Gran Fiesta UNAM is one of the largest chess festival in the world this year. It includes thousands of chess fans, multiple open tournaments, workshops, chess art and science competitions, and the long awaited Carlsen vs the World that starts soon.

Part of the Gran Fiesta UNAM 2012 is the Magistral Grandes Maestras female tournament that includes 18 titled players from 3 continents. They were divided in 3 groups of 6 players during the qualification fase that just concluded in Mexico.

IM Olga Alexandrova had no problems qualifying from the A group of the female tournament of the Grand Fiesta UNAM 2012. The Ukrainian, based in Barcelona and married to GM Illescas, won 16,0/20 points, defeating WGM Pina Vega Sulennis, WIM Arlette Van Weersel, WCM Yelizaveta Orlova, and WFM Marina Rizzo, while she lost with minimal difference to WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeba.

IM Sopiko Guramishvili won the B group of the championship. The Georgian talent defeated WIM Nafisa Muminova, WGM Iva Videnova, and WIM Aurora Esquivel De Leon, after which drew two mini matches with WIM Nargiz Umodova and WGM Elena Partac to claim the first place with 14,0/20.

WGM Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdes convincingly won the C group of Grand Fiesta UNAM. She drew only her match against WGM Nino Maisuradze, while defeated WGM Ticia Gara, WIM Irina Andrenko, WCM Alexandra Botez, and WFM Maria Jose Toro Pradenas to get the first position with 15,0/20.

IM Olga Alexandrova, IM Sopiko Guramishvili, and WGM Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdes progress to the semi final of the Torneo Feminil of the Gran Fiesta UNAM. They will be joined be the best second placed player, and this is WGM Sulennis Pina Vega.

Semi final pairings

IM Olga Alexandrova – IM Sopiko Guramishvili
WGM Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdes – WGM Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdes


Rules of the semi final

The semi final pairings play mini matches of 4 games with time control 15 minutes + 3 seconds. If the score is equal, there will be blitz tiebreaks.


The games of the first semi final start at 13:30 local time on Friday, the games of the second semi final are played at 14:30 local time on Saturday, and the final is at 13:30 on Sunday.

More info here: http://www.chessdom.com/gran-fiesta-unam-female-tournament-progresses-to-semi-finals/

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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