Internet Desk: Indian Grandmaster D Harika is through to the semi-finals of the World Women Chess Championship for successive third time after beating Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia in the rapid tie-break.
Harika was back to her prime form again in the rapid games as she won the first game showing some great technique and then drew the second game to set up a semi-final clash against Tan Zhongyi of China.
Harika’s was the only match that stretched to the tiebreak stage after she squandered a full point lead against the Georgian.
But the Indians penchant for the faster version of the game yet again proved stronger than her fourth opponent in a row.
It may be recalled that Harika had won the first match against Bangladeshi Shamima Akter Liza in tiebreak, then defeated Dinara Saduakassova of Kazakhstan in tiebreak before getting past Sopiko Guramishvili of Georgia also in the tiebreak.
With Dzagnidze out of the way, Harika now has to tackle ninth seed Tan Zhongyi of China before she can become the first Indian ever to make it to the finals of a knockout women’s World Championship.
Results quarterfinal: Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) lost to D Harika (IND) 1-1, 0.5-1.5; Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS) beat Ni Shiqun (CHN) 1.5-0.5; Ju Wenjun (CHN) lost to Tan Zhongzyi (CHN) 0.5-1.5; Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL) drew with Anna Muzycheuk (UKR) 0.5-1.5.
With inputs from PTI.