Hou Yifan and Vassily Ivanchuk start match

The time control for the four games is 40 moves in 90 minutes followed by 30 minutes and a 30-second increment as of move one. Draws cannot be offered before move 30, and if the match ends in a 2-2 tie, a blitz tiebreak will take place at the rate of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds. If even this is tied, then a special super-bitz game will be used to decide the winner. This is not an Armageddon game. Instead, a single blitz game at the rate of 5 minutes plus 2 seconds will be played with the following condition: if it ends in a draw, the clock times are left as they are, the colors are reversed, and the players start a new game with those times left. This will continue until the tie is broken.

After the first game, which ended in a draw after 30 moves, Hou Yifan said she is very happy to play against GM Vassily Ivanchuk, a player she considers immensely creative and experienced, who has signed many wonderful games. "I will try my best to make interesting and high-quality games during this match."

The official poster of the match

Vassily Ivanchuk said he was happy to get the invitation to this match. "I've been to China many times and I like playing here. Hou Yifan is a very talented and solid player. It will be quite an interesting match. I will focus on each game and will not think about the final result."

Vassily Ivanchuk is easily one of the most interesting players around, with enormously diverse openings, experience, and creativity. The former world no. 2 is one of those players whose passion for chess is untouched by time.

The match is organized by the China Chess Association, Shenzhen Pengcheng Chess Club Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen MEWE Real Estate. The total prize fund is 30,000 USD and the winner will get 18,000 USD.

Vassily Ivanchuk vs Hou Yifan