Astana R1: Kazakhstan holds USA 2-2

The city of Astana in Kazakhstan is hosting the Women's World Chess Team Championship from March 2nd to 12 in the Duman Hotel in Astana. Ten best teams in the world are participating: China, Russia, Ukraine, USA, India, France, Turkey, Georgia, Rumania and Kazakhstan. Each team consists of five players, with four playing in each of the nine rounds of this round robin tournament. Time control is 90 minutes per 40 moves and thirty minutes until the end of the game plus 30 seconds increment per move.

Round one

FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov ceremonially executes the first move in the game
Anna Zatonskih vs WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva in the match USA vs Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan and USA drew their match with wins by Madina Davletbayeva and Irina Krush. Turkey was outplayed by Georgia, with young WGM Kubra Ozturk scoring the only point for the team from the Bosporus.

Trainer of the Turkish team trainer GM Adrian Mikhalchishin, with FIDE Continental
President for Africa Lakhdar Mazouz and General Secretary Ignatius Leong

Ukraine beat India 3-1 with wins by Women's World Champion GM Anna Ushenina over IM Nisha Mohota and IM Mariya Muzychuk over WGM Padmini Rout. We must remember that India is playing without its top three seeds, Humpy Koneru, Harika Dronavlli and Tania Sachdev.

Indian IM Nisha Mohota, rated 2325, facting Ukrainian GM Anna Ushenina, 2477 (0-1)

WGM Mary Ann Gomes, 2387, playing Inna IM Yanovska-Gaponenko, 2421 (draw).
In the background: FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and CEO Geoffrey Borg.

Russia trounced Romania with wins by Valentina Gunina, Alisa Galliamova and Olga Girya over Cristina Adela Foisor, Alina L'Ami and Carmen Voicu-Jagodzinsky respectively.

Russian women's team coach GM Sergei Rublevsky follows the games of round one

China similarly finished off France with wins by Ju Wenjun, Tan Zhongyi and Guo Qi over Nino Maisurasze, Anda Safranska and Collas Silvia.

WGM Guo Qi, rated 2431, defeated French IM Silvia Collas, 2282, in 32 moves

The only half-point dropped by China was by IM Shen Yang against WIM Natacha Benmesbah

Photos from Astana by Anastasiya Karlovich

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Schedule and results

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 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

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