Dronavalli Harika could enjoy Monday's rest day in a happy frame of mind. The fifth-seed from Hyderabad has maintained her sole lead at the end of the eighth round of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix chess at Chengdu, China, on Sunday. She has 5.5 points after drawing with former World champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria.
Half-a-point behind her is top-seed Koneru Humpy, who was held to a draw by Sweden's Pia Cramling. The Vijayawada player is sharing the second slot with Stefanova and Ju Wenjun of China, the second seed.
All the six games were drawn on Sunday. Three rounds remain in the 12-player round-robin tournament.
Russia’s Valentina Gunina and Nana Dzanigdze are on top of the table in the Grand Prix, with 205 points each. Alexander Kosteniuk of Russia is placed third with 195 points, followed by Humpy and Zhao Xue, with 190 points each. Harika has 45 points, but unlike the leading players, she has played only one Grand Prix tournament (a contestant can play three). This is the fourth of the five legs in the 2015-16 cycle.
The results (eighth round):
Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr) 4 drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) 3.5; Koneru Humpy (Ind) 5 drew with Pia Cramling (Swe) 3; Antoaneta Stefanova (Bul) 5 drew with Dronavalli Harika (Ind) 5.5; Bela Khotenashvili (Geo) 4 drew with Ju Wenjun (Chn) 5; Zhao Xue (Chn) 3 drew with Lela Javakhishvili (Geo) 3; Olga Girya (Rus) 4 drew with Tan Zhongyi (Chn) 3.
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