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This event is taking place from May 19 to 30 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, with women's teams from ten national federations – among them Russia, Ukraine, China, Armenia, Georgia, Netherlands, Poland and Vietnam – participating. The venue is the five-star Atrium Palace Hotel, where the teams are also staying.
Most of the major clashes had already taken place, but the players still had to be careful to avoid mistakes and not to let the points slip away. With the exception of the Chinese team, who seem to be winning unfailingly, with good scores. In round seven Zhao Xue outplayed Jana Jackova, Hou Yifan beat Olga Sikorova, and Ruan Lufei took the point from Petra Blazkova. Only Katerina Nemcova survived with a draw against Shen Yang.
Anti-cheating: checking the players for electronic devices
The playing venue of the women's team championship in Yekaterinburg
The encounter between the Russian and Armenian teams lasted longer than any other one on this day. On the first board Nadezhda Kosintseva encountered Elina Danielyan, who sacrificed two light pieces for a rook, after which she was trying to attack the Russian's unprotected king.
Tatiana defended very well and finally after the repetitions of moves they agreed to draw. On the second table Nadezhda Kosintseva was sorting out the relations with her constant opponent Lilit Mkrtchyan. Nadezhda, playing white, got an advantage in the opening but failed to turn it into a full point. On board three Siranush Andriasyan played a very rare line against Ekaterina Kovalevskaya. But that didn’t save the less experienced Armenian player, and Kovalevskaya won. The final encounter of the match between Elena Tairova and Liana Aghabekyan ended in a draw. Russia beat Armenia 2.5:1.5.
Germany vs Botswana, Kachini-Gersinska vs Sabure Tuduetso: 1-0
Georgia |
2.5-1.5 |
Vietnam |
Chiburdanidze, Maya |
1-0 |
Le Kieu Thien Kim |
Javakhishvili, Lela |
½-½ |
Le Thanh Tu |
Khurtsidze, Nino |
½-½ |
Hoang Thi Bao Tram |
Gvetadze, Sofio |
½-½ |
Nguyen Thi Thanh An |
Ukraine |
2.5-1.5 |
Poland |
Lahno, Kateryna |
0-1 |
Socko, Monika |
Ushenina, Anna |
1-0 |
Rajlich, Iweta |
Gaponenko, Inna |
1-0 |
Szczepkowska, Karina |
Vasilevich, Tatiana |
½-½ |
Przezdziecka, Marta |
Armenia |
1.5-2.5 |
Russia |
Danielian, Elina |
½-½ |
Kosintseva, Tatiana |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
½-½ |
Kosintseva, Nadezhda |
Andriasian, Siranush |
0-1 |
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina |
Aghabekian, Liana |
½-½ |
Tairova, Elena |
Czech Republic |
0.5-3.5 |
China |
Jackova, Jana |
0-1 |
Zhao Xue |
Sikorova, Olga |
0-1 |
Hou Yifan |
Blazkova, Petra |
0-1 |
Ruan Lufei |
Nemcova, Katerina |
½-½ |
Shen Yang |
Botswana |
0-4 |
Germany |
Sabure Tuduetso |
0-1 |
Kachini-Gersinska, Ketino |
Lopang Tshepiso |
0-1 |
Nill, Jessica |
Modongo Boikhutso |
0-1 |
Ohme, Melanie |
Sabure, Ontiretse |
0-1 |
Schoene, Maria Randi |
Russia inflicted a heavy 3.5:0.5 defeat on the Czech Republic, with Tatiana Kosintseva, Ekaterina Korbut and Ekaterina Kovalevskaya all scoring full points. Ukraine, battling to catch the Russians, took Georgia down with a 3-1 score. China had the "bye" against Botswana, whom the dutifully defeated 4:0, like everybody else. Germany drew their main rival, Vietnam.
Everyone's favorite: 13-year-old Hou Yifan, best player on board two
China's board three talent: Sheng Yang...
