tag: Women's World Championship Tirana - Page 1

WWCC R08: Closing ceremony in Tirana

12/3/2011 – The closing ceremony of the World Women's Championship match was held on the evening of the 30th of November. It was attended by Mikhail Gorbachev, the last head of state of the USSR, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for "his leading role in the peace process which today characterizes important parts of the international community". Pictorial report.

Hou Yifan: The World Champion title did not change me

11/26/2011 – At 14½ years she became the youngest female grandmaster in history; at seventeen she has already played in three world championships, losing one and winning two. She admits to a burning desire to become stronger in chess, but does not want the game to dominate her life. A day after her match in Tirana she the old and new world champion gave our colleagues this indepth interview.

Fritz 13 and Let's Check at the Women's World Championship

11/25/2011 – What do the players in a world chess championship do immediately after their games? Rush off for dinner? No. Check their game with the computer? Warmer. Actually in Tirana the two GMs used, for the first time in such an event, the new feature of Fritz 13, "Let's Check", to see what spectators from all over the world had found in their games. Here's how it is done.

WWCC R08: Draw, Hou Yifan retains World Championship title

11/24/2011 – The eighth game was the third Ragozin in this match. Challenger Humpy Koneru, in a must-win situation, came out of the opening with a small advantage, which she started to lose around move 22, after which her opponent took control. A draw was agreed on move 29, which means that Chinese GM Hou Yifan is the old (though just 17) and new World Champion. Congratulations Yifan, great show!

WWCC R07: Hou Yifan wins again, now has three-point lead

11/23/2011 – This is very bitter for the Indian challenger, GM Humpy Koneru, the second highest rated player in the history of the game. In game seven she lost to the World Champion (and world number three) GM Hou Yifan, who is all of 17 years old. With three games to go the score is now 5:2, which means Humpy must win them all to draw even. Illustrated report with GM commentary.

WWCC R06: Hou Yifan wins, takes two-point lead

11/21/2011 – The sixth game of the Women's World Championship ended in time trouble. The Challenger Humpy Koneru was pressing in a basically equal position, but with time running out for both players it was the 17-year-old champion Hou Yifan who, in spite of a violent stomach-ache the night before, had the better nerves. With four games left she now has a commanding 4-2 lead. Full illustrated report.

WWCC R05: Draw, Hou Yifan remains in the lead

11/20/2011 – The fifth game in the Women's World Championship in Tirana, Albania, ended after four hours and 43 moves in a draw, with the 17-year-old World Champion Hou Yifan, who didn't have a tangible advantage, pressing anyway on the white side of an Open Ruy Lopez. Meanwhile, in an extraordinary feat of investigative journalism we were able to at last solve the mystery of the silver pot.

WWCC R04: Draw, Hou Yifan remains in the lead

11/19/2011 – The reigning world champion from China was pressing hard in this game, but all attempts to gain a two-point lead in the match were thwarted by challenger Koneru Humpy's resilient defence. The match now stands 2½-1½ for the incumbent. In the press conference after the game the players analysed for the journalists using Fritz 13 and a flat screen. You can see what they said in our round four report.

WWCC R03: Hou Yifan draws first blood

11/18/2011 – Playing with the white pieces, the challenger Koneru Humpy of India got a good position from the opening, but she was not, in her own words, making good moves. The reigning world champion Hou Yifan from China, took heart (and a pawn on a2) and overran her opponent with a precision that belies her age. Hou now leads 2-1 in this ten-game match. Game three commentary by GM Alejandro Ramirez.

WWCC R02: Humpy on the attack, Hou Yifan holds

11/15/2011 – After being surprised in the opening, Hou Yifan forced simplifications into a drawish endgame. However, Humpy would have none of that! She pressed hard trying to create something out of nothing, and almost achieved it. However in the end it was impossible to take advantage of her opponent's weak king, and the game ended in another hard fought draw. Updated report with GM analysis.

Women's World Championship starts in Tirana – first game drawn

11/14/2011 – The match started with Koneru Humpy exerting tremendous pressure on the Chinese prodigy Hou Yifan right from the opening. Hou showed great resilience and patience, as she decided to defend to the point of sacrificing a pawn to reach a defendable endgame. Despite Humpy's persistence, the game was eventually drawn, but not for lack of fighting spirit! Full illustrated report with GM commentary.

FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship starts on Monday

11/13/2011 – The two opponents – Hou Yifan of China and Koneru Humpy of India – represent over a third of humanity. They are playing their match in a country of three million people, one that not too many people have had an opportunity to visit. We undertook the trip to Tirana in Albania and, together with all the details of the upcoming match, bring you pictorial impressions of the venue.
1