Ukraine’s Iulija Osmak maintained a half-point lead at the European Individual Women’s Chess Championship in the Romanian city of Iasi as she drew with Armenia’s Elina Danielian in a result that preserves both players’ unbeaten records.
Osmak now has 7.5 points, with Danielian joined on seven points by second seed Bela Khotenashvili of Georgia and Ukrainian Nataliya Buksa.
Khotenashvili inflicted a second straight defeat on Russia’s Aleksandra Maltsevskaya while Buksa beat Azerbaijan’s Gulnar Mammadova, with both of their opponents remaining on six points.
Four players are tied on 6.5 points, including Poland’s 43rd seed Oliwia Kiolbasa, who drew with Georgia’s seventh seed Meri Arabidze, a result that moves her opponent onto six points.
Third seed Lela Javakhishvili of Georgia and France’s Deimante Daulyte-Cornette are both on 6.5 points after their draw, and are separated by Estonian 47th seed Mai Narva as she defeated the fourth seed Gunay Mammadzada of Azerbaijan.
Top seed Nino Batsiashvili of Georgia is one of 12 players on six points as she recorded a first win in four matches against Armenia’s Lilit Mkrtchian.
Anastasia Bodnaruk of Russia, the fifth seed, is also on six points after beating Italy’s Olga Zimina.
She is joined by 16-year-old Russian player Leya Garifullina as she drew with Armenia’s Anna M. Sargsyan, who herself is one of four under-20 players on six points, the other two being Maltsevskaya and Belarus’ ninth seed Olga Badelka.
Badelka overcame Azerbaijan’s Khanim Balajayeva.
Serbia’s Teodora Injac, Slovenia’s Laura Unuk and France’s Sophie Milliet complete the list of players on six points.
The penultimate round of matches are due to take place tomorrow, with the 11th and final round scheduled for Friday (August 20).
