Exciting Draws and Missed Chances in Round Two of the 2024 Tbilisi FIDE Women’s Grand Prix

In an intense round two of the 2024 Tbilisi FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, GMs Vaishali Rameshbabu and Nana Dzagnidze both played the same line of the French Defense, leading to an exciting series of events. Despite their games diverging on move seven, both players missed significant winning opportunities, resulting in all five games ending in draws.

IMs Bibisara Assaubayeva and Stavroula Tsolakidou continue to lead the tournament with 1.5/2 points each, maintaining their position at the top of the standings. Round three is set to begin on Saturday, August 17, at 7 a.m. ET / 13:00 CEST / 4:30 p.m. IST.

The day’s games showcased a mix of quiet draws and intense battles, with players like Sara Khadem and Alina Kashlinskaya making their mark on the scoreboard. Tsolakidou, a relative newcomer to the professional chess scene, expressed her thoughts on the day’s performance and her aspirations for the tournament.

The round also featured a thrilling French Defense strategy employed by Vaishali and Dzagnidze, with both players missing out on potential victories due to critical oversights. Despite the missed opportunities, the players remain determined to make their mark in the remaining rounds of the tournament.

The 2024 Tbilisi FIDE Women’s Grand Prix is the first of six legs in the 2024-2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix series, with players competing for a top prize of €18,000 (~$20,000) and valuable Grand Prix points. With seven rounds left to play, the competition is heating up as players strive to secure their spot in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament.