High Drama In Doha Grand Prix
Humpy Koneru (pictured) had to win her game against the runaway leader Elina Danielian today to keep her dream of fighting for the world championship alive.
In a nail-biting game the Indian emerged with a winning position after mutual time-trouble to close the gap to a point with three games remaining.
Humpy Koneru has to claim first place and hope that Nana Dzagnidze doesn't finish second, in order to finish ahead of her in the overall Grand Prix standings.
The players shake hands at the start of their crucial game (picture from the official website)
The standings after eight completed rounds out of eleven:
| Danielian, Elina | ARM | 2454 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | . | . | 1 | ½ | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6½ |
| Koneru, Humpy | IND | 2607 | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | ½ | . | 1 | . | 5½ |
| Sebag, Marie | FRA | 2489 | 0 | ½ | * | . | 1 | 1 | . | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | 1 | 5½ |
| Dzagnidze, Nana | GEO | 2550 | 0 | 1 | . | * | 0 | 0 | . | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Cramling, Pia | SWE | 2516 | . | ½ | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | . | . | 4½ |
| Fierro Baquero, Martha |
ECU | 2353 | . | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | 4 |
| Chiburdanidze, Maia | GEO | 2502 | 0 | 0 | . | . | ½ | 1 | * | 1 | . | ½ | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Mkrtchian, Lilit | ARM | 2475 | ½ | . | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | 0 | * | 0 | . | ½ | 1 | 3 |
| Stefanova, Antoaneta | BUL | 2546 | . | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | . | 1 | * | 0 | . | 0 | 2½ |
| Zhu, Chen | QAT | 2495 | 0 | . | 0 | . | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | 1 | * | 0 | ½ | 2½ |
| Munguntuul, Batkhuyag | MGL | 2410 | 0 | 0 | . | 0 | . | 0 | 1 | ½ | . | 1 | * | 0 | 2½ |
| Xu, Yuhua | CHN | 2484 | 0 | . | 0 | 0 | . | . | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | * | 2½ |
Further information is available at the official website.
