Other events in Baltic States

Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia and Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia re-established themselves in the leading position after the eighth round of the European Individual Women's Chess Championship in Riga today, reports LETA.

Before a break in the championship on April 18, four players were in the lead and they played against each other on April 19. Dzagnidze won Elina Danielan of Armenia, and Goryachkina overcame another Russian player, Daria Pustovoitova.

As a result, Dzagnidze and Goryachkina with 6.5 points each have re-established themselves as the leaders in the overall ranking - the position they held before the seventh round, when they played against each other and the game ended in a draw.

Four players have six points. The six best players have been paired as follows for the ninth round tomorrow - Dzagnidze will take on Mariya Muzychuk, Goryachkina will play against her teammate, Alina Kashlinskya, and Monika Socko of Poland will play against Hoang Thanh Trang of Hungary.

Then there are also 13 chess players, who each have 5.5 points and a chance to qualify for the Chess World Cup.

Ilze Berzina, the leading Latvian player, today played against Sarah Hoolt of Germany, and the game ended in a draw. Berzina with 4.5 points has slipped down to the 47th place in the overall rankings. The Latvian team won 5 points in total during the eighth round.

The rounds on April 20 and 21 will begin at 3 p.m. at the Omega hall of the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, as usual, but on the last day of the tournament, April 22, the games will begin at 11 a.m. with the award ceremony scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

As reported, the European Women's Chess Championship is taking place at Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija in Riga through April 22. The players finishing in the first 14 places at the European tournament in Riga will qualify for the Chess World Cup.