Monaco GP: Kosteniuk and Goryachkina score

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
2/20/2025 – The third round of the Monaco Women's Grand Prix saw all four co-leaders hold their positions at the top of the standings after drawing their games. Batkhuyag Munguntuul and Humpy Koneru split the point in the only direct clash between frontrunners, while Sara Khadem and Kateryna Lagno secured safe draws with the black pieces. Meanwhile, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Alexandra Kosteniuk bounced back from first-round losses with victories over Bibisara Assaubayeva and Tan Zhongyi. | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

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Four co-leaders in Monte Carlo

Four players entered the third round of the Women's Grand Prix in Monaco tied for first place, having each scored a win and a draw in the previous rounds. All four co-leaders remained at the top of the standings after drawing their games on Thursday.

In the only direct encounter between frontrunners, Batkhuyag Munguntuul and Humpy Koneru agreed to a 40-move draw in a Giuoco Piano. Meanwhile, Sara Khadem and Kateryna Lagno, also among the leaders, comfortably held draws with the black pieces against Elisabeth Paehtz and Harika Dronavalli, respectively.

The two remaining games ended decisively, as Aleksandra Goryachkina and Alexandra Kosteniuk both returned to a fifty-percent score by defeating Bibisara Assaubayeva and Tan Zhongyi. The two winners had suffered defeats in the opening round but bounced back with strong performances. Kosteniuk successfully defended against Tan's sacrificial attack in the middlegame, emerging with a winning position, while Goryachkina prevailed in a prolonged strategic struggle featuring a mostly closed pawn structure.

With all four co-leaders drawing their games, the standings remain tightly contested. Khadem and Munguntuul will face each other in the fourth round, with Khadem playing the white pieces. Meanwhile, Lagno and Humpy, the other two frontrunners, will also have the advantage of the white pieces as they look to break the deadlock at the top of the table.

Elisabeth Paehtz

Elisabeth Paehtz is the only player who started the event with three draws in a row - on Thursday, she drew Sara Khadem with the white pieces | Photo: Niki Riga

Kosteniuk 1 - 0 Tan

Tan Zhongyi

Tan Zhongyi's attacking plan backfired | Photo: Niki Riga

Assaubayeva 0 - 1 Goryachkina

Bibisara Assaubayeva, Aleksandra Goryachkina

The beginning of a very long struggle - Bibisara Assaubayeva v. Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: Niki Riga

Round 3 results

Standings

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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