2012 FIDE Women's Grand Prix - Ankara

Results from R9:

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
5	WGM	YILDIZ BETUL CEMRE	2341	1 - 0	GM	KOSINTSEVA TATIANA	2524	12
6	GM	ZHAO XUE	2549	1 - 0	GM	SOCKO MONIKA	2463	4
7	GM	STEFANOVA ANTOANETA	2502	1 - 0	WGM	OZTURK KUBRA	2294	3
8	GM	KONERU HUMPY	2593	0 - 1	GM	MUZYCHUK ANNA	2606	2
9	GM	CMILYTE VIKTORIJA	2520	½ - ½	IM	MUNGUNTUUL BATKHUYAG	2434	1
10	WGM	RUAN LUFEI	2492	½ - ½	WGM	JU WENJUN	2528	11

Standings after R9:

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	Res.	SB
1	2	GM	MUZYCHUK ANNA	2606	SLO	*	1	½			½	½	1	1	½	1	1	7	0	27,25
2	8	GM	KONERU HUMPY	2593	IND	0	*	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1			6½	0	28,75
3	6	GM	ZHAO XUE	2549	CHN	½	½	*	½	0	1	1			1	1	½	6	0	25,00
4	10	WGM	RUAN LUFEI	2492	CHN		0	½	*	½	½		½	1	½	1	1	5½	0	19,00
5	9	GM	CMILYTE VIKTORIJA	2520	LTU		½	1	½	*	½	½	0	0	1	1		5	½	21,75
6	11	WGM	JU WENJUN	2528	CHN	½	0	0	½	½	*			1	1	½	1	5	½	18,25
7	1	IM	MUNGUNTUUL BATKHUYAG	2434	MGL	½	½	0		½		*	½	½	½	1	½	4½	0	17,50
8	12	GM	KOSINTSEVA TATIANA	2524	RUS	0	0		½	1		½	*	0	½	1	½	4	0	14,50
9	5	WGM	YILDIZ BETUL CEMRE	2341	TUR	0	0		0	1	0	½	1	*		½	½	3½	0	13,25
10	7	GM	STEFANOVA ANTOANETA	2502	BUL	½	0	0	½	0	0	½	½		*		1	3	0	12,50
11	4	GM	SOCKO MONIKA	2463	POL	0		0	0	0	½	0	0	½		*	1	2	1	6,25
12	3	WGM	OZTURK KUBRA	2294	TUR	0		½	0		0	½	½	½	0	0	*	2	0	9,00

Yep, the top 2-seeded players met each other today, and Anna took Humpy dowwwwwnnnnn.  Realistically, was it worth not taking a draw for Anna?  Absolutely!  She's points ahead of Humpy in the Grand Prix totals thus far (375 to 320 for Humpy) so maintaining a lead over her, Zhao Xu (295) and Ju Wenjun (305) is paramount. 

There are also BONUS points awarded - not sure what the criteria are for their award, but they're there, dangling out there, like ripe apples for the picking, along with some very nice prize money:

Rank	Prize	GP Points
1st	6.500 €	120 points + 40 bonus
2nd	4.750 €	110 points + 20 bonus
3rd	4.000 €	100 points + 10 bonus
4th	3.750 €	90 points
5th	3.500 €	80 points
6th	3.250 €	70 points
7th	3.000 €	60 points
8th	2.750 €	50 points
9th	2.500€	40 points
10th	2.250 €	30 points
11th	2.000€	20 points
12th	1.750 €	10 points
TOTAL	40.000 €

With two more games to go, it looks like Humpy HAS to take clear first place in order to score 120 plus 40 bonus points (320 + 120 + 40 = 480) in order to be the challenger, but Anna would still win the challenger position for the 2013 Women's World Championship against Hou Yifan if Anna takes clear second place and wins 110 plus 20 bonus points (375 + 110 + 20 =  505).  Things get too crazy for me to figure out if Ju Wenjun somehow finishes in first place, or Zhao Xue.

So, who is playing who tomorrow:

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
12	GM	KOSINTSEVA TATIANA	2524	-	WGM	JU WENJUN	2528	11
1	IM	MUNGUNTUUL BATKHUYAG	2434	-	WGM	RUAN LUFEI	2492	10
2	GM	MUZYCHUK ANNA	2606	-	GM	CMILYTE VIKTORIJA	2520	9
3	WGM	OZTURK KUBRA	2294	-	GM	KONERU HUMPY	2593	8
4	GM	SOCKO MONIKA	2463	-	GM	STEFANOVA ANTOANETA	2502	7
5	WGM	YILDIZ BETUL CEMRE	2341	-	GM	ZHAO XUE	2549	6

The games I'll try to check tomorrow:

Muzychuk v. Cmilyte: Cmilyte, a former Lithuanian champion and a tough, experienced player, will fight hard. 

All other things being equal, Koneru should win against Kubra Ozturk -- not because Ozturk is a lousy player (far from it!), but simply because there is a 300 ratings point differential between then.  

Zhao Xue, who is currently in 3rd place overall, has much to play for!  She should be able to gain a point over Yildiz.

Things are getting interesting, darlings!