Reply #19: Update (Tuesday)

[Jack Rabbit]

Women's Grand Prix, Istanbul, Round 4



Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan, who clebrated her 15th birthday two weeks ago, and IM Martha Fierro of Ecuador are tied for the lead in the FIDE Women's Grand Prix after four rounds in Istanbul with 3½ points each.

Top seeded Indian GM Koneru Humpy and GM Zhao Xue of China are tied for third on 3 points.

All four ladies entered today's fourth round action tied for first with 2½ points. In today's games, Ms. Koneru drew against China's Shen Yang, Ms. Zhao drew with former women's world champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, Ms. Hou, playing Black, went 73 moves to defeat Swedish GM Pia Cramling and la señorita Fierro, also playing Black, defeated the local entry, Betul Cemre Yildiz of Turkey, in 51 moves.

The 11-round event lasts through March 19.


European Championships (General Competition), Budva, Round 5



Three grandmaster are tied for first place with 4½ points each after five rounds in the general competition of the tenth annual European Championships in Budva, Montenegro.

The trio consists of: Ernesto Inarkiev (yes, he was named for Che) of Russia; Georg Meier of Germany and Sunan Sjugirov of Ukraine.

Inakiev and Meier began the day tied for first place with perfect scores, but the two drew their game against each other. Sjugirov started as one of several players a half-point behind the pair and defeated former long-time Dutch national champion Loek van Wely to become the only player with 3½ points in the first four rounds to win today and join the leaders.

The 11-round event will end March 17.



European Championships (Women's Competition), St. Petersburg, Round 3



Six women are tied for first place with perfect scores after three rounds at the women's event of the European Championships in St. Petersburg.

They are: Georgian grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze, who has been red hot since winning an individual gold medal at the Dresden Chess Olympics in November; Hungarian GM Hoang Thanh Trang, oringinally from Vietnam; grandmaster Monika Socko of Poland; international master Evgenija Ovod of Russia; Romanian IM Cristina-Adela Foisor; and the biggest surprise so far, WFM Oksana Gritsayeva of Ukraine.

The event is scheduled for 11 rounds and will end March 19.