... showing full determination in the match against Botswana
Russia's board three Ekaterina Korbut (no it isn't, just a buckle)
Ukraine's board two Anna Ushenina
Melanie Ohme playing on board four for Germany
Won with black: Germany's top board IM Elisabeth Pähtz
Former women's world champion Maia Chiburdanidze, Georgia
Vietnam |
2-2 |
Germany |
Le Thanh Tu |
0-1 |
Paehtz, Elisabeth |
Hoang Thi Bao Tram |
½-½ |
Kachiani-Gersinska, Ketino |
Nguyen Thi Thanh An |
1-0 |
Nill, Jessica |
Pham Le Thao Nguyen |
½-½ |
Ohme, Melanie |
China |
4-0 |
Botswana |
Hou Yifan |
1-0 |
Sabure Tuduetso |
Ruan Lufei |
1-0 |
Modongo Boikhutso |
Shen Yang |
1-0 |
Sabure, Ontiretse |
Huang Qian |
1-0 |
Pilane Masego Sylvia |
Russia |
3.5-0.5 |
Czech Republic |
Kosintseva, Tatiana |
1-0 |
Jackova, Jana |
Kosintseva, Nadezhda |
½-½ |
Sikorova, Olga |
Korbut, Ekaterina |
1-0 |
Blazkova, Petra |
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina |
1-0 |
Nemcova, Katerina |
Poland |
3-1 |
Armenia |
Socko, Monika |
1-0 |
Danielian, Elina |
Rajlich, Iweta |
0-1 |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
Zawadzka, Jolanta |
1-0 |
Aghinian, Nelly |
Przezdziecka, Marta |
1-0 |
Aghabekian, Liana |
Georgia |
1-3 |
Ukraine |
Chiburdanidze, Maya |
½-½ |
Lahno, Kateryna |
Javakhishvili, Lela |
½-½ |
Ushenina, Anna |
Khurtsidze, Nino |
0-1 |
Gaponenko, Inna |
Khukhashvili, Sopiko |
0-1 |
Vasilevich, Tatiana |
The Chinese team won Gold in the First World Women’s Chess Team Championship. These young ladies, the oldest of whom is 22, struck everybody by their stable play and excellent physical state. The majority of the games they won lasted for about four hours, evidence of their battlelike attitude and a desire to struggle till the very end. A whole team of coaches supported the players in Yekaterinburg. In the last round they faced Germany, looking fresh and vigorous as usual, in spite of the early start of the round. They could have easily gone for a draw in round nine, but instead struggled until the very end in every game. The score against Germany: 2.5:1.5.
The victorious Chinese team: Huang Qian, Zhao Xue, Hou Yefan, Sheng Yang,
Ruan Lufei
Meanwhile the Russian took their four points against Botswana and the Silver medal in this event, two match points behind the leaders. The Ukraine team struggled for five hours against Vietnam and won the encounter 3.5:0.5, taking Bronze in the process.
Ukraine |
3.5-0.5 |
Vietnam |
Lahno, Kateryna |
1-0 |
Le Kieu Thien Kim |
Ushenina, Anna |
1-0 |
Le Thanh Tu |
Gaponenko, Inna |
1-0 |
Hoang Thi Bao Tram |
Vasilevich, Tatiana |
½-½ |
Nguyen Thi Thanh An |
Armenia |
2-2 |
Georgia |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
½-½ |
Chiburdanidze, Maya |
Aghinian, Nelly |
½-½ |
Khurtsidze, Nino |
Andriasian, Siranush |
½-½ |
Khukhashvili, Sopiko |
Aghabekian, Liana |
½-½ |
Gvetadze, Sofio |
Czech Republic |
0.5-3.5 |
Poland |
Jackova, Jana |
0-1 |
Socko, Monika |
Sikorova, Olga |
0-1 |
Zawadzka, Jolanta |
Blazkova, Petra |
½-½ |
Szczepkowska, Karina |
Nemcova, Katerina |
0-1 |
Przezdziecka, Marta |
Botswana |
0-4 |
Russia |
Sabure Tuduetso |
0-1 |
Kosintseva, Tatiana |
Lopang Tshepiso |
0-1 |
Kosintseva, Nadezhda |
Modongo Boikhutso |
0-1 |
Korbut, Ekaterina |
Pilane Masego Sylvia |
0-1 |
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina |
Germany |
1.5-2.5 |
China |
Paehtz, Elisabeth |
½-½ |
Zhao Xue |
Kachiani-Gersinska, Ketino |
½-½ |
Hou Yifan |
Ohme, Melanie |
½-½ |
Shen Yang |
Schoene, Maria Randi |
0-1 |
Huang Qian |
Unveiling the spectacular golden trophy
The golden trophy for the first place weighs for about 15 kg, its height is more than 70 cm. It is decorated with 16 precious Urals stones: garnet, corund and lavender pheonite. The sphere is made of optical glass with a laser engraving inside. Ural specialists spent more than a month creating the golden Cup.
