Exciting Results and Standings from the 2025 Pune FIDE Women’s Grand Prix

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2025 Pune FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, GM Zhu Jiner emerged as the sole leader after drawing her game with IM Salome Melia. With a score of 2.5/3, Zhu took the lead as co-leader IM Divya Deshmukh suffered a loss to GM Humpy Koneru.

The tournament saw GM Harika Dronavalli securing her first win against IM Nurgyul Salimova, while IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul claimed her second victory by defeating IM Alina Kashlinskaya. The game between Vaishali Rameshbabu and IM Polina Shuvalova ended in a draw.

With round four set to begin on Thursday, April 17, the competition is heating up as players battle for the top spot. Melia, despite not being a grandmaster, showcased her strong chess skills by holding two GMs to draws in consecutive games.

Zhu’s lead by half a point was attributed to Divya’s loss to Humpy, who displayed a powerful performance with the white pieces. Harika also bounced back with a win after a shaky start, while Munguntuul impressed with a modern line in the Queen’s Gambit Declined.

Chess enthusiasts can catch all the action on Chess.com India’s YouTube channel or the dedicated event page. The 2025 Pune FIDE Women’s Grand Prix is part of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix series, with players vying for the top prize and Grand Prix points to qualify for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting tournament!