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Chinese players Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi looked sensational and bagged triumphs in the sixth of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix. The Russian and Swiss Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk and Vaishali Rameshbabu also made a superb comeback with their victories. Ukrainian Chess Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk kept her command in the competition as she was leading with 4.5/6, following her stalemate with Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze. Talking about Jiner, it was her fourth win in the competition as she is sharing the second spot with Muzychuk in the overall standings.
Both Anna and Jiner are the only players who have an opportunity to emerge victorious in the overall 2024/2025 WGP season and win a place in the 2026 Women's Candidates. Jiner got a tough competition from Anna’s younger sister Mariya Muzychuk. In the game between Zhu and Mariya, the game was equal until the final stages of the middle game but the Ukrainian made a massive blunder by missing a tactical invasion by black.
India’s Vaishali Rameshbabu defeated Belarus’s Olga Bedelka in the Four Knights Game. Vaishali started dominating the game from move 16. Following a couple of moves, Bedelka erred and taking advantage of the mistake, the 23-year-old Indian created pressure on her opponent. On the 39th move, Bedelka capitulated and handed victory to Vaishali. Vaishali is now on 4/6.
Tan Zhongyi survives against Nurgyul Salimova in the intriguing contest
Talking about Jiner’s compatriot and the former world champion Tan Zhongyi, crushed Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova in the longest contest of the round which lasted for five hours and witnessed 89 moves. Salimova looked extremely confident and gave stern competition to her Chinese counterpart.
However, Zhongyi held her nerves and made brilliant moves to outclass the Bulgarian eventually. The former women's world champion’s determination has got her three victories, two losses and a draw in the tournament. Discussing another former world champion,Kosteniuk gained victory against Georgia’s Lela Javakhishvili. Competing with the black pieces against the Georgian, Kosteniuk pulled off a firm spot in the Colle System. On the 17th move, Javakhishvili made a colossal error which later proved lethal for her as it cost the game.
