India’s D. Harika held World champion and top seed Hou Yifan of China in the eighth round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix chess at Lopota, Georgia.
It was a rare half-a-point conceded by the Chinese, who is leading the event by 1.5 points. With three rounds remaining, she has seven points while compatriot Ju Wenjun and Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia are in the second spot with 5.5 points each. Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine is third with five points.
The results (eighth round): Antoaneta Stefanova (Bul) 4 bt Nafisa Muminova (Uzb) 0.5; Bela Khotenashvili (Geo) 1.5 drew with Elina Danielian (Arm) 4.5; K. Humpy (Ind) 4.5 drew with Alexandra Kosteniuk (Rus) 3.5; Zhao Xue (Chn) 2 drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) 5; Hou Yifan (Chn) 7 drew with D. Harika (Ind); Ju Wenjun (Chn) 5.5 drew with Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) 5.5.
