2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix: Rostov

Hmmmm, well, the only shocker in the final round was that Tatiana Kosintseva lost to Alisa Galliamova!  Not that Galliamova isn't a fine player, but - come on!  I would call that an upset for sure, but other than that, things shook out rather tamely.
Results from the last round:

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	½ - ½	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	12
7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	½ - ½	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	5
8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	1 - 0	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	4
9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	0 - 1	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	3
10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	½ - ½	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	2
11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	½ - ½	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	1

Here are the final standings - a non-combative draw between Hou and Stefanova. Sigh. Lahno drawing with Koneru?  I get it - but it sucks.

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	SB	Res.	Rp
1	11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	CHN	*	0	1	½	½	1	1	½	1	½	1	1	8	40.00	0	2697
2	10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	UKR	1	*	0	½	1	½	1	1	1	0	½	½	7	38.75	0	2628
3	5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	SLO	0	1	*	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	½	6½	34.25	0	2591
4	9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	RUS	½	½	½	*	½	½	0	1	½	1	1	½	6½	33.50	0	2589
5	6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	RUS	½	0	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	6	29.75	0	2560
6	2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	IND	0	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	0	1	5½	28.25	0	2519
7	3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	RUS	0	0	0	1	½	½	*	1	0	1	1	½	5½	26.75	0	2530
8	1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	BUL	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	*	1	½	1	½	5	25.25	0	2491
9	7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	ARM	0	0	½	½	½	½	1	0	*	0	1	1	5	24.25	0	2491
10	12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	CHN	½	1	0	0	½	0	0	½	1	*	½	½	4½	24.75	0	2466
11	8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	RUS	0	½	½	0	0	1	0	0	0	½	*	1	3½	17.50	0	2403
12	4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	RUS	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	*	3	17.50	0	2354

Twelfth Women's World Chess Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk was definitely off form the entire tournament. Pressing too much? She had five losses, no wins.  She hasn't lacked for tough competition, having played in several events against much higher rated male players and doing just fine. So, I don't think it's a case of the "yips" like Koneru Humpy seems to be suffering from for the past nine months or so. Some time off and rest may be what the doctor orders. She's been active since the first of the year.  I know she's a better player than her results showed in this event.

I'm very pleased for GM K. Lahno.  Definitely someone to watch.  I think she's got what it takes to become a world champion.

Is Hou unstoppable at this point?  Will she repeat as Women's World Chess Champion later in the year?  I'm sure she's holding back plenty in her arsenal. 

What to make of Koneru Humpy?  I am not even at the patzer level when it comes to playing chess and therefore, I cannot say what's going on with her games.  I play at such a different (low) level that what these players do is like me trying to decipher the Russian alphabet - impossible!  But there are plenty of people out there who can follow her play.  I would like to see some analysis of her games in this event.  Where did she go wrong?  Was she, as I suspect, playing not to lose, which is a sure-fire way to lose every time? 

The next Women's Grand Prix event is 6-20 September 2011, Shenzhen CHINA.  We will once see GM Hou Yifan in action, along with Anna Muzychuk, Ju Wenjun, Elina Danielian, Viktorija Cmilyte, Alisa Galliamova, Zhu Chen, Luan Rufei, Zhao Xue, Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, Munguntuul Batkhuyag, and Betul Cemre Yildiz.  [Players in bold played in 2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix Rostov]. 

As the old proverb proves, the race doesn't always go to the fastest out of the gate; slow and steady wins the race!  Who will be the 2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix Champion???

2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix: Rostov

Results:

Round 10 on 2011/08/13 at 15:00
SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	½ - ½	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	11
1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	0 - 1	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	10
2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	½ - ½	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	9
3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	1 - 0	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	8
4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	0 - 1	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	7
5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	½ - ½	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	6

I'm a genius, har :) NOT! It seemed a foregone conclusion that Ruan and Hou would draw.

Current standings:

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	SB	Res.	Rp
1	11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	CHN	*	0	½	1	½	1		1	1	½	1	1	7½	33.50	0	2715
2	10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	UKR	1	*	½	0	1		1	1	1	0	½	½	6½	32.50	0	2627
3	9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	RUS	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	½		1	½	1	6½	30.00	0	2637
4	5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	SLO	0	1	½	*	½	½	½		1	1	½	½	6	28.50	0	2598
5	6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	RUS	½	0	½	½	*	½	½	½	½		1	1	5½	24.75	0	2564
6	2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	IND	0		½	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	1	0	5	22.75	0	2517
7	1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	BUL		0	0	½	½	½	*	1	0	½	½	1	4½	18.75	0	2486
8	7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	ARM	0	0	½		½	½	0	*	1	0	1	1	4½	18.50	0	2490
9	3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	RUS	0	0		0	½	½	1	0	*	1	½	1	4½	17.75	0	2491
10	12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	CHN	½	1	0	0		0	½	1	0	*	½	½	4	19.75	0	2456
11	4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	RUS	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	0	½	½	*		3	16.00	0	2391
12	8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	RUS	0	½	0	½	0	1	0	0	0	½		*	2½	13.25	0	2347

Final match-ups tomorrow:

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	-	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	12
7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	-	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	5
8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	-	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	4
9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	-	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	3
10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	-	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	2
11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	-	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	1

The only upset that could happen tomorrow is if Hou loses to Stefanova and Lahno and/or T. Kosintseva both win their games - thus creating a tie of 7.5 with two or three players. We'll see what happens!

