Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
28 Mar — 16 Apr 2026
Location
Paphos, CY
Field
8 players
Format
Double round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
14 · 14 played
Decisive
46%
Avg. rating
2520

Round 7 · 5 Apr 2026

GoryachkinaZhu

The Matchup

White
🇫🇯FID
2nd · 3.0

Aleksandra Goryachkina

2508 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 games½½½½½
World#7FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2534Age27

Two-time Candidates finalist and former women's world championship challenger, prized for deep preparation, relentless endgame technique, and grinding classical pressure.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
🇨🇳CHN
2nd · 3.0

Jiner Zhu

2508 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 games½LWWL
World#2FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2578Age23

China's top-seeded grandmaster and former girl's world champion, valued for imaginative opening play and the initiative to stir complications against elite opponents.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

Lifetime FIDE classical score unavailable (missing FIDE ID or cache not warmed).

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Key Moments


Ruy Lopez: Open
BlackZhuCHN2578
WhiteGoryachkinaFID2534
B
+0.3W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Tempting traps

Bg5c1g5
-1.0918%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD18% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Attacking
f6Critical

Loses material on e5

White gets the main benefit, but black's king faces more checks and king-zone pressure.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Nc3b1c3
+0.2838%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD38% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Attacking
Qe2d1e2
+0.5725%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD25% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Threatening

Hard to spot

Qf3d1f3
+0.343%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD3% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Attacking
Rook on e5 uses the open e-file