The current leader of the event, Danielian won a very fighting game vs Dzagnidze. While White’s attack didn’t go anywhere, Black marched her pawns forward to open the position of the King. After King’s position got open, she invaded with both rooks and won the R. Here is the game:
Xu Yuhua played a nice Sicilian game where in the middlegame she used two main factors – the weak back rank and the B pair.
Zhu Chen started an interesting attack on the kingside but at the same time her King remained in the center. All was ok until Black managed to open the position up and win a pawn. Then Sebag started exchanging everything (usually the best strategy, unless there is a clear attack!) and went into a winning pawn endgame which she easily won.
Mkrtchian-Chiburdanidze. At first, white was a little bit better but 11.Nxe4 is what probably spoiled her position. 11.Be3 was much better in my opinion. Then Black won a pawn and although white had the B pair, it wasn’t working well. Black easily exchanged the lightsquare Bs and more pieces later and got into a winning endgame (again, the best way!).
Koneru-Stefanova. This game looked pretty equal all the time. Black equalized in the opening, white later created a passed pawn which was quite weak. Then Black exchanged her a6-pawn was the passed d-pawn, some more exchanges followed and it became difficult to play for a win.
Fierro-Cramling. Very unusual opening where Black didn’t have many problems due to fine development, open center and half open f-file. Lots of pieces were exchanged on moves 12 to 19 and it looked like an equal position where still some fight can be in sight due to white’s pawns on light squares. But white managed to exchange everything and get into a Q endgame where it finished in a perpetual.
Results of round 4
GM Dzagnidze Nana 2550 0 – 1 GM Danielian Elina 2454
GM Xu Yuhua 2484 1 – 0 IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2410
IM Mkrtchian Lilit 2475 0 – 1 GM Chiburdanidze Maia 2502
GM Zhu Chen 2495 0 – 1 GM Sebag Marie 2489
GM Koneru Humpy 2607 ½ – ½ GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2546
IM Fierro Baquero Martha L 2363 ½ – ½ GM Cramling Pia 2516
Pairings of round 5
GM Cramling Pia 2516 – GM Dzagnidze Nana 2550
GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2546 – IM Fierro Baquero Martha L 2363
GM Sebag Marie 2489 – GM Koneru Humpy 2607
GM Chiburdanidze Maia 2502 – GM Zhu Chen 2495
IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2410 – IM Mkrtchian Lilit 2475
GM Danielian Elina 2454 – GM Xu Yuhua 2484