2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix: Rostov

 R9 - Hou Yifan proved she is not invincible; Lahno had something to prove.  Sadly, Humpy Koneru seemed out of it right from the get-go.  I am left wondering "what is wrong?"  She should not have lost a game (even with black) to Ekaterine Kovalelevskaya, who is having an absolutely horrid tournament.  It won't get any easier for Humpy - she has to face T. Kosintseva in R10 and Kateryna Lahno in R11!  Oh my!  One thing is sure, if she expects to have any chance against Hou in the Women's Chess Championship match, she'd better step up her game big time - in a hurry. 

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	1 - 0	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	12
6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	1 - 0	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	4
7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	1 - 0	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	3
8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	1 - 0	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	2
9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	1 - 0	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	1
10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	1 - 0	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	11

Standings:

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	SB	Res.	Rp
1	11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	CHN	*	½	0	1	½	1		1		1	1	1	7	28.00	0	2747
2	9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	RUS	½	*	½	½	½		1		1	½	½	1	6	25.25	0	2642
3	10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	UKR	1	½	*	0	1			1	0	1	½	½	5½	24.75	0	2596
4	5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	SLO	0	½	1	*		½	½	1	1		½	½	5½	22.75	0	2602
5	6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	RUS	½	½	0		*	½	½	½		½	1	1	5	20.00	0	2570
6	2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	IND	0			½	½	*	½	½	1	½	1	0	4½	17.50	0	2513
7	1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	BUL		0		½	½	½	*	0	½	1	½	1	4½	16.75	0	2521
8	3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	RUS	0		0	0	½	½	1	*	1	0	½		3½	14.25	0	2458
9	12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	CHN		0	1	0		0	½	0	*	1	½	½	3½	14.00	0	2443
10	7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	ARM	0	½	0		½	½	0	1	0	*		1	3½	13.75	0	2449
11	4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	RUS	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	½		*		3	14.25	0	2417
12	8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	RUS	0	0	½	½	0	1	0		½	0		*	2½	11.75	0	2379

There are two more rounds to go:

Round 10 on 2011/08/13 at 15:00
SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	-	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	11
1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	-	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	10
2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	-	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	9
3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	-	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	8
4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	-	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	7
5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	-	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	6
Round 11 on 2011/08/14 at 12:00
SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	-	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	12
7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	-	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	5
8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	-	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	4
9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	-	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	3
10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	-	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	2
11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	-	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	1

Ruan v. Hou in R10 I assume will be an easy draw - I expect that Ruan has received the "message" (if not an outright order) that she should not press Hou too much for a win, even though doing so (and winning) would prove a point of her own :)

2011-2012 Women's Grand Prix: Rostov

Results R7 - Another win for Hou Yifan.  Four rounds to go, it doesn't seem likely that anyone can catch her.

SNo.		Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg	SNo.
4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	½ - ½	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	12
5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	1 - 0	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	3
6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	½ - ½	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	2
7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	0 - 1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	1
8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	0 - 1	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	11
9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	½ - ½	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	10

Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	SB	Res.	Rp
1	11	GM	Hou Yifan	2575	CHN	*			1	1	½		1	1		1	1	6½	18.75	0	2943
2	10	GM	Lahno Kateryna	2536	UKR		*	½	0		1		1	½		1	½	4½	12.75	0	2615
3	9	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	2557	RUS		½	*	½		½			½	1	½	1	4½	12.25	0	2610
4	5	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2538	SLO	0	1	½	*	½		½	1				½	4	14.25	0	2582
5	2	GM	Koneru Humpy	2614	IND	0			½	*	½	½	½	1	1			4	12.00	0	2574
6	6	GM	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	RUS	½	0	½		½	*	½				½	1	3½	11.75	0	2536
7	1	GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	2524	BUL				½	½	½	*	0	½	½	1		3½	10.25	0	2529
8	3	IM	Galliamova Alisa	2492	RUS	0	0		0	½		1	*	½	1			3	9.25	0	2488
9	4	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	2497	RUS	0	½	½		0		½	½	*	½			2½	9.00	0	2438
10	12	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2479	CHN			0		0		½	0	½	*	1	½	2½	5.75	0	2417
11	7	GM	Danielian Elina	2521	ARM	0	0	½			½	0			0	*	1	2	5.50	0	2365
12	8	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2427	RUS	0	½	0	½		0				½	0	*	1½	5.50	0	2308