Humpy Koneru To Challenge For World Title
There was an incredible finish to the final Women's Grand Prix in Doha today, as Humpy Koneru won her last round game to earn a share of first place.
Long-time runaway leader Elina Danielian shared first place with Koneru in the event, but a half share of the points for a first place finish was enough for Humpy Koneru to just overtake Nana Dzagnidze in the overall Grand Prix standings.
Had Marie Sebag won her final round game and also shared first place in Doha, then Humpy would have missed out and Nana would have qualified. It was that close!
Humpy Koneru will face Hou Yifan for the Women's World Championship
The final result in Doha:
| Koneru, Humpy | IND | 2607 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 8 | 2654 |
| Danielian, Elina | ARM | 2454 | 0 | * | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 8 | 2668 |
| Sebag, Marie | FRA | 2489 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 7 | 2592 |
| Cramling, Pia | SWE | 2516 | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 2487 |
| Dzagnidze, Nana | GEO | 2550 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5½ | 2484 |
| Chiburdanidze, Maia | GEO | 2502 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5½ | 2489 |
| Munguntuul, Batkhuyag | MGL | 2410 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | * | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 5 | 2461 |
| Xu, Yuhua | CHN | 2484 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 | 2454 |
| Mkrtchian, Lilit | ARM | 2475 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 4½ | 2426 |
| Fierro Baquero, Martha | ECU | 2353 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | 4½ | 2437 |
| Stefanova, Antoaneta | BUL | 2546 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | 4 | 2383 |
| Zhu, Chen | QAT | 2495 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | 3½ | 2356 |
The final Grand Prix Standings after all six events:
| Player | Istanbul | Nanjing | Nalchik | Jermuk | Ulaanbaatar | Doha | Best 3 |
| Hou Yifan | 120 | – | 130 | (70) | 160 | – | 410.00 |
| Koneru Humpy | 160 | – | (70) | – | 93.33 | 145 | 398.33 |
| Nana Dzagnidze | – | 130 | 100 | 160 | – | (80) | 390.00 |
| Tatiana Kosintseva | – | – | 160 | 130 | 93.33 | – | 383.33 |
| Elina Danielian | 120 | – | (10) | 93.33 | – | 145 | 358.33 |
| Zhao Xue | 90 | 110 | (40) | – | 93.33 | – | 293.33 |
| Xu Yuhua | – | 160 | – | (30) | 60 | 55 | 275.00 |
| Marie Sebag | 80 | 80 | – | – | (30) | 110 | 270.00 |
| Antoaneta Stefanova | 45 | – | – | 93.33 | 130 | (20) | 268.33 |
| Pia Cramling | 65 | – | 100 | (55) | – | 80 | 245.00 |
| Lilit Mkrtchian | – | 80 | 40 | 93.33 | – | (35) | 213.33 |
| Maia Chiburdanidze | 45 | – | – | (40) | 70 | 80 | 195.00 |
| Batkhuyag Munguntuul | – | 60 | 70 | – | (20) | 55 | 175.00 |
| Shen Yang | (25) | 60 | – | 55 | 45 | – | 160.00 |
| Zhu Chen | – | 30 | 70 | – | 45 | (10) | 145.00 |
| Martha Fierro | 65 | 20 | – | (10) | – | 35 | 120.00 |
| Kovanova Baira | – | 40 | 40 | 20 | – | – | 100.00 |
| Ju Wenjun | – | 80 | – | – | – | – | 80.00 |
| Betul Cemre Yildiz | 10 | 10 | 20 | – | (10) | – | 40.00 |
| Zeinab Mamedyarova | 25 | – | – | – | – | – | 25.00 |
So Humpy Koneru will challenge the reigning women's chess champion Hou Yifan for the title later this year.
Picture from the official website.
