IMAGE: Koneru Hump outclassed Zhu Jiner of China to grab the sole lead in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Pune. Photograph: FIDE
India’s Grandmaster Koneru Humpy defeated China’s Zhu Jiner to jump into sole lead with 5.5 points after the seventh round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Pune on Monday.
In another good result for India, Divya Deshmukh scored a crushing victory over Munguntuul Batkhuyag and along with Zhu is trailing half a point behind Humpy.
With just two more rounds remaining of the 10-player round robin event, the race for the title will be amongst these three players.
Rameshbabu Vaishali and Dronavalli Harika had to stay content with draws and are out of the race for the title.
Humpy surprised overnight leader Zhu by not playing the English Opening, one which she has been employing more often in this tournament.
It was a Queen’s Indian defence where the players matched steps.
Humpy’s position looked promising but a 30th knight move led to a few exchanges with her advantage evaporating. The Indian had bishop pair as against Zhu’s double knights with the queens still on board.
At this point Humpy had
much less time on her clock and Zhu tried to play fast. But the 22-year-old’s knight strayed too deep into enemy territory on the queen side and her queen too tried to invade on the 44th turn which was a blunder and she lost her knight on the very next turn.
In a last- ditch effort to blunt out the attack, Zhu once again invaded with her queen but Humpy exchanged the queens and the Chinese had to part with her knight. Zhu resigned on the 55th turn.
Munguntuul played the Slav defence against Divya and this was more or less a game where Divya was on the better side throughout.
After a hat trick of losses before this game, Mungultuul was far from her best and aggressive Divya capitalised on it to take the win.
“After my 20th move, I was in a happy frame of mind and knew I had a winning chance,” Divya said.
Harika employed the Petroff defence against Polina and thereafter it was a solid show with both players preferring to exchange pieces at every possible opportunity.
Results (Round 7):
IM Salimova Nurgyul (3) drew IM Melia Salome(2)
GM Vaishali Rameshbabu (3) drew IM Kashlinskaya Alina (2)
GM Koneru Humpy (5.5) bt GM Zhu Jiner (5)
M Divya Deshmukh (5) bt GM Munguntuul Batkhuyag (2)
IM Shuvalova Polina (4) drew GM Dronavalli
