Aleksandra Goryachkina (Photo FIDE)
Newly crowned world champion Ju Wenjun of China and runner-up Aleksandra Goryachkina would be looking to close the gap on leader Humpy Koneru when the third leg of Women’s Grand Prix takes place in the Swiss city of Vaud from March 1-14.
With Humpy, India’s top ranked grandmaster, giving the tournament a miss, both Wenjun and Goryachkina will get their chance to move up the rankings. After two legs of the series, Humpy leads the standings with 293 points ahead of Goryachkina who has collected 253 points.
While Goryachkina can overhaul Humpy atop the standings with a good showing in Vaud, Wenjun has more work to do. The Chinese champion played only one of the two previous legs and is in joint fifth spot with 120 points.
Sixteen (16) players compete in four WGP tournaments. Each of the sixteen players participates in three out of four WGP tournaments. In each WGP event, every player scores WGP points according to her position in the final standings; the winner of WGP Series is a player who scores the greatest number of cumulative points earned in all three WGP tournaments she participated.
Two players who score the most number of cumulative points in WGP Series qualify to the FIDE Women Candidates Tournament to be held in the first half of 2021.
Apart from Wenjun and Goryahkina, the other players entered for the Swiss leg are Alexandra Kosteniuk, Zhao Xue, Antoaneta Stefanova, Harika Dronavalli, Anna Muzychuk, Mariya Muzychuk, Pia Cramling, Marie Sebag, Nana Dzagnidze and Alina Kashlinskaya.
The draw and pairings for the third leg was made earlier today with Wenjun opening accounts against teammate Zhao Xue while Goryachkina plays fellow Russian Kashlinskaya.
All eyes will be on the world championships rematch between Wenjun and Goryachkina in the tenth round of the tournament.
Overall standings after two legs in Skolkovo and Monte Carlo:
1.
Humpy Koneru (293 points; 2 events)
2. Aleksandra Goryachkina (253 points; 2 events)
3. Kateryna Lagno (180 points; 2 events)
4. Alexandra Kosteniuk (178 points; 2 events)
5-6. Ju Wenjun (120 points; 1 event)
5-6. Harika Dronavalli (120 points; 2 events)
7. Elisabeth Paehtz (95 points; 2 events)
8. Valentina Gunina (85 points; 2 events)
9. Anna Muzychuk (80 points; 1 event)
10. Pia Cramling (70 points; 2 events)
11. Mariya Muzychuk (60 points; 1 event)
12. Alina Kashlinskaya (45 points; 1 event)
13-14. Nana Dzagnidze (35 points; 1 event)
13-14. Zhao Xue (35 points; 1 event)
15-16. Antoaneta Stefanova (25 points; 1 event)
15-16. Marie Sebag(25 points; 1 event)
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