FIDE women's GP: Humpy sitting pretty

The top seed has 3.5 points with another seven rounds remaining. Her bright start might help her take the pole position in the five-leg Grand Prix by the time the event concludes on July 15.

Koneru Humpy (right) during her second-round encounter against China's Zhao Xue. Behind them them in the picture are Dronavalli Harika (left) and Lela Javakhishvili (Georgia).

Koneru Humpy has raced to her third win on the trot after the fifth round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix chess at Chengdu, China.

The top seed has 3.5 points with another seven rounds remaining. Her bright start might help her take the pole position in the five-leg Grand Prix by the time the event concludes on July 15.

Humpy is placed fourth at the moment with 190 Grand Prix points. Russia’s Valentina Gunina and Georgian Nana Dzagnidze are leading the table with 205 points apiece; they are followed in the third spot on 195 points by another Russian, Alexandra Kosteniuk. Dronavalli Harika is placed lower down with 45 points, but she has played just one Grand Prix event in this 2015-16 cycle, unlike the leading women (a player gets to play in three legs).

The Hyderabad girl has done pretty well in this particular leg as she is placed second, just half-a-point behind Humpy. Three players -- Bela Khotenashvili (Georgia), Ju Wenjun (China) & Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) – have 2.5 points apiece.

On Thursday, Harika, with white pieces, meets Pia Cramling of Swedean, while Humpy, with black, takes on Lela Javakhishvili.

The standings (after four rounds):

1. Koneru Humpy (Ind) 3.5; 2. Dronavalli Harika (Ind) 3; 3-5. Bela Khotenashvili (Geo), Ju Wenjun (Chn) & Antoaneta Stefanova (Bul) 2.5; 6. Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) 2; 7-10. Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr), Lela Javakhishvili (Geo) & Olga Girya (Rus) 1.5; 11-12. Zhao Xue (Chn) & Tan Zhongyi (Chn) 1.