IMAGE: India’s Koneru Humpy played a control game to advance at the FIDE Women’s World Cup on Thursday. Photograph: FDE
Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy played out an easy draw with Afruza Khamdamova of Uzbekistan to win her mini-match 1.5-0.5 in the second round while D Harika beat compatriot P V Nandhidhaa to enter the last 32 stage of the FIDE Women’s World Chess Cup in Batumi, Georgia, on Thursday.
Humpy was always in control with her white pieces and saved her energy for the rounds ahead by taking a draw.
Harika made her way in style as Nandhidhaa went all-in in a must win game.
Harika, a twice bronze medallist in the event, just had to be herself to keep white pieces away from causing any destruction and once that was done, Nandhidhaa became the second Indian after Kiran Manisha Mohanty to bow out of the event.
R Vaishali also made it to the next round, defeating Ouellet Maili-Jade of Canada in another Indian victory of the day while Divya Deshmukh ousted Kesaria Mgeladze of Georgia.
K Priyanka, who sprang a surprise in the opening round, continued to do well and played out a back-to-back draw with Klaudia Kulon of Poland to reach the tiebreaker.
There was heartbreak for Vantika Agrawal, who had won effortlessly against former world champion Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in the first game of the round. However, the Ukraianian struck back to level scores and both will also be seen in the tiebreaker that happens on Friday.
Important and Indian results round 2 game 1: Lei Tingjie (Chn) beat Francisco Guecamburu Candela Be (Arg) 2-0; Alinasab Mobina (Iri) lost to Zhu Jiner (Chn) 0,5-1,5; Tan Zhongyi (Chn) beat Anastasia Kirtadze (Geo) 2-0; Afruza Khamdamova (Uzb) lost to Koneru Humpy (Ind) 0.5-1.5; Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) drew with Inna Gaponenko (Ukr) 1-1 goes to tiebreak; Kateryna Lagno (Fid) drew with Anastasia Avramidou (Gre) 1-1 goes to tiebreak; Daria Charochkina (Fid) lost to Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) 0-2; Mariya Muzychuk drew with Cervantes Landeiro Thalia (Usa) 1-1 goes to tiebreak; P V Nandhidhaa (Ind) lost to Dronavalli Harika (Ind) 0-2; R Vaishali beat Ouellet Maili-Jade (Can) 2-0; Gulnar Mammadova (Aze) lost to Polina Shuvalova (Fid) 0-2; Alexandra Kosteniuk (Sui) drew with Padmini Rout (Ind) 1-1 goes to tiebreak; Divya Deshmukh (Ind) beat Kesaria Mgeladze (Geo) 1.5-0.5; Vantika Agrawal (Ind) lost to Anna Ushenina (Ukr) 1-1 goes to tiebreak; Klaudia Kulon drew with K Priyanka (Ind) 1-1 goes to tiebreak.
