Women's World Championship
Ekaterinburg, Russia, March 10–27, 2006
The World Women's Championship was held from 10-27 March
2006, in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The knockout event had 64 participants, with reigning
world champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria defending her title.
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After drawing the second game with the black pieces Alisa Galliamova started
well in this third game, a Queen's Indian/Nimzo hybrid, and in fact looked
to be on the path to victory. However with move 40 and the first time control
looming she started to slip and let Chinese WGM Xu Yuhua take the initiative.
Then, instead of pragmatically playing for a draw, the Russian IM sought to
retain her chances in a counter-attack, which failed. Xu won the point and
with it the four-game match.
Galliamova,A (2467) - Xu Yuhua (2502) [E13]
FIDE WCh Women KO Ekaterinburg RUS (6.3), 25.03.2006
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 b6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.a3
Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Ne4 11.Bxd8 Nxc3 12.Bc7 Na6 13.Bf4 Ne4 14.Nb5 g5
15.Be3 Ke7 16.Rd1 d5 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bd4 Rhd8 19.e3 Rd7 20.h4 Nc7 21.hxg5 hxg5
22.c5 a6 23.Nxc7 Rxc7 24.cxb6 Rc6 25.a4 Nd7 26.a5 Nc5 27.Bc3 Na4 28.Bb4+ Kf6
29.b3 Nc5 30.Rb1 Nd7 31.Be2 Rc2 32.Rh6+ Kg7 33.Rh5 Kf6 34.g3 Rac8 35.f4 gxf4
36.gxf4 Ra2 37.Rd1 Nc5 38.Bc3+ Ke7
Alisa Galliamova has been doing fine, but now, just two moves before the time
control, she starts slipping. 39.f5 (39.Rh7 followed by 40.Bb4
would have been more convincing) 39...Ne4 40.Bb4+ Kf6 41.Bd3 Rg8.
The white advantage has almost completely evaporated, Black is on the attack.
42.Rh6+ Ke5 43.Rh1 Rg3 44.Bxe4 Rxe3+ 45.Kf1 dxe4 46.fxe6 Kxe6 47.Rh6+
Kf5 48.Rd7. White abandons her king to launch her own attack. But
this gets her into deep trouble.
48...Rf3+ 49.Ke1 Rxb3 50.Bd2 e3 51.Bc1 Rb1 52.Rc7 Bf3 53.Rhc6
(desperation) Bxc6 54.Rxc6 Raa1 55.Ke2 Rxa5 56.Bxe3 Rb2+ 57.Kf3 Rb3
58.Rc7 Re5 0-1.
The end of the game – Xu Yuhua is world champion!
Russian TV interview with the new champion
Signing autographs for fans
Yes, she can smile! Xu at the press conference
The runner-up in the 2006 world championship: Alisa Galliamova
Photos by courtesy of FIDE
Final results
| Name |
Rtng |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
Total |
|
Final Match |
| Galliamova, Alisa (RUS) |
2467 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
|
0 |
| Xu Yuhua (CHN) |
2502 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
|
1 |
Full knockout table of results (click
to enlarge)
List of all Women's World Champions
| 1 |
Vera Menchik |
1927–1944 |
United Kingdom |
| 2 |
Ludmilla
Rudenko |
1950–1953 |
Soviet Union |
| 3 |
Elisabeth
Bikova |
1953–1956 |
Soviet Union |
| 4 |
Olga Rubzowa |
1956–1958 |
Soviet Union |
| 3 |
Elisabeth
Bikova |
1958–1962 |
Soviet Union |
| 5 |
Nona Gaprindashvili |
1962–1978 |
Georgia |
| 6 |
Maya Chiburdanidze |
1978–1991 |
Georgia |
| 7 |
Xie Jun |
1991–1996 |
China |
| 8 |
Susan Polgar |
1996–1999 |
Hungary |
| 7 |
Xie Jun |
1999–2001 |
China |
| 9 |
Zhu Chen |
2001–2004 |
China |
| 10 |
Antoaneta
Stefanova |
2004–2006 |
Bulgaria |
| 11 |
Xu Yuhua |
2006– |
China |
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