It's Kovalevskaya vs Stefanova for the title

Women's World Chess Championship

Elista, 21st May – 8th June 2004

The semi-final round of the FIDE Women's World Championship in Elista saw Bulgaria's top seed and former European women's champion Antoaneta Stefanova defeat former women's world champion Maia Chiburdanidze of Georgia in the regular knockout games (Stefanova won the second game with black).

In the other semifinal 17-year-old Indian chess prodigy Koneru Humpy fought back after losing the first game to draw level. In the tiebreak, however, she lost to the 30-year-old Russian WGM Ekaterina Kovalevskaya.

The final between Stefanova and Kovalevskaya will start on June 3rd.

The women's world championship in the Chess City of Elista

The semi-final game between India's chess prodigy Koneru Humpy and Ekaterina Kovalevskaya

Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, who defeated Indian hopeful Koneru Humpy in the rapid chess tiebreak games.

Koneru Humpy, who two years ago became the youngest female player ever to achieve the male GM title (at the age of at the age of 15 years, 1 month and 27 days, beating Judith Polgar's record of 15 years, 4 months and 28 days)

Antoaneta Stefanova, Bulgaria's top female player (who has often played in the national men's team). Stefanova won the 2002 European Women's Championship in Varna.

Former world champion Maia Chiburdanidze, who faltered in the semifinals

The two finalists: Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (Russia) and Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria). The first game of the final will be played on June 3rd at 14:00h local time (GMT+3, 13:00h Berlin/Paris, 12:00h London, 7 a.m. New York). You can watch it on the FIDE live coverage site or on the Playchess.com server.

“MonRoi” to unite the chess world

In an unusual press conference in Elista's City Chess Hall FIDE's long-time president Florencio Campomanes introduced a new electronic system which is intended to "replace paper score sheets, speed up and modify the process of writing down the chess moves during the game." The device (actually a WinCE handheld with special software) was developed by Ms. Brana Malobabic, manager of the Canadian company Mon Roi.

FIDE's honorary president Florencio Campomanes (middle) during the introduction of the “Mon Roi” electronic chess notation system

Brana Malobabic, who is “a passionate chess player” and developed the “Mon Roi” technology, demonstrates it in operation. More information on the press conference and the "Mon Roi" system are available on the FIDE site.