Former Women’s World Champion GM Anna Ushenina (UKR 2450) defeated IM Ekatarina Atalik (TUR 2408) in one of the top encounters of round 7 and joined Antoaneta Stefanova in the lead.
The 7th round of the 17th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship 2016 in Mamaia didn’t bring many surprises and deciseive results on the top boards. We are in the final stage of the tournament and the leaders are trying to stay focused and risk free.
The leader of the event GM Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL 2507) made a peaceful draw with IM Elisabeth Paehtz (GET 2489) in 26 moves, while the WGM Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS 2485), IM Inna Gaponenko (UKR 2415), WIM Yuliya Shvayger (ISR 2415) and GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (SCO 2364) also drew with WFM Iulija Osmak (UKR 2345), IM Anastasia Bodnaruk (RUS 2475), GM Monica Socko (POL 2469) and Im Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM 2434) respectively.
WGM Natalija Pogonina (RUS 2490) made an important victory against 22-year old FM Marina Brunello (ITA 2336) which brought her the runner-up position.
IM Anita Gara (HUN 2345) defeated IM Marina Nechaeva (RUS 2416), while the top Romanian seed IM Corina Peptan (ROU 2402) defeated IM Ana Matnadze (ESP 2332). IM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (ESP 2375) was better than WGM Sarah Hoolt (GER 2312), and IM Cristina-Adela Foisor (ROU 2322) defeated IM Maia Lomineishvili (GEO 2367). These four players also bounced to the tie of the third place.
Standings after 7 rounds:
1-2 Stefanova and Ushenina 5.5 points
3-16 Gaponenko, Arakhamia-Grant, Goryachkina, Shvayger, Foisor, Socko, Paezth, Bodnaruk, Mkrtchian, Pogonina, Osmak, Gara, Vega Gutierrez and Peptan 5 points, etc.
Top pairings of the 8th round:
Stefanova vs Ushenina, Pogonina vs Shvayger, Peptan vs Paehtz, Vega Gutierrez vs Goryachkina, Osmak vs Bodnaruk, Socko vs Arakhamia-Grant, Mkrtchian vs Foisor, Gara vs Gaponenko, etc.
