Chao Li was the victorious side of the thrilling six-hour marathon with David Howell to rejoin the leading position together with Arik Braun who drew against Eltaj Safarli at 6.5 points. 3-7. places are shared by David Howell, Eltaj Seferli, Hou Yifan, Ivan Popov and Maxim Rodshtein.

In Girls' section, Harika Dronavalli continued her lead after winning against Adriana Nikolova at 7 points followed by Mariya Muzychuk just half point behind. 3-5.places are shared by Miranda Mikadze, Guliskan Nakhbayeva, and Swaminathan Soumya at 6 points.

A nice pictorial and detailed report below...

Li Chao scored a crucial victory against David Howell to get back to the joint lead together with Arik Braun. The game was a very long fight which lasted for more than 6 hours and not only chess but the agility of the players were also at stake. White had the bishop against black's knight with both sides having a queen and a rook which made the position an extremely complicated endgame. Black was the side close to the victory with the pawn sacrifice made by the Chinese grandmaster but the position was always very difficult with many long variations and myriad of threats in every position. Black then decided to transfer his king to queen's side where he had the pawn majority and better chances to hide his king. Both sides played almost perfectly for a long time and despite the fact that black had two passed pawns which were way back at a7 and b6, white was able to advance his pawns more easily and was able to pose more threats against the opponent king. At the 108th move white finally succeeded in queening his g pawn and went on to win the excellent thriller.

Hou Yifan and her herbal support at the right end, the magical syrup. Boys you should take take notice of that!

Maxim Rodshtein gained a swift victory against Ante Brkic in a violent Slav-Botvinnik variation in 26 moves. Brkic did not manage to reemphasize the validity of the old Nf6 variation in Botvinnik.

Tornike Sanikidze played a well-known exchange sacrifice against Wesley So in the Richter-Rauzer, where the long theoretical battle did not produce any winner. Neither side was also not able to produce a winning advantage in the game between Melkumyan and Kravtsiv.

Sahaj Grover from India


The Polish players and Nguyen in the same frame...


Mariya Muzychuk displeased the Turkish chess fans

....by defeating Kübra Öztürk but Mariya took the sole second place as a result.

Adriana Nikolova could not resist ...


....against Harika Dronavalli


Indian team near their youngest one: Parimarjan Negi




Sona Pertlova from Czech Republic and...


...her compatriot Katerina Nemcova

Ana Berec of Serbia


Özge Vural and Ataman Aydoğdu chatting before their encounter


Atakan Şirin, making many upsets despite his 2107 rating kibitzed by trainer FM Yakup Bayram


Peter Constantinou of England



Manuel Leon Hoyos is a fan of the Mexican soccer team UNAM as can be seen from his jersey




Anastasia Bodnaruk from Russia

Harika Dronavali Continues Her Lead Followed by Muzychuk

Girls' championship did not see any major changes in top spots where Harika Dronavalli won against Adriana Nikolova in a well-known branch of Najdorf Sicilian with black. Harika was able to squeeze a win in an endgame where she proved he superiority of the bishop pair and delivered a mate to her opponent's king on a3.


On the second board, Muzychuk outplayed the home-side favorite Kübra Öztürk in a Scotch Game to the displeasure of the Turkish chess fans. She gained the upper hand after the opening and won rather comfortably. Nakhbayev also won without much difficulty since she emerged a pawn ahead right after the opening against Majdan.

Black decided f5 was necessary against white's inititative, a conclusion which the silicon monster does not agree and the outcome of the game which ended as a victory for white in the game between Soumya and Abrahamyan. Mikadze was able belied the stereotype that opposite colored bishops generally end as a draw in an endgame with two pawns ahead.



Severiukinova won against Mamedyarova and won her second concecutive game after gaining an exchange. This meant the Russian players was not going to play on top boards.