3.1       2          ROMANIA   2-2       10        INDIA

1          IM       Foisor Cristina Adela 2401    0.5-0.5 IM       Karavade Eesha Sanjay         2387

2          WGM  Bulmaga Irina 2354    1-0       IM       Mohota Nisha 2325

3          WGM  Cosma Elena Luminita           2336    0.5-0.5 WGM  Gomes Mary Ann       2387

4          WGM  Lami Alina      2353    0-1       WGM  Swaminathan Soumya           2283

The match between two teams occupying the middle of the table was extremely important for both. Only one third of the event is gone, and consequently most teams retain ambitions. After many ups and downs, a drawn result was established. 

3.2       3          KAZAKHSTAN       1.5-2.5 1          UKRAINE

1          WGM  Nakhbayeva Guliskhan          2344    0-1       GM     Lagno Kateryna         2547

2          WIM   Dauletova Gulmira     2265    0.5-0.5 GM     Ushenina Anna           2477

3          WIM   Davletbayeva Madina            2272    0-1       GM     Zhukova Natalia         2471

4          WIM   Abdumalik Zansaya   2187    1-0       IM       Yanovska-Gaponenko Inna   2421

The hosts gave the medal contenders a real scare. At the press conference, the Ukrainian captain Mikhail Brosdky, when asked if he expected such serious resistance from the home team, succinctly replied "Yes!" During the match, an overall draw looked the most likely outcome, but Nayalya Zhukova saved the honour of the 2006 Olympiad champions. 

The main herione of the match was Zhansaya Abdumalik:

Gaponenko - Abdumalik

The fate of the game was decided in mutula time-trouble, where the 13-year old held her nerve better: 24.Bxe4? (24.Bb6 Qg5 25.Qe7 Qxg3 26.d7 Rb8 27.Re2 Kh7 28.Rf1 f6 29.d8=Q Rxd8 30.Qxd8 Ng5 31.Qd7 Rd3 32.Qc8 f5 33.Kh1 Nxh3 34.Qc7 Nf4 35.Qxe5 Nxe2 36.Qxe2 Qd6 37.Bc7 Qd4 38.Bf4 Bf7 39.Be5 Qd7 40.Rc1 h4; Computerkibitz: Houdini 2.0c x64            Depth: 38 with 307.873 kN in 39s; http://astana2013.live.whychess.com/) 24…Bxe4 25.Kh2 f5 26.d7 Rc7 27.Qb6 Rxd7 28.Qe6+ Rff7 29.Rfd2 Rxd2+ 30.Rxd2 Qf6 31.Qc4 Kh7 32.Qe2 Qg6 33. Bc5 f4 34.g4   hxg4 35.Qxg4            Qxg4 36.hxg4            Rc7 37.Bg1 Bf3 38.Kh3 Rc1 39.Bh2 Rh1 40.Kh4 e4 White resigns (0:1).

3.3       4          TURKEY      0-4       9          RUSSIA

1          WGM  Yildiz Betul Cemre    2341    0-1       GM     Kosteniuk Alexandra 2495

2          WGM  Ozturk Kubra 2252    0-1       WGM  Pogonina Natalija       2475

3          WCM  Cemhan Kardelen      2025    0-1       IM       Galliamova Alisa        2459

4          WCM  Kaya Emel      1995    0-1       WGM  Girya Olga      2440

The Turkish team is here to learn and gain experience. Their captain and trainer Adrian Mikhalchisin in an interview we will publish shortly, spoke of his team and the task set him by the Turkish federation. A whitewash at the hands of the Russians does not change the overall picture and is not a surprise. 

3.4       5          CHINA          3.5-0.5 8          USA

1          WGM  Ju Wenjun       2505    1-0       IM       Zatonskih Anna          2474

2          WGM  Huang Qian    2476    0.5-0.5 IM       Krush Irina     2448

3          WGM  Tan Zhongyi   2471    1-0       WGM  Abrahamyan Tatev     2300

4          IM       Shen Yang      2415    1-0       WGM  Foisor Sabina  2323

One can only wonder what the Chinese ambassador said to his team, when he came to support them today. One thing is clear - They set about the job with a will and demolished the Americans brick by brick. There was never for one moment any doubt about teh Chinese ladies' victory. 

Ju Wenjun - Zatonskih

30.Nf5 Rxa7 31.Rxa7 Re6 32.Nxg7 Qb8 33.Nxe6  Qxa7 34.Ng5 Nb8 35.Nf6+ Kg7 36.Ngxh7 Bd7 37.Bxd7Nxd7 38.Qg4+ Black resigns (1:0)

3.5       6          FRANCE      0.5-3.5 7          GEORGIA

1          IM       Millet Sophie  2401    0-1       GM     Dzagnidze Nana         2554

2          WGM  Maisurasze Nino         2330    0-1       IM       JavaKhishvilli Lela     2464

3          IM       Collas Silvia    2282    0.5-0.5 IM       Khurtsidze Nino         2437

4          WIM   Benmesbah Natacha   2266    0-1       IM       Melia Salome  2419

The Georgians wrecked the French by the same score with which they themselves had lost yesterday. France and Turkey have only 2.5 individual points, and no match points so far, and are bottom of the tournament table. After the first third, the Chinese and Russians have the best chances, as predicted by most experts before the event. A large battle for the bronze medals is taking place between the Georgians and Ukrainians. 

Links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 

Text: Sergey Kim