The Chinese chess players, Zhao Xue and Ju Wenjun, each gained two victories in the starting rounds of the Nalchik FIDE Grand Prix.
Zhao Xue defeated Alexandra Kosteniuk, former World Champion and Nalchik GP nominee, with black pieces. Ju Wenjun scored against Antoaneta Stefanova, also a former World Champion.
On the post-match press conference the Bulgarian chess player said she had blundered almost everything in this game. But even in the ending there were some good opportunities to salvage a draw.
Live games with computer analysis
Ju Wenjun at the start of the 2nd round
Round 2 results:
IM Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2421 ½ – ½ GM Kosintseva Tatiana 2536
WGM Ju Wenjun 2536 1 – 0 GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2528
GM Cmilyte Viktorija 2525 ½ – ½ GM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2560
GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2469 0 – 1 GM Zhao Xue 2497
IM Galliamova Alisa 2498 ½ – ½ GM Zhu Chen 2490
IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2467 ½ – ½ GM Lahno Kateryna 2554
Round 3 pairings:
GM Lahno Kateryna 2554 – IM Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2421
GM Zhu Chen 2490 – IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2467
GM Zhao Xue 2497 – IM Galliamova Alisa 2498
GM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2560 – GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2469
GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2528 – GM Cmilyte Viktorija 2525
GM Kosintseva Tatiana 2536 – WGM Ju Wenjun 2536
Alexandra Kosteniuk - Zhao Xue
Munguntuul Batkhuyag
Ekaterina Kovalevskaya - Tatiana Kosintseva
