Astana GP Round 7: Vaishali draws with the leader Zhu Jiner

by Shahid Ahmed - 26/09/2022

IM Vaishali R drew with one of the tournament leaders, WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) in the eighth round of FIDE Astana GP 2022. It was a quiet draw. She now moves to 3.5/7. GM Aleksandra Goryachkina also drew her game with IM Elisabeth Paehtz (GER). Jiner and Goryachkina are joined by GM Kateryna Lagno in the lead 5/7. Kateryna defeated WGM Dinara Wagner (GER). GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and GM Tan Zhongyi (CHN) are the other two victors of the round. Vaishali will face GM Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ) in Round 8 today, which starts today at 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Kateryna Lagno joins the lead

GN Kateryna Lagno changed the leaderboard slightly. She won her game and joined WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) and GM Aleksandra Goryachkina at the top, to make it a three-way lead 5/7.

IM Vaishali R drew with WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN) | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Jiner - Vaishali: 0.5-0.5

WGM Zhu Jiner (CHN, 2464) had a relatively quiet draw with IM Vaishali R (2449).

Zhansaya - Kosteniuk: 0-1

GM Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ, 2503) suffered her second loss after scoring her first win of the event. For her opponent, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2521), it was her third win of the event. All of them occurred with the black pieces.

Position after 17.Qe1

White has done everything wrong she could possibly do. 17.Qe1 did not help her case either gxf5 18.f3 fxg4 18,hxg4 Nxg4 and White lost the game in another six moves.

Interview with GM Alexandra Kosteniuk | Video: FIDE

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk surpassed GM Zhansaya Abdumalik 4/7 | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

The players in action | Photo: FIDE/Anna Shtourman

Replay the live stream

Replay Live Commentary of Astana Women's GP Round 7 with GM Ilya Smirin and WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni | Video: FIDE

Replay all Round 7 games

Round 7 Results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	4	2443	IM	Assaubayeva Bibisara	½ - ½	IM	Shuvalova Polina	2510	12
2	5	2525	GM	Tan Zhongyi	1 - 0	IM	Kashlinskaya Alina	2491	3
3	6	2358	WGM	Wagner Dinara	0 - 1	GM	Lagno Kateryna	2547	2
4	7	2477	IM	Paehtz Elisabeth	½ - ½	GM	Goryachkina Aleksandra	2579	1
5	8	2464	WGM	Zhu Jiner	½ - ½	IM	Vaishali R	2449	11
6	9	2503	GM	Abdumalik Zhansaya	0 - 1	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2521	10

Round 8 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	12	2510	IM	Shuvalova Polina		GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2521	10
2	11	2449	IM	Vaishali R		GM	Abdumalik Zhansaya	2503	9
3	1	2579	GM	Goryachkina Aleksandra		WGM	Zhu Jiner	2464	8
4	2	2547	GM	Lagno Kateryna		IM	Paehtz Elisabeth	2477	7
5	3	2491	IM	Kashlinskaya Alina		WGM	Wagner Dinara	2358	6
6	4	2443	IM	Assaubayeva Bibisara		GM	Tan Zhongyi	2525	5