The Women’s Speed Chess Championship is on the home stretch as Grand Prix Leg 04 started today with Round of 16. Interestingly enough, Sarasaddat Khademalsharieh and Irina Krush have been pitted against each other in the first round for the third time with the Iranian prevailing again.

Most favorites convincingly won their matches, but in three encounters the higher-rated players had to work hard. Anna Muzychuk was on the verge of losing to 18-year-old Munkhzul Turmunkh. World's #7 entered the bullet with a two-point deficit (2.5-4.5) but scored three straight victories to claim the match.

Alexandra Kosteniuk vs. Bibisara Assaubayeva was a close affair utill the last two bullet games in which the European Blitz Champion downed her resilient opponent. It was nip and tuck in Humpy Koneru vs Olga Girya match until the last bullet game that the Indian won with White to advance into the quarterfinals.

After Valentina Gunina got at least 2 GP points for progressing to the quarters of the last leg, Lagno is for sure out of the Super Final match. Kosteniuk, Hou Yifan, and Khademalsharieh hope to win the GP Leg 4 to get the maximum 12 points and catch up with the overall leaders Ushenina and Gunina (both have 22 points).