FIDE WGP Austria: Anna Muzychuk and Vaishali on Top After Round 3
Round 3 of the FIDE WGP Austria was full of action. Four out of five games ended with a winner. Anna Muzychuk beat Olga Badelka with the black pieces.
She now shares first place with India’s Vaishali Rameshbabu, who drew her game with Nana Dzagnidze.
Alexandra Kosteniuk had a strong win against Tan Zhongyi. Zhu Jiner bounced back by defeating Nurgyul Salimova. Lela Javakhishvili defeated Mariya Muzychuk, who had a tough day.
Lela Upsets Mariya
It was a dramatic day. Three games featured opposite-side castling—a sign of aggressive intentions. Lela Javakhishvili from Georgia extended her undefeated record against Mariya Muzychuk in classical games.
In the Giuoco Piano opening, Mariya made uncharacteristic errors. She lost a pawn and ran low on time. Lela converted her advantage smoothly.
After the game, Lela admitted she was surprised by Mariya’s moves. She now has 1.5 points from 3 games. Mariya stands at 1 point.
Vaishali Holds the Lead
Vaishali played a sharp line in the Sicilian Defense against Nana Dzagnidze. After a complex middlegame, the position simplified. A draw was agreed after 40 moves.
Vaishali remains unbeaten with 2.5/3. Nana has 1.5 points after three rounds.
Anna Muzychuk Dominates Badelka
Olga Badelka opened with 1.Nf3, leading to a rare Sicilian line. Anna handled it well and gained the upper hand. In the middlegame, Badelka slipped, and Anna took control. She entered a favorable endgame with an extra pawn.
Calm and confident, Anna converted her edge into a win on move 50. She now shares the lead with Vaishali. Badelka has only one point and has lost two games in a row.
Kosteniuk Defeats Tan in Queen Endgame
In a clash of former world champions, Kosteniuk played against Tan Zhongyi. The game started with the Queen’s Gambit Exchange variation.
Tan misplayed a central exchange, and Kosteniuk took over. She entered a queen endgame a pawn up and held the advantage.
Despite tricky chances for perpetual check, Kosteniuk remained steady. She scored an important win and now has 1.5 points. She will face Anna Muzychuk in Round 4 as Black.
Zhu Jiner Strikes Back
Jiner faced Nurgyul Salimova in a sharp Petroff Defense. Zhu castled long and sacrificed a pawn to launch an attack.
On move 24, she played a tactical blow—Nxc5—leading to chaos. Salimova responded well at first but then made a fatal mistake.
Zhu took full control and ended with a winning position.
With this win, Zhu is back in the race for the Grand Prix title. Salimova, with only half a point, is in last place.
Trophies Fit for Champions
Before the round, beautiful trophies were unveiled. Crafted by Augarten, Austria’s top porcelain maker, they are shaped like horses. Each trophy is hand-painted and worth €10,000.
According to Michael Stöttinger, President of the Austrian Chess Federation, the horse symbolizes power, speed, and the knight’s trickiness on the board.
About the Tournament
The Grosslobming event is the final leg of the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix. Ten players compete in a round-robin format over 9 rounds.
Time Control:
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90 minutes for 40 moves
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30 minutes for the rest
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30 seconds increment per move
Prize Fund: €120,000, divided among all players.
What’s Next?
Round 4 Pairings – Friday, May 9 at 3 PM CET
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Nana Dzagnidze vs. Tan Zhongyi
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Anna Muzychuk vs. Alexandra Kosteniuk
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Nurgyul Salimova vs. Olga Badelka
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Lela Javakhishvili vs. Zhu Jiner
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Vaishali Rameshbabu vs. Mariya Muzychuk
About the Women’s Grand Prix Series
This is the 7th season of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix. It includes six events held in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Monaco, Cyprus, India, and Austria. Each player competes in 3 out of the 6 tournaments. Consistency matters as much as winning individual events.
The top two players qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The winner of the Candidates will challenge current World Champion Ju Wenjun.
Photos: Przemyslaw Nikiel, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
