Munich GP: Kosteniuk on 3 out of 3

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
2/5/2023 – Alexandra Kosteniuk grabbed a third consecutive win in Munich to get a full-point lead over a 3-player chasing pack at the second stage of the Women’s Grand Prix series. Kosteniuk inflicted Dinara Wagner’s third consecutive loss. In the other decisive game of the round, Zhu Jiner beat Zhansaya Abdumalik with the black pieces. | Photo: FIDE / David Llada
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Zhu beats Abdumalik with black

The Munich Grand Prix has a sole leader with a full-point advantage as early as after the third day of action. Alexandra Kosteniuk kicked off the event with three consecutive wins to become the early favourite in the Bavarian capital. After getting a remarkable win over Alina Kashlinskaya and seeing Elisabeth Paehtz blundering a piece in the first two rounds, Kosteniuk defeated Dinara Wagner from the white side of a strategic battle.

In a round that saw two games ending decisively, Zhu Jiner scored her first victory of the event after instructively outplaying Zhansaya Abdumalik with the black pieces. Zhu, aged 20, thus recovered from her first-round loss against Tan Zhongyi.

Tan, by the way, is one of three players sharing second place on 2/3 points. The chasing pack also includes Anna Muzychuk and Nana Dzagnidze. Coincidentally, these three players will get the black pieces in Sunday’s fourth round, when the leader will face the difficult challenge of playing Tan, the current women’s world rapid champion and the recent winner of the Candidates’ Pool B knockout.

Anna Muzychuk, Nana Dzagnidze

Sharing second place — Anna Muzychuk and Nana Dzagnidze drew their round-3 encounter | Photo: David Llada

Wagner’s failed ...d6-d5 breakthrough

 

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: David Llada

Zhu’s excellent handling of a Sveshnikov Sicilian

 

Zhu Jiner

Zhu Jiner | Photo: David Llada

Results - Round 3

 

Standings - Round 3

 

All games

 
 

Links

Topics: Alexandra Kosteniuk, Women's Grand Prix Munich 2023, Zhu Jiner
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.