With 3 rounds to go, Zhao Xue has already sealed the victory in Nalchik. She is leading her compatriot by 3 points! The rest of the field is battling for 2nd place.
Zhao Xue was a major star in China with many spectacular results. Unfortunately, her many accomplishments have some what been forgotten due to the meteoric rise of Hou Yifan. She is now making a mark in women’s chess again. I am happy to see her do well. Congratulations!
Round 8 results
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg | ||
| GM | Zhao Xue | 2497 | 1 – 0 | GM | Kosintseva Nadezhda | 2560 |
| IM | Galliamova Alisa | 2498 | ½ | GM | Cmilyte Viktorija | 2525 |
| IM | Munguntuul Batkhuyag | 2467 | 1 – 0 | WGM | Ju Wenjun | 2536 |
| GM | Lahno Kateryna | 2554 | ½ | GM | Kosintseva Tatiana | 2536 |
| GM | Zhu Chen | 2490 | 1 – 0 | GM | Stefanova Antoaneta | 2528 |
| IM | Kovalevskaya Ekaterina | 2421 | 0 – 1 | GM | Kosteniuk Alexandra | 2469 |
Standings after 8 rounds
| Rk | Name | Rtg | FED | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pts | Rp | |
| 1 | GM | Zhao Xue | 2497 | CHN | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7½ | 2942 | |||
| 2 | WGM | Ju Wenjun | 2536 | CHN | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 4½ | 2544 | |||
| 3 | IM | Kovalevskaya Ekaterina | 2421 | RUS | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 4 | 2509 | |||
| 4 | GM | Lahno Kateryna | 2554 | UKR | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 4 | 2500 | |||
| 5 | GM | Cmilyte Viktorija | 2525 | LTU | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2506 | |||
| 6 | GM | Zhu Chen | 2490 | QAT | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2499 | |||
| 7 | GM | Kosintseva Tatiana | 2536 | RUS | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2500 | |||
| 8 | GM | Kosintseva Nadezhda | 2560 | RUS | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2505 | |||
| 9 | GM | Stefanova Antoaneta | 2528 | BUL | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2509 | |||
| 10 | IM | Galliamova Alisa | 2498 | RUS | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 3 | 2441 | |||
| 11 | IM | Munguntuul Batkhuyag | 2467 | MGL | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | * | 2½ | 2374 | |||
| 12 | GM | Kosteniuk Alexandra | 2469 | RUS | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | 2½ | 2371 |
Official website: http://nalchik2011.fide.com
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Zhao Xue rocks!
What if Wenjun wins all the last 3 rounds and Zhao Xue loses all of them? Rather impossible, but there’s still a chance she WON’T win right? A super slim chance?