Nalchik: most favourites through, Zhukova, Sachdev falter

The Women's World Championship 2008 is taking place from August 28th to September 18th in Nalchik, in the Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia. 64 players were eligible to play in the knock-out event, which has a prize fund of US $450,000. Due to the tensions in the region the Georgian players and a few others decided not to participate.

Round one report

Most of the top seeds went through without too much difficulty, which is not surprising, since the strongest are pitted against the weakest in the first round. The shocker was the elimination of 13th seed WGM Natalia Zhukova of Ukraine, rated 2489. She lost int the rapid chess tiebreak games to 52nd seed, US WGM Katerine Rohonyan, rated 2321. Another upset was the elimination of Indian Women's Champion IM Tania Sachdev, 28th seed rated at 2432, by Chinese player Zongyi Tan, who is untitled but sports a 2387 rating. Similarly WGM Natasa Bojkovic of Serbia, rated 2423, was knocked out in the tiebreak games by untitled Wenjun Ju of China, rated 2389.

Down and out: 13th seed WGM Natalia Zhukova (left) against WGM Katerine Rohonyan

Untitled Chinese player Wenjun Ju, 2389, eliminated WGM Natasa Bojkovic, 2423

Other strong players who dropped out of the Championship were WGM Natasa Bojkovic, SRB, 2423; IM Iweta Rajlich, POL, 2417; IM Eva Moser, AUT, 2383; IM Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska, GER, 2374. A number of top players lost by default by not appearing in Nalchik – IM Marie Sebag, FRA, 2529; GM Maya Chiburdanidze, GEO, 2489; IM Irina Krush, USA, 2470; IM Lela Javakhishvili, GEO 2461; WGM Ekaterina Korbut, RUS, 2459; IM Maya Lomineishvili, GEO, 2414; IM Nino Khurtsidze, GEO, 2413; WGM Sopiko Khukhashvili, GEO, 2408; IM Tea Bosboom-Lanchava, NED, 2358. A full list of the drop-outs is given below.

Struggling to stay in the tournament: Elisabeth Paehtz (left) vs Ilaha Kadimova

There were some tough battles. Former Junior World Champion WGM Elisabeth Pähtz, rated 2481, required two regular games, two rapid chess games, two blitz games and then the Armageddon blitz decider to defeat WGM Ilaha Kadimova, 2324, of Azerbaijan. None of their games were drawn.

What a relief! Elli Paehtz in the press conference

Armageddon drama in Nalchik

Polish IM Monika Socko, rated 2473, and Romanian WIM Sabina-Francesca Foisor, 2337 went all the way to the Armageddon game as well, where Socko had white and six minutes aganist Foisor with black and five minutes. White has to win, a draw is counted as a win for Black.

The two players in an earlier, less dramatic tiebreak game

The tournament bulletin reports:

In the final phase of the games pieces were flying and the sensor board could not keep up with recording them. The game in the PGN file at the bottom of this page is therefore incomplete.

The game ends in the time default against Sabina-Francesca Foisor. The relevant section start at 1 min 20 sec in the video below, and after the wild action the position is reduced to king and knight vs king and knight. Foisor signals with a hand shrug (1 min 36 sec on the video) that the game is drawn. But she plays on until her clock run out. Her final move is ...Nf6-d5 and the final position is the following:

In the ensuing discussion with Chief Arbiter Zsuzsa Veroci Monika Socko shows that a mate that can theoretical be executed with the remaining material. Indeed it can, e.g. with the moves 1.Nd3 Nb6+ 2.Kb5 Kc7 3.Nc5 Kb8 4.Kc6 Ka8 5.Kc7 Ka7 6.Nd7 Ka8 7.Kd8 Nc8 8.Kc7 Na7 9.Nb6# (a helpmate, not a selfmate, as was suggested in the discussion).

