Nalchik R2: Matveeva beats world champion Xu Yuhua

The Women's World Championship 2008 is taking place from August 28th to September 18th in Nalchik, in the Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia. 64 players were eligible to play in the knock-out event, which has a prize fund of US $450,000. Due to the tensions in the region the Georgian players and a few others decided not to participate.

Round two game one report

After the drama of the round one tiebreaks – did you see the Armageddon video controversy we added to yesterday's report? – the second round started with fewer surprises. Two top Chinese players, Yuhua Xu and Xue Zhao lost their first games against nominally weaker opponents, while fourth seed GM Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria drew against untitled 36th seed Ju Wenjun of China. Elisabeth Paehtz, who seems to like living on the edge, lost her white game against Anna Ushinina. There are two byes, since in two matches in round one produced no winner when both player failed to appear.

The upset of the day: 33rd seed IM Svetlana Matveeva, RUS, rated 2412 defeats the reigning Women's World Champion and top seed GM Xu Yuhua, China, rated 2483, in 58 moves.

Round two game one results

Picture gallery

IM Inna Gaponenko, UKR, 2468 defeated WGM Katherine Rohonyan, USA, 2321

WGM Bathuyang Mongontuul of Mogolia, 2406, lost to Chinese wondergirl WGM Hou Yifan, 2557

WGM Anna Ushenina (left), UKR, 2476 defeated WGM Elisabeth Paehtz, GER, 2481

World Junior Champion IM Harika Dronavalli, IND, 2461, drew WGM Anna Muzychuk, SLO, 2504

Eighth seed IM Tatiana Kosintseva, RUS, 2511 beat IM Anna Zatonskih, USA, 2446

Older sister IM Nadezhda Kosintseva, 2460, drew IM Viktoria Cmilyte, LTU, 2508

WGM Shen Yang, CHN, 2445, defeated seventh seed IM Zhao Xue, CHN, 2522

GM Hoang Thanh Trang, HUN, 2487, drew IM Monika Socko, POL, 2473

IM Elena Sedina, ITA, 2344, drew WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An, VIE, 2323

Fourth seed GM Antoaneta Stefanova, BUL, 2550, drew against 36th seed Ju Wenjun, CHN, 2389

Untitled Tan Zhongyi, CHN, 2387 drew fifth seed GM Pia Cramling, SWE, 2544

WGM Anna Ushenina, UKR, 2476, beat WGM Elisabeth Paehtz, GER, 2481

Video reports by FIDE

Links Official FIDE tournament site All games from round one, round two All games played so far (zipped PGN) All ChessBase reports on Nalchik 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 ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access to the server. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.