Grandmaster D Harika started herquarterfinal campaign with an easy draw with fourth seed Zhao Xue of China inthe first game of the two-game mini-match that concluded here in the WorldWomen's Chess Champion.
After drawing with black, Harika holds a little edge goingin to the second game in the USD 450000 prize money championship as she willplay with white pieces in the return game. The Indian has succeeded in thechampionship thus far without losing a single game.
French Marie Sebag drew the first blood in the first gameagainst former champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria and took an early lead.The Bulgarian will now have to score a victory in the next game to stay in thematch.
The other two matches of the quarters were drawn.
The championship that started with 64 players, is now downto eight. There are two games under normal time control till the final and inthe event of a tied score, games of shorter duration are played to determinethe winner.
Harika went for the Queen's gambit, declined as black andfound out soon that the Chinese was not expecting this opening. After an earlytrade of minor pieces, Harika went for the thematic central break through andsucceeded in reaching a level endgame.
Zhao Xue wanted to push for victory and in her effort shegave Harika a small chance that the Indian failed to notice with her clockticking away. It was on move 30 that Harika missed what might have been anagging advantage. The game was drawn five moves later.
Results Quarterfinal game 1: Marie Sebag (Fra) beatAntoaneta Stefanova (Bul); Ju Wenjun (Chn) drew with Huang Qian (Chn); NadezhdaKosintseva (Rus) drew with Anna Ushenina (Ukr); Zhao Xue (Chn) drew with DHarika (Ind).