Humpy Set for Miracle Finish?
Just when all seemed hopeless for Humpy Koneru, everything went her way in the penultimate round of the Doha Grand Prix.
Humpy won her game against Lilit Mkrtchian when her opponent blundered, and the leader Elina Danielian lost to Pia Cramling. As a result, Humpy closed the gap at the top to just half a point and so could still of win the event and earn the right to face world champion Hou Yifan.
If she fails to earn at least a two-way share of first place in the event, then Nana Dzagnidze will be the challenger for the title.
Is Humpy Koneru set for a dramatic winning finish? (picture from the official website)
The standings going into the final round:
| Danielian, Elina | ARM | 2454 | * | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | 7½ |
| Koneru, Humpy | IND | 2607 | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 7 |
| Sebag, Marie | FRA | 2489 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 7 |
| Cramling, Pia | SWE | 2516 | 1 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 5½ |
| Dzagnidze, Nana | GEO | 2550 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | * | . | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Chiburdanidze, Maia | GEO | 2502 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | . | * | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5 |
| Mkrtchian, Lilit | ARM | 2475 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | * | ½ | . | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Munguntuul, Batkhuyag | MGL | 2410 | 0 | 0 | . | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4 |
| Fierro Baquero, Martha | ECU | 2353 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | . | 1 | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4 |
| Xu, Yuhua | CHN | 2484 | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | ½ | 4 |
| Stefanova, Antoaneta | BUL | 2546 | . | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 0 | 3½ |
| Zhu, Chen | QAT | 2495 | 0 | . | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | 3½ |
The final round will be covered LIVE by Chess.com TV for Platinum and Diamond members. Commentary by GM Dejan Bojkov starting 10am GMT (2am Pacific/5am Eastern in the US).
The final round draw:
| Zhu Chen | 2495 | - | Koneru Humpy | 2607 |
| Danielian Elina | 2454 | - | Stefanova Antoaneta | 2546 |
| Chiburdanidze Maia | 2502 | - | Dzagnidze Nana | 2550 |
| Munguntuul Batkhuyag | 2410 | - | Sebag Marie | 2489 |
| Xu Yuhua | 2484 | - | Cramling Pia | 2516 |
| Mkrtchian Lilit | 2475 | - | Fierro Baquero Martha |
2363 |
