World rapid champion Koneru Humpy claimed her second title in the last two months by emerging triumphant at the Cairns Cup chess tournament following a draw against compatriot D. Harika in the ninth and final round here.
Humpy, who was crowned World champion in the last week of December 2019, finished the tournament with 6 points. The icing on the cake is that Humpy would be gaining five ELO rating points (the basis for international rankings) and moving to no.2 in the world list.
Winning Cairns Cup is a special feeling, says World rapid chess champion Koneru Humpy
The 32-year-old Humpy needed only a draw in the last round to at least tie for the first place and be in contention for the top prize. She secured the draw late on Sunday without much difficulty by playing a solid line of Four knights opening against Harika.
World champion Wenjun Ju finished second with 5.5 points after winning her final round game against Russia’s Alexandra Kosteniuk (5 points). Kosteniuk ended fourth in the tournament. Harika finished tied fifth with 4.5 points.
Humpy started with a win over 16-year old American Carissa Yip but suffered a defeat in the second round to Mariya Muzychuk before bouncing back strongly.
She played a solid game to hold world champion Wenjun Ju and got the better of players like Nana Dzagnidze and Alexandra Kosteniuk.
A victory over Valentina Gunina in the penultimate round helped her pull ahead of the field.
The results: Ninth round: K. Humpy drew with D. Harika; Valentina Gunina drew with Katernya Lagno; Alexandra Kosteniuk lost to Wenjun Ju; Irina Krush beat Nana Dzagnidze; Carissa Yip drew with Mariya Muzychuk.
Final standings: 1. K. Humpy 6 points, 2 Wenjun Ju 5.5, 3. Mariya Muzychuk 5, 4. Alexandra Kosteniuk 5, 5. D Harika, 4.5, Katernya Lagno 4.5, 7. Irina Krush 4, Carissa Yip 4, 9. Nana Dzagnidze 4, 10. Valentina Gunina 2.5.
