Exciting Results from Round Two of the 2024 Shymkent FIDE Women’s Grand Prix

Mongolian IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul stole the spotlight in round two of the 2024 Shymkent FIDE Women’s Grand Prix with a stunning victory over GM Elisabeth Paehtz. Munguntuul’s brilliant move 17…Ba3!! left Paehtz with no choice but to resign after just one hour of play. Meanwhile, GM Koneru Humpy came close to a win but made a crucial mistake on move 40 against GM Tan Zhongyi, resulting in a draw.

As the dust settled, Tan Zhongyi, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Stavroula Tsolakidou emerged as the leaders with 1.5/2 points each. The day was marked by several uneventful draws, with young talent Divya Deshmukh expressing satisfaction with her performance so far in her FIDE Women’s Grand Prix debut.

The day’s drama unfolded in the remaining games, with Paehtz facing a tough defeat against Munguntuul, who executed a well-prepared strategy to secure the win. Tan Zhongyi also faced a tough battle against Humpy, narrowly escaping defeat in a tense endgame.

Looking ahead to round three, fans can expect an exciting clash between the leaders Assaubayeva and Tsolakidou. The 2024 Shymkent FIDE Women’s Grand Prix promises intense competition as players vie for the top prize and valuable Grand Prix points, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling tournament.