Harika draws Round 9, prepares for final burst

Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli played out a draw with Kosteniuk Alexandra of Russia in a ninth round game in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix chess tournament here today.

The draw took Harika to an impressive 4.5 points to move back to the joint sixth place. This was her seventh draw in the tournament.

Harika is all set for an all out attack as the elite tournament enters its final stages. She has meticulously been picking up half a point in each of her game so that she remains in a good position and the right frame of mind for a late surge.

With just two more rounds left, Harika is expected to put everything on line for two crucial points that will catapult her into the top bracket.

She faces a tough opponent in her next round, Gunina Valentina of Russia.