The 8th round of the European Individual Women’s Chess Championship 2016 was marked by a clash of two former World Champions: Antoaneta Stefanova vs Anna Ushenina. The expectations were high and the battle for the top brought lot of tension.
Both of the players went all in. Holding White pieces, Stefanova was pressing, but Ushenina was defending well and slowly converted the game into ending with better chances. Finally the Bulgarian resigned in the heavy pieces endgame in move 58.
This was a big day for the Ukrainian, who made an important victory and opened the way for the fight for title, with three more rounds to go.
Unlike the previous round, the 8th round had 12 decisive results on top 15 boards! The games with peaceful outcome were WGM Natalija Pogonina vsYuliya Shvayger, Lilit Mkrtchian vs Cristina Foisor, and Salome Melia vs Szidonia Vajda.
Elisabeth Paehtz, Sabrina Vega, Anastasia Bodnaruk, Monika Socko and Inna Gaponenko are still in the game for the medals, scoring victories in the 8th round.
Standings after 8 rounds:
1 Ushenina 6.5 points
2-6 Gaponenko, Bodnaruk, Paehtz, Socko, Vega Gutierrez 6 points
7-17 Foisor, Atalik, Shvayger, Stefanova, Mkrtchian, Daulyte, Pogonina, Khukhashvili, Zawadzka, Javakhishvili and Szczepkowska-Horowska 5.5 points, etc.
Top round 9 pairings:
Ushenina vs Socko, Paehtz vs Gaponenko, Bodnaruk vs Vega, Szczepkowska-Horowska vs Stefanova, Javakhishvili vs Daulyte, etc.
