28.08.2006 Rudenko Memorial
Rudenko Memorial started in St. Petersburg. This women's open is also a stage of the Russian Cup. Local WGMs did not show up for the event. Grandmaster Natalia Pogonina from Saratov leads the seedings, last year winner Natalia Zdebskaya (Ukraine) is the second seed. After two rounds, six players have 2 points: Marina Guseva, Valentina Soloviova, Marina Lupik, Ekaterina Akatova, Christina Cherenkova and Ekaterina Egorova. Zdebskaya has 1.5 points (a draw against Gromova), Pogonina drew both her games so far. We prepared a photographic report about the starting round of the competition.