Anna Muzychuk Leads WGP Cyprus as Four Players Chase
After six rounds in the Women’s Grand Prix (WGP) in Cyprus, Anna Muzychuk holds the lead with 4.5 points. Close behind her is Zhu Jiner with 4 points, while three more players—Aleksandra Goryachkina, Mariya Muzychuk, and Harika Dronavalli—follow with 3.5 points each.
A Special Start to Round 6
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich made the ceremonial first move in the game between Divya Deshmukh and Stavroula Tsolakidou. Another special guest, Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina from the University of Cyprus, played the first move for Anna Muzychuk in her game against Zhu Jiner.
Dvorkovich later joined the commentators, sharing his excitement about the WGP cycle. He noted that the event has grown, with six tournaments instead of four, increased prize money, and more female players competing. He emphasized FIDE’s commitment to developing women’s chess.
Highlights from Round 6
Anna Muzychuk vs. Zhu Jiner (0.5 – 0.5)
A high-stakes match saw Anna choose the 3.Bb5+ Moscow variation in the Sicilian. Zhu Jiner responded with a solid defense and played a lesser-known move, 7…Qg4, instead of a queen trade. Both players navigated the position carefully, and despite some pressure from Zhu, the game ended in a draw after 42 moves.
Mariya Muzychuk vs. Elisabeth Paehtz (1 – 0)
Mariya played aggressively with the Open Sicilian. She controlled the board and secured a key positional advantage, eventually outplaying Paehtz. This marked Mariya’s first victory in the event.
Divya Deshmukh vs. Stavroula Tsolakidou (0.5 – 0.5)
Stavroula used the 6…Be7 line in the Open Ruy Lopez, a move Magnus Carlsen has played before. Divya was well-prepared and found strong moves early. The game balanced out, and despite some structural weaknesses for Stavroula, she held the draw.
Nana Dzagnidze vs. Harika Dronavalli (0 – 1)
Nana played the rare Agincourt Defense, avoiding deep opening theory. Harika faced early difficulties but later found counterplay. Nana missed a winning move, allowing Harika to turn the game around and secure victory.
Aleksandra Goryachkina vs. Olga Badelka (0.5 – 0.5)
Badelka, playing as a last-minute replacement, chose a unique 9…Nh7 idea in the Berlin Defense. Goryachkina missed a key chance to gain an advantage, and Badelka defended well to earn a draw.
Round 7 Pairings (March 22, 15:00 CET)
- Stavroula Tsolakidou vs. Nana Dzagnidze
- Zhu Jiner vs. Divya Deshmukh
- Olga Badelka vs. Anna Muzychuk
- Elisabeth Paehtz vs. Aleksandra Goryachkina
- Harika Dronavalli vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Follow the games live on the official website: womengrandprix.fide.com
Watch expert commentary on YouTube with GM Alik Gershon and WGM Anastasiya Karlovich.
Photos: Mark Livshitz, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
