WGP Pune: Zhu Jiner Holds the Lead After a Dramatic Round
As the players headed into the rest day, many expected calm, cautious games. But what we saw was quite the opposite! Zhu Jiner Holds the lead after a dramatic round.
Except for the all-Indian clash between Humpy and Harika, the other games were full of action. We even witnessed a stunning queen sacrifice and Vaishali’s first win of the tournament.
To help players recharge, the organizers have planned a fun day out in Pune. Everyone—from players to arbiters and media—will explore the city and enjoy some sightseeing.
Special Guests for the First Move
The ceremonial first move was made in the Humpy vs Harika game. Shri Sridhar, Superintendent of CID Pune, made the first move for Humpy. GM Abhijit Kunte, captain of India’s gold-winning 2024 Women’s Olympiad Team and WGP Tournament Organizer, supported Harika.
Let’s look at how each game unfolded:
Humpy Koneru 0.5 – 0.5 Harika Dronavalli
The two top Indian female players ended their game in a quick draw. Their rivalry dates back to 2003, and they’ve now played 30 games against each other.
Humpy opened with a solid Neo-Catalan. Both players developed smoothly, and the game ended in a draw after just 19 moves.
Though Humpy had a chance to keep pressing, she chose a safe path before the rest day.
Alina Kashlinskaya 0.5 – 0.5 Salome Melia
This was a longer draw between the two players at the bottom of the standings.
Kashlinskaya tried the Alapin variation against Melia’s Sicilian Defense. But after just a few moves, she was spending a lot of time, indicating she was out of her preparation.
She pushed hard in the endgame, even sacrificing a pawn for an outside passer. But Melia defended well, and both players scored 98% accuracy. The game ended after 41 moves.
Divya Deshmukh 0.5 – 0.5 Polina Shuvalova
This game was balanced from the start. Divya surprised Shuvalova in the Queen’s Gambit Exchange Variation with 8.Nge2.
Shuvalova had to think deeply, but found the right moves. Divya aimed to pressure the b7 pawn, but Shuvalova simplified into a drawn rook and pawn endgame.
Another solid 98%+ accuracy draw.
Vaishali Rameshbabu 1 – 0 Munguntuul Batkhuyag
Vaishali scored her first win of the tournament!
She started with a calm Reti Opening. The queens came off early, and Munguntuul looked slightly better as Vaishali got low on time.
But Vaishali didn’t back down. She launched a sharp attack late in the game. Munguntuul made some key mistakes, and Vaishali capitalized to win.
She later joined the media team to analyze her game and share her thoughts.
Nurgyul Salimova 0.5 – 0.5 Zhu Jiner
Zhu Jiner narrowly escaped defeat—and kept her lead in the tournament.
The game started with a popular London System. Zhu got the bishop pair but had a slight pawn weakness on the kingside.
Salimova had the better chances as the game progressed. Then came the moment of the day!
Zhu played 44…Nd5?, and Salimova struck with a queen sacrifice: 45.Qxd5! exd5 46.Rxc7. She had a winning position, but missed her chance.
The game eventually ended in a draw. Afterward, Salimova reviewed her game at the media center, pointing out the missed win.
What’s Next?
After the rest day, Round 6 of the Women’s Grand Prix continues on Sunday, April 20 at 15:00 CET in Pune, India.
Round 6 Pairings:
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Salome Melia vs Polina Shuvalova
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Harika Dronavalli vs Divya Deshmukh
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Munguntuul Batkhuyag vs Humpy Koneru
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Zhu Jiner vs Vaishali Rameshbabu
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Alina Kashlinskaya vs Nurgyul Salimova
You can find full pairings, live games, and more on the official website.
Watch expert commentary and analysis on FIDE’s YouTube channel.
Photos: Abhilash Shinde, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
