Just when it appeared R. Vaishali’s free-fall was continuing with a fifth successive loss staring her in the face, Nurgyul Salimova reminded why she was the lowest-rated player in the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2024.
In a dramatic change of fortunes, Salimova twice tumbled from the threshold of victory to the brink of defeat. In the end, Vaishali was required to simply follow the endgame basics to win in 88 moves.
Though Vaishali remained in the cellar in the eight-player field, this victory surely made her feel a lot better as it came after four straight losses.
Earlier, K. Humpy held overnight leader Tan Zhongyi and the Chinese found herself sharing the lead with her victorious teammate Lei Tingjie. The defending champion upstaged top seed Aleksandra Goryachkina. On the other board, Kateryna Lagno, the only undefeated player in the competition, drew with a winless Anna Muzychuk.
After Goryachkina faltered around the time-control, Lei appeared to be heading for victory. But thereafter, the Chinese gradually let her advantage slip and the game headed for a draw even after she gave up her bishop for a potentially ‘queening’ pawn.
Shockingly, Goryachkina erred for a second time, on the 61st move, when she went for a pawn-capture. Lei smartly played her king to push the knight away from her lone kingside pawn. The Russian saw no way of stopping the pawn and accepted her first defeat in the competition.
Lagno and Muzychuk battled it out for 60 moves in a contest that was fought evenly. Despite her poor run, Muzychuk matched Lagno’s sound choices. As it turned out, the ninth draw for Lagno was Muzychuk’s eighth.
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