Socko gets into a debate with Deputy Chief Arbiter Mikko Markkula of Finnland, who initially says that the above mate is only possible with the cooperation of Black (not actually the point) and then starts getting annoyed and argues that the principals had disturbed the final position which was no longer available for adjudication. In the end he discusses the matter with Georgios Makropoulos, FIDE Deputy President and Chairman of the Appeals Committee, while Monika Socko calls experienced arbiter Andzhey Filipowicz back in Poland. After that a decision was apparently taken in favour of Socko, who proceeds to the next round.

Watch the final Armageddon game between Sockov and Foisor and the discussion with the arbiters. Much of it is in Russian, but there are passages in English that make the arguments comprehensible.

WGM Sabina Francesca Foisor, 2337, is the youngest member of the Foisor family, a notable clan in Romenian chess, and the strongest talented young female player in Romania. Here she is congratulated on her 19th birthday by the Sports Minister in Nalchik.

Round one results (complete)

Players who have dropped out of the Championship

Picture Gallery

The playing hall on the second day of round one in Nalchik

No surprises here: Tatjana Kosintseva and Alexandra Kosteniuk both won 2-0

Eliminated: Iranian talent Atousa Pourkashiyan, 2269

Through to round two: World Junior Champion IM Harika Dronavalli

Eliminated by Harika: 18-year-old WGM Vera Nebolsina, 2350

Eliminated: IM Iweta Rajlich (yes, she's part of the Rybka team)

Through by default: fourth seed (and former World Champion)
GM Antoaneta Stefanova, whose opponent from Peru did not participate

Video reports by FIDE

There are a number of press conference interviews with players (Tatiana Kosintseva, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Elisabeth Paehtz, Natalia Zhukova). Most are in Russian, with English translations that are not easy to follow. The interview with Natalia, who is, incidentally, the wife of Alexander Grischuk, is the easiest to follow.

One can visit Nalchik any time

An interview with the German participant Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska

Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska, Georgian IM who now lives in and plays for Germany

Ketino: When we were writing this letter we were in Tbilisi and that was the territory of Georgia. Things like that don't happen very often in capitals. Not only me but other chess players from the different countries backed this letter. There were eight Georgian chess players who were to participate in this tournament. I think the Championship would have been more interesting if they had been here. The Georgian chess school is one of the best. Moreover it is not only a Georgian chess school. It was famous in the times of the Soviet Union. Maya Chiburdanidze has so many titles that I can't even enumerate all of them. So I think we must support such people, such legends. But later the situation improved and I am happy about that. I think such problems must be solved peacefully. That's why I have come here. We sports people understand each other perfectly. I am sure the same will be with politicians. They will negotiate and solve some problems. Important problems.

Ketino: Yes, I do, because I am a sportsman, a chess player. Politics is not my cup of tea.

Ketino: I think it was difficult for them psychologically to play, especially when such things happen to your town. I think nobody can imagine that. I myself can't imagine that because I wasn't there at that time. This psychological factor is very important in sport. I believe they wouldn't be able to play comfortably. They had to solve a lot of problems within the last two days: visas, flights, problems of security, etc. These things are of utmost importance. I think that it was psychologically difficult for the Georgian sportsmen to play. I understand them perfectly. I think a tournament like this Championship is planned beforehand. We must train, we need silence. I grew up in the Soviet Union. All my titles I got being a citizen of the Soviet Union. Now I play for Germany.

Ketino: I was sure that everything would be okay. It is not only Russia and Georgia that are trying to solve these important problems, but the whole world is involved. I think everything must be decided peacefully. Nalchik is a very calm and peaceful city. One can come here any time. I decided to come at the last moment. Many other chess players did the same. We thought that it would be impossible to hold the Championship if we didn't come. I can say that the Championship was organized on a high level. FIDE has done its best to provide our security. People here are so friendly and hospitable. That's why I am here. I am all for peace.

Ketino: I think nobody knows beforehand if he will lose or win. The strongest athletes from different sports don't know either whether they will win or lose. I don't regret coming here. I participated in the Championship among the top 64 chess players.

Round two pairings

There are two byes in this round, since in two matches in round one produced no winner when both player failed to appear.

Links Official FIDE tournament site All games from round one All games played so far (zipped PGN) All ChessBase reports on Nalchik The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access to the server. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.