Participants, spectators and representatives of mass media admire the Cup
Iz-za ostrova na stryezhyen' – music and song at the end of a great tournament
Don't try this at home: acrobatics at the closing ceremony
No. | Team | Match |
Board |
1 | China | 17 |
30.5 |
2 | Russia | 15 |
24.0 |
3 | Ukraine | 14 |
23.5 |
4 | Georgia | 11 |
20.0 |
5 | Poland | 9 |
19.5 |
6 | Germany | 8 |
18.0 |
7 | Vietnam | 8 |
16.5 |
8 | Armenia | 5 |
17.0 |
9 | Czech Republic | 3 |
11.0 |
10 | Botswana | 0 |
0.0 |
The best results on individual boards:
No. | Player | Country | Points |
1 | Zhao Xue | China | 6.5 |
2 | Hou Yifan | China | 7.5 |
3 | Inna Gaponenko | Ukraine | 7.0 |
4 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | Russia | 6.5 |
China | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Zhao Xue | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | |||
2. Hou Yifan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | ||
3. Ruan Lufei | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
4. Shen Yang | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
5. Huang Qian | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Score | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 17 | |
Russia | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Kosintseva, Tatiana | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | ||
2. Kosintseva, Nadezhda | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||
3. Korbut, Ekaterina | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
4. Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
5. Tairova, Elena | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | ||||||
Score | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 15 | |
Poland | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Socko, Monika | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | ||
2. Rajlich, Iweta | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||
3. Zawadzka, Jolanta | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
4. Szczepkowska, Karina | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
5. Przezdziecka, Marta | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
Score | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | |
Georgia | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Chiburdanidze, Maya | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
2. Javakhishvili, Lela | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
3. Khurtsidze, Nino | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | |||
4. Khukhashvili, Sopiko | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | |||||
5. Gvetadze, Sofio | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | |||||
Score | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | |
Ukraine | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Lahno, Kateryna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | |||
2. Ushenina, Anna | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | ||
3. Gaponenko, Inna | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | |||
4. Vasilevich, Tatiana | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
5. Vozovic, Oksana | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | ||||||||
Score | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 14 | |
Armenia | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Danielyan, Elina | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | |||
2. Mkrtchyan, Lilit | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
3. Aghinyan, Nelly | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||
4. Andriasyan, Siranush | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
5. Aghabekyan, Liana | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||
Score | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
Czech Republic | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Jackova, Jana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||
2. Sikorova, Olga | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
3. Blazkova, Petra | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||
4. Nemcova, Katerina | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Score | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
Botswana | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Sabure, Tuduetso | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2. Lopang, Tshepiso | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
3. Modongo, Boikhutso | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
4. Sabure, Ontiretse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
5. Pilane Masego, Sylvia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Score | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Germany | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Paehtz, Elisabeth | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | |||
2. Kachiani-Gersinska, K. | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | ||
3. Nill, Jessica | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | ||||
4. Ohme, Melanie | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||
5. Schoene, Maria Randi | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | ||||||
Score | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |
Vietnam | CHN | RUS | POL | GEO | UKR | ARM | CZE | BOT | GER | VIE | Total |
1. Le Kieu Thien Kim | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | ||
2. Le Thanh Tu | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | |||
3. Hoang Thi Bao Tram | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||||
4. Nguyen, Thi Thanh An | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | ||||
5. Pham Le Thao Nguyen | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||||
Score | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Pictures and information supplied by Elmira Mirzoeva,
Press-attaché of the 1st World Women’s Team Championship
Elmira Mirzoeva is a sport journalist and TV presenter. She is also a strong chess player, becoming Russian Women's Blitz Champion in 1999 and gaining a Women's Grandmaters title in 2002. She has also been Women's Vice-Champion of Moscow (2000-2002), Moscow Women's Blitz Champion (2002-2004) and played for the French Club "Shalon Champine".
As a journalist Elmira has written more than 100 articles in sports publications since 1998. In 2003 she became a special chess commentator for the channel "7TV", and in 2004 the resident chess commentator for the RTR Sport TV Channel. In 2005 Elmira created Russia's only dedicated TV program for chess, "Shakh or Mat". In 2006 she became the TV presenter of the centeral Moscow channel "Stolica", and also works for the biggest and tha oldest radio station "Mayak", where she has her own chess programm and weekly talks about chess. Elmira has also taken part in developing a childrens chess programme, "A Big Chess Journey", by Media House.