Harika Dronavalli Draws With Kashlinskaya, Remains In Seventh Place

At FIDE Women’s Grand Prix chess tournament, the Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli drew her ninth-round game against Alina Kashlinskaya of Russia. She remains seventh on the points table. Dronavalli had 4.5 points. She had to share a point after the Russian International Master, Alina Kashlinskaya managed to hold her own. Alina Kashlinskaya has a lower Elo rating than Dronavalli. Alina Kashlinskaya has an Elo rating of 2485 whereas the rating of Dronavalli is 2517.

In a French defence game on March 11, 2020, the duo signed peace after 31 moves. Harika will compete with Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine on March 12, 2020. Currently, Georgian Nana Dzagnidze is in the lead with seven points. She jumped to the lead after the win over the world champion Ju Wenjun. She won over Ju in 82 moves with an attacking game. Alexandra Goryachkina is Georgian's nearest rival with 5.5 points.

Some Takeaways:

• The former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk also won over veteran Swede Pia Cramling in 91 moves. The 12 player tournament is third in the series of four Grand Prix.
• Alexandra Goryachkina (Russia) 5.5 drew with Marie Sebag (France) 3. Whereas, Pia Cramling (Sweden) 4 lost to Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) 3. 
• Harika Dronavalli is an Indian chess Grandmaster. She won three bronze medals in the Women's World Championship in 2012, 2015 and 2017.
• In 2019, she was awarded a Padma Shri. She won an Individual Gold medal in Rapid format at Asian Women Team Chess Championship, 2016.

Read Also: Harika Dronavalli Bags Bronze Medal Again In World Chess Championship

The former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk also won over veteran Swede Pia Cramling in 91 moves. The 12 player tournament is third in the series of four Grand Prix. However, Alexander Kosteniuk was struggling at the event previously. Two players with the highest points tally will qualify for the next candidates' event. At the end of the ninth round, Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) 4 also drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) 5.

As per Times of India, Zhansaya Abdumalik (Kazakstan) 5 also drew with Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine) 5  at the end of the Ninth round. Further, Alexandra Goryachkina (Russia) 5.5 drew with Marie Sebag (France) 3. Whereas, Pia Cramling (Sweden) 4 lost to Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) 3. Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia) 6 also won over Ju Wenjun (China) 4.

About Harika Dronavalli

Harika Dronavalli is an Indian chess Grandmaster. She won three bronze medals in the Women's World Championship in 2012, 2015 and 2017. In 2007, Harika won an Arjuna Award. In 2016, she also won the FIDE Women's Grand Prix in China. She had also won a Bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Games held in Guangzhou. She won a medal in an under-9 national championship. Harika also won a silver medal in the world youth chess championship for under-10 girls.

She is the second Indian woman to become a grandmaster after Koneru Humpy. In 2019, She was awarded a Padma Shri. She won an Individual Gold medal in Rapid format at Asian Women Team Chess Championship, 2016.

Read Also: India Women Shine At Asian Chess C’ships; Trolled Over Headscarves

Mansi is an Intern at SheThePeople.TV