Rostov R8: Stefanova and Ruan win, Hou leads by two points

The Rostov Chess Federation in collaboration with FIDE and Global Chess is organising the first event for the 2011/2012 Women's Grand Prix series. The tournament is being held in the Don-Plaza Hotel and runs from August 1st (arrival, opening) until August 15 (departure). The eleven rounds are between August 2nd and 14, with rest days on the 6th and 11th. The start of the games from of rounds 1-10 is 3:00 p.m. local time, round 11 at starts at noon local time. The winner receives 6,500 Euros out of a total prize fund of 40,000 Euros, and the overall winner of the Women's Grand Prix will win a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series.

Round eight report

Lufei Ruan-Kateryna Lahno (1-0)
In a Scotch Defense White sacrificed a pawn in the opening to gain the initiative, but Black decided to return it in the middle game in order to neutrilize her opponent's activity. White continued the attack on the queenside and Black in turn on the kingside. On the 33rd move White offered a draw by repeating the position, but Black refused. She blundered on move 46 and lost the game.

Yifan Hou-Tatiana Kosintseva (½-½)
The leaders of the tournament chose a very popular forced variation of Ruy Lopez that ends in a draw by perpetual. Both players apparently decided to have take an extra rest day before tomorrow's official one – still the game is tactically quite interesting.

Antoatena Stefanova-Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (1-0)
In the Queen's Gambit Tarrasch Ekaterina Kovalevskaya had prepared the Swedish Variation with 9...c4. White exchanged knights on c6, doubling black pawns on the c-file. Ex-World Champion Stefanova took advantage of this and played 12.b3 and soon had the centre and the initiative. After an imprecision by her opponent she gained tangible winning chances, but it was the blunder on move 35 that sealed the Russian WGM's fate.

Humpy Koneru - Elina Danielian (½-½)
In a Slav Defence with 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 White got the advantage of two bishops. Black attacked the centre with 16...e5 and after an exchange of pieces a rook and knight endgame was on the board which was drawn after 52 moves.

Alisa Galliamova-Nadezhda Kosintseva (½-½)
In a QGD Ragozin the players exchanged queens very quickly move to an equal rook and bishop ending. Black managed to complicate the position and after the move 28...Rc5 White faced some problems. Alisa Galliamova had to play precisely to draw in 37 moves.

Alexandra Kosteniuk-Anna Muzychuk (½-½)
For a second time in this tournament Anna Muzychuk played the Dutch Defense (Leningrad System), with White leading the play. After an exchange of queens White had a small advantage of the bishops pair, however, Black compensated for that with a powerful passed pawn on d3 and then d2. White had one on b7, and after these pawns came off the board a draw was agreed. The game lasted 54 moves.

Anastasiya Karlovich, Anna Muzychuk and Alexandra Kosteniuk in the press conference

Pictures by Anastasiya Karlovich and
Kema Goryaeva with kind permission of FIDE

Current standings

Schedule and results

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