukrainian GM resigned one move before mate

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

Standings after nine rounds of play

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Video stream of the round

The Russian organisers are providing a HD video stream
of the action with expert commentary from Kazan.

Final rounds ten and eleven (June 21 and 22)

GM	Anna Muzychuk	2598	GM	Hou Yifan	2623
GM	Elina Danielian	2484	IM	Alisa Galliamova	2484
GM	Humpy Koneru	2589	GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2457
WGM	Betul Cemre Yildiz	2333	GM	Keteryna Lahno	2546
GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2532	GM	Antoaneta Stefanova	2518
GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2508	GM	Nadezhda Kosintseva	2528

GM	Nadezhda Kosintseva	2528	GM	Anna Muzychuk	2598
GM	Antoaneta Stefanova	2518	GM	Viktorija Cmilyte	2508
GM	Keteryna Lahno	2546	GM	Tatiana Kosintseva	2532
GM	Alexandra Kosteniuk	2457	WGM	Betul Cemre Yildiz	2333
IM	Alisa Galliamova	2484	GM	Humpy Koneru	2589
GM	Hou Yifan	2623	GM	Elina Danielian	2484

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.