Danielian, Mkrtchian Secure Victories in Round 8 of European Women’s Chess Championship

Armenian grandmasters Elina Danielian and Lilit Mkrtchian ended Round 8 of the European Women’s Individual Chess Championship in Tbilisi on a high note. Mkrtchian, playing black, beat Georgia’s Miranda Mikadze, while Danielian, likewise on black, scored a victory over Hungary’s Hoang Thanh Trang.

Also performing well in yesterday’s round were Armenian WGM Nelly Aginian, who beat Georgia’s Nani Unapkoshvili, and Armenia’s Maria Gevorgyan who beat Georgian WGM Tamar Khmiadashvili. Both Aginian and Gevorgyan were playing black.

However, other players representing Armenia didn’t fare so well: Lilit Galojan lost to Scotland’s Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, WFM Lia Martirosyan to England’s Jovanka Houska, WFM Anna Hairapetian to Polish WGM Karina Szczepkowska-Horowska, Siranush Ghukasyan to Georgian WFM Madona Bokuchava and Anahit Kharatyan to Italian IM Olga Zimina.

Topping the standings ahead of Round 9 to be played today are Lithuanian GM Viktorija Cmilyte and Georgian IM Bela Khotenashvili, who both have 6.5 points. Seven players, including Elina Danielian, have 6 points each, though with additional indicators, Armenia’s contestant is in 3rd place. Lilit Galojan, with 5 points, is in 21st place, and Lilit Mkrtchian, also with 5 points, is currently in 27th place.

Today, Danielian will face off against Russian GM Tatiana Kosintseva; Lilit Galojan, Ukrainian IM Mariya Muzychuk; and Lilit Mkrtchian, Czech WGM Katerina Nemcova.