2013 U.S. Women's Chess Championship: Round 7

It was ladies' night out last night, so I'm catching up today by listening to a recording of yesterday's live action.  Here are the results R7 and standings after R7:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	3.0	2243	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	2300	1-0
2	IM Zatonskih, Anna	4.5	2466	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	2144	1-0
3	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.0	2263	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	2.5	2278	½-½
4	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.0	2098	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.0	2280	½-½
5	IM Krush, Irina	5.5	2470	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262	1-0

Rank	Name	Score	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	IM Krush, Irina	6.5	F	2470	2679	+1.18	1	1	1	1	1	½	1
2	IM Zatonskih, Anna	5.5	F	2466	2489	+0.25	1	1	0	1	½	1	1
3	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	F	2280	2486	+1.78	1	1	½	1	½	1	½
4	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	F	2243	2312	+0.67	1	0	1	0	½	½	1
5	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	3.0	F	2278	2230	-0.50	½	0	1	½	½	0	½
6	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	F	2300	2152	-1.44	0	0	0	1	1	½	0
7	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	F	2263	2206	-0.60	0	1	1	0	0	0	½
8	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	F	2262	2122	-1.36	½	½	0	0	1	0	0
9	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	F	2144	2170	+0.11	0	½	½	½	0	½	0
10	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	F	2098	2091	-0.09	0	0	0	0	0	1	½

Krush back to form with a win, Zatonskih had to work hard for her victory over Alena Kats but won the point with white in the end, to move 1 point back of the lead and moved into second place over Abrahamyan, who dropped to third after drawing her game with Sarah Chiang (according to the live commentary at one point GM Yasser Seirawan really liked Abrahamyan's chances of winning the game, so -- something happened -- but perhaps after her win yesterday Chiang has got over a big psychological barrier and is now playing up to her full potential).  Belakovskaia and Baginskaite drew their game in 31 moves. 

I didn't expect to see a draw in Krush's game (which I didn't), and I didn't expect to see a draw in Abrahamyan's game, either; I was surprised there!  Obviously this has big implications for today's R8 where Krush and Abrahamyan will face off against each other.

Let's take a look at R8 match-ups:

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	WGM Foisor, Sabina	2.5	2300	WIM Ni, Viktorija	2.0	2262
2	WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev	5.5	2280	IM Krush, Irina	6.5	2470
3	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	3.0	2278	WFM Chiang, Sarah	1.5	2098
4	WFM Kats, Alena	2.0	2144	WGM Belakovskaia, Anjelina	2.5	2263
5	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	4.0	2243	IM Zatonskih, Anna	5.5	2466

The games I'll be following are Abrahamyan v. Krush and Zenyuk v. Zatonskih.  Realistically, one would expect both Krush and Zatonskih to win their respective games despite playing with the black pieces. Both championships, however, have thrown up interesting surprises (like Kamsky's and Onischuk's draws yesterday), and my score as a prognosticator isn't very good, darlings :)  So I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the action on live coverage for R8 while continuing my house-cleaning blitz.

I will also be paying attention to the women's lower boards as the ladies on the bottom half of the scoreboard will be fighing for every increment of prize money.

And the Goddesschess Fighting Spirit (Fighting Chess) Prize of $500 is up for grabs.  The women are NOT making it easy to select a winner, let me tell you!