Zhao Xue Completes Nalchik Grand Prix Rout
Zhao Xue (pictured) of China completed a fantastic victory in the Nalchik Women's Grand Prix, demolishing the opposition to finish a full 2½ points ahead of the field.
Even a last round loss to her compatriot Ju Wenjun barely dimmed the magnitude of Zhao Xue's achievement to score 9½/11.
Ju Wenjun finished second, and Ekaterina Kovalevskaya third, but the event belongs to Zhao Xue!
There will now be a break for a few months until the next Grand Prix in the series, which takes place in June 2012 in Kazan, Russia.
The final Nalchik standings in full:
| Zhao, Xue | CHN | 2497 | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9½ |
| Ju, Wenjun | CHN | 2536 | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 7 |
| Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina | RUS | 2421 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 6 |
| Cmilyte, Viktorija | LTU | 2525 | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6 |
| Lahno, Kateryna | UKR | 2554 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5½ |
| Zhu, Chen | QAT | 2490 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Kosintseva, Tatiana | RUS | 2536 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 |
| Kosintseva, Nadezhda | RUS | 2560 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Stefanova, Antoaneta | BUL | 2528 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Galliamova, Alisa | RUS | 2498 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 0 | 4½ |
| Munguntuul, Batkhuyag | MGL | 2465 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | 1 | 4 |
| Kosteniuk, Alexandra | RUS | 2469 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 3½ |
Another win for Xhao Xue in round nine against Antoaneta Stefanova
Yet another win, this time against Tatiana Kosintseva (left) in round 10
Finally, Ju Wenjun (pictured) ended Zhao Xue's remarkable run to claim 2nd place
The best overall player from the series of 6 Grand Prix tournaments will become the challenger for the 2013 Women's World Championship. The regulations for the 2011/12 Grand Prix can be found here.
The winner in each of the tournaments will receive 6,500 euros out of a prize fund of 40,000 euros, with the overall winner getting a further 15,000 euros.
The current women's world champion Hou Yifan won the first two Grand Prix events, in Rostov and Shenzhen.
Pictures from the official website.
