A convincing victory over FM Koop Thorben in the 8th round of the New Zealand Open Chess Championship 2016 helped GM Ju Wenjun inch closer to the tournament leader GM Gawain Jones. The Chinese GM has notched up 6.5 points so far whilst Jones, who drew GM Ma Qun in today’s round, is leading the table with 7/8.
Meanwhile, the clash between GMs Fier and Short on the second table ended peacefully. The duo, together with GM Ma Qun, IM Daulyte and FM Kulashko, are placed joint-third with 6 points each.
The 9th and final round of this open event will witness tournament leader Jones take on Fier while Ju Wenjun is paired against Daulyte. The tournament is poised for an exciting finish, especially if Ju Wenjun manages to rack up a victory.
Round 8 Results: Here