WWch Rd4 tiebreaks: The mighty fall

Tournament conditions

The Women's World Chess Championship takes place from March 17 – April 7 in Sochi, Russia. The knock-out tournament is attended by 64 players, including the former World Champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia), Anna Ushenina (Ukraine), and Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria), the three-time Russian champion Valentina Gunina, the World Vice-Champion Humpy Koneru (India), as well as other leading grandmasters. Unfortunately, the reigning champion Hou Yifan was unable to come for personal reasons, but as the winner of the FIDE Grand Prix she will still be able to challenge the new champion to a match.

The first five rounds consist of mini-matches of two games played at 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game and a 30-second increment per move. The final match will consist of four games.

In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by a series of tiebreak games: two rapid games of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If the score remains equal, the players then proceed to two more games played at 10 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If the score continues tied a final mini-match will be played of two blitz games of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Finally, an Armageddon game will be played to decide the winner in which White has five minutes and Black has four minutes, with a three-second increment per move after move 61. Black will be declared the victor if the game is drawn.

Round four - tiebreaks

The biggest surprise of the day, in a day full of surprises, was Humpy Koneru's elimination by Maria Muzychuk. The Indian, who had started with a sterling six wins in six games, before reaching the fourth round, stumbled against Muzychuk in their classical games match, forced to fight her opponent off in the tiebreak. In both games the top-seed managed to outplay her opponent quite handily, but a losing blunder in game one of their rapids, cost her a chance at the title.

A grinning Maria Muzychuk after winning her foremost trial by fire embodied by Humpy Koneru

Maria Muzychuck's older sister Anna, was less fortunate against the veteran Pia Cramling, and after a tense struggle in which both won their game with black, the Swedish player prevailed in the following bout of 10-minute games.

Anna Muzychuk covers her face in disappointment, as she comes to terms with her elimination

Anyone who thought Natalia Pogonina's choice of the Benko Gambit in the previous day was a fluke, a one-off, was disabused of this notion when the Russian unleashed it once more at the first chance she got. Since Zhao Xue had nothing to show for it, and did not seem to have anything special in store, Pogonina achieved a very comfortable position early on, making better use of her preparation this time.

Zhao Xue vs Natalia Pogonina

In their second game, after a brawl in the middlegame, Pogonina was once more ahead, but was content to force a draw and secure her spot in the next round.

Natalia Pogonina is through to the semifinals after bludgeoning Zhao Xue with the Benko Gambit

Report by Albert Silver and Eteri Kublashvili
Photos by Eteri Kublashvili, Anastasia Karlovich, and Vladimir Barsky

Round 4 pairings / results

Schedule

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN 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 a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.