In order to give the top female players more opportunities to play in strong tournaments, FIDE changed the format of the Grand Prix series, increasing the number of tournaments from four to six and allowing more players to take part in the series. The prize money was also increased.
The winner of the series will take home $18,000. A total of $120,000 will be up for grabs in each tournament, with $30,000 going to the winner.
The first tournament of the 2024-25 series was held in Tbilisi and was won by Alina Kashlinskaya. The next tournaments will take place in Monaco, Cyprus, India and Austria from February to May 2025.
Aleksandra Goryachkina is the dominant player in the second tournament, which is now drawing to a close in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. The Russian grandmaster came close to becoming Women's World Champion when she lost in the tiebreak against Ju Wenjun in the World Championship match in January 2020.
In Shymkent, Goryachkina started with two draws and then won five games in a row. In round seven she defeated Batkhuyag Munguntuul in a well-known line of the Sveshnikov.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.c3 Bg7 12.Bd3 Be6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Nc2 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.Re1 f4 16...Qd7 17.a4 bxa4 18.Rxa4 a5 19.Na3 f5 20.Nc4 e4 21.Bf1 Ng6 22.Qa1? 22.Qh5 f3 22.f3 e3 23.Kh1= 22...Nh4 22...Ne5!? 23.Rxa5 Rxa5 24.Qxa5 Qg5 25.Nxe5 Bxe5-+ 23.Rxa5 Rc8 24.Qa4? 24.Kh1 f3 25.Ra4 25.g3 Ng2 26.Rd1 26.Bxg2 fxg2+ 27.Kxg2 Rxc4-+ 26...Rxc4 27.Bxc4 f4-+ 25...fxg2+ 26.Bxg2 Rf6 24...Rxc4! 25.Bxc4 Qg5 26.g3 fxg3 26...Nf3+ 27.Kf1 Nxh2+ 28.Ke2 fxg3-+ 27.hxg3 f4 28.Rxe4 fxg3 29.f4 Qg4 30.Qc2 g2 31.Be2 Qh3 32.Qd1 Qh1+ 33.Kf2 g1Q+ 34.Qxg1 Qxe4 0–1 
Goryachkina's closest pursuers are Stavroula Tsolakidou and Tan Zhongyi. Tsolakidou drew in round 7 against Kateryna Lagno but Tan Zhongyi won against Nurgyul Salimova. The Chinese Grandmaster took the pawns offered to her and then showed her defensive skills to win the game.
In a Reti Opening Bibisara Assubayeva had an advantage in a queenless middlegame against Divya Deshmuk but then failed to find the right way to liquidate and lost her advantage. This game ended in a draw, as did the game between Elisabeth Pähtz and Humpy Koneru.
Both players have struggled in the tournament and did not mind an early draw.
Results
Standings
Games
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