GM Zhao Xue emerged leader of the Nalchik FIDE Grand Prix after beating IM Alisa Galliamova in the third round of the tournament. Zhao is boasting perfect score, while her compatriot Ju Wenjun played a draw with Tatiana Kosintseva and remained on 2.5 points.
Nadezha Kosintseva inflicted a second consecutive defeat to the Nalchik GP nominee Alexandra Kosteniuk. The game was fairly equal until Kosteniuk dropped a pawn shortly before the time control. Kosintseva seized the opportunity and converted the advantage.
Former world champion Zhu Chen, this time competing without Alexander Morozevich’s on-site help, outplayed Munguntuul Batkhuyag in the opening and already around the 20th move she was up a whole piece.
Live games with computer analysis
Round 3 results:
GM Lahno Kateryna 2554 ½ – ½ IM Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2421
GM Zhu Chen 2490 1 – 0 IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2467
GM Zhao Xue 2497 1 – 0 IM Galliamova Alisa 2498
GM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2560 1 – 0 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2469
GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2528 ½ – ½ GM Cmilyte Viktorija 2525
GM Kosintseva Tatiana 2536 ½ – ½ WGM Ju Wenjun 2536
Round 4 pairings:
IM Kovalevskaya Ekaterina 2421 – WGM Ju Wenjun 2536
GM Cmilyte Viktorija 2525 – GM Kosintseva Tatiana 2536
GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2469 – GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2528
IM Galliamova Alisa 2498 – GM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2560
IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2467 – GM Zhao Xue 2497
GM Lahno Kateryna 2554 – GM Zhu Chen 2490
