Ruan Lufei and Stefanova both win

Ruan Lufei © official site

Kateryna Lahno's chances were dented by Ruan Lufei, whereas bottom-placed Ekaterina Kovalevskaya suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of Antoaneta Stefanova. Hou Yifan drew and still leads by two whole points with three games to go.

Round 8:

White	Rating	Result	Black	Rating	Moves	Opening
Ruan Lufei	2479	1-0	Kateryna Lahno	2536	48	Scotch Opening
Hou Yifan	2575	½-½	Tatiana Kosintseva	2557	26	Spanish Neo-Archangel
Antoaneta Stefanova	2524	1-0	Ekaterina Kovalevskaya	2427	39	QGD Tarrasch
Humpy Koneru	2614	½-½	Elina Danielian	2521	52	Slav Defence
Alisa Galliamova	2492	½-½	Kosintseva Nadezhda	2560	37	QGD Ragozin
Alexandra Kosteniuk	2497	½-½	Anna Muzychuk	2538	54	Leningrad Dutch

The table after eight rounds:

Posn.	Name	Title	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Score
1	Hou Yifan	GM	CHN	2575	X	½	1	1	.	.	½	1	.	1	1	1	7
2	Tatiana Kosintseva	GM	RUS	2557	½	X	½	.	½	.	½	.	1	½	½	1	5
3	Anna Muzychuk	IM	SLO	2538	0	½	X	½	1	½	.	1	.	½	.	½	4½
4	Humpy Koneru	GM	IND	2614	0	.	½	X	.	½	½	½	1	1	½	.	4½
5	Kateryna Lahno	GM	UKR	2536	.	½	0	.	X	.	1	1	0	½	1	½	4½
6	Antoaneta Stefanova	GM	BUL	2524	.	.	½	½	.	X	½	0	½	½	1	1	4½
7	Nadezhda Kosintseva	IM	RUS	2560	½	½	.	½	0	½	X	½	.	.	½	1	4
8	Alisa Galliamova	IM	RUS	2492	0	.	0	½	0	1	½	X	1	½	.	.	3½
9	Lufei Ruan	WGM	CHN	2479	.	0	.	0	1	½	.	0	X	½	1	½	3½
10	Alexandra Kosteniuk	GM	RUS	2497	0	½	½	0	½	½	.	½	½	X	.	.	3
11	Elina Danielian	GM	ARM	2521	0	½	.	½	0	0	½	.	0	.	X	1	2½
12	Ekaterina Kovalevskaya	IM	RUS	2427	0	0	½	.	½	0	0	.	½	.	0	X	1½

Tomorrow is the second rest day.

Here is the full schedule:

Date	Rounds etc.
01st August 2011	Opening ceremony
02nd August 2011	1st Round
03rd August 2011	2nd Round
04th August 2011	3rd Round
05th August 2011	4th Round
06th August 2011	Rest day
07th August 2011	5th Round
08th August 2011	6th Round
09th August 2011	7th Round
10th August 2011	8th Round
11th August 2011	Rest day
12th August 2011	9th Round
13th August 2011	10th Round
14th August 2011	11th Round

Times of the rounds:

Rounds 1-10 at 3 pm local time (1pm Paris, 12 noon London, 7am New York)

Rounds 11 at 12 noon (10am Paris, 9am London, 4am New York).

For further information go to the Official site: http://rostov2011.fide.com

For Live games: http://rostov2011.fide.com/tournament-games.html