“Tan Zhongyi Takes Sole Lead After Round 3 of 2024 Shymkent FIDE Women’s Grand Prix”

In a thrilling round three of the 2024 Shymkent FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, GM Tan Zhongyi emerged as the sole leader after a stunning victory over GM Kateryna Lagno. Tan’s aggressive play in a rare line of the London System left Lagno struggling to find compensation for a pawn down, ultimately leading to a sacrifice on e6 and a decisive win for Tan.

Meanwhile, IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul, who had won in just 17 moves in round two, found herself on the losing end in almost the same number of moves against GM Koneru Humpy. The day’s other win came for GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, who capitalized on a time-trouble blunder by GM Divya Deshmukh.

The clash between pre-round co-leaders IM Bibisara Assaubayeva and Stavroula Tsolakidou ended in a fighting draw, with both players showcasing excellent defensive skills. The round also saw a draw between GM Elisabeth Paehtz and IM Nurgul Salimova, as well as convincing wins for Humpy and Goryachkina.

With Tan leading the pack on 2.5 points, the stage is set for an exciting round four on Saturday, November 2. The tournament, which is part of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix series, features top players competing for a prize fund of €18,000 and valuable Grand Prix points. Stay tuned for more updates on this intense competition.