Lei Tingjie Qualifies for the Final Candidates Match
The second finalist will be determined in about a month.
When we last reported on Group A of the Women’s Candidates, Anna Muzychuk and Lei Tingjie had won their quarterfinal matches (against Humpy Koneru and Mariya Muzychuk [Anna’s younger sister]) and had drawn the first two games of their four-game semifinal. The third game of that match was also drawn, but game 4 was a good game by Lei and a terrible game by Muzychuk, and their hitherto mutually well-played and closely contested match came to an abrupt halt. (Games 3 and 4, with my notes to the latter, are here.)
Group B, which starts with the quarterfinal matches Aleksandra Goryachkina vs. Alexandra Kosteniuk and Kateryna Lagno vs. Tan Zhonqyi, is scheduled for November 28 through December 11 in Khiva, Uzbekistan.