Women's World Ch: Ju Wenjun defends her title

by Antonio Pereira
11/23/2018 – The champion kept her title. Ju Wenjun defeated Kateryna Lagno 3:1 in the tiebreaks of the 2018 Women's World Championship final match by winning both 10+10 games after drawing the first two rapid encounters. This was the first time since 2000 that a player defended her title in a knockout tournament. With another championship cycle over — the second one this year — the next one is expected to include a Candidates Tournament. | Photos: Official site

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"My lucky place"

Khanty-Mansiysk is a well-known place for anyone who has followed chess in the last ten years or so. For Ju Wenjun, however, this is more than simply a nice "chess city". During the press conference that followed her victory over Lagno, she called the Russian city her "lucky place", as she had qualified to face Tan Zhongyi in the previous World Championship match after winning the final stage of the 2015-16 Grand Prix precisely in that Siberian location.

The second highest rated woman player in the world achieved a historic feat during the last three weeks, as she became the first player since Xie Jun in 2000 to defend her title in the ever-gruelling knockout format. She played 18 games and finished with 9 wins, 8 draws and a single loss. She arrived as the favourite by rating and ratified her status as the strongest active woman player in the world — given the fact that Hou Yifan has not been playing often lately, after she began her studies in Oxford.  

Ju Wenjun also revealed that she will take some time to rest from chess, as she is quite tired after the long tournament. Her amazing run in Khanty-Mansiysk netted her 7.4 rating points — she has now a 2575 rating, 29 points shy from her highest-ever mark of 2604.

Cold weather does not seem to affect Ju Wenjun negatively

Opposite-coloured bishops

The defending champion began the tiebreaks with the white pieces and, as she would keep doing throughout the day, chose a solid system from the get go. Lagno responded accordingly and, after the queens were exchanged on move 36, the players delved into an opposite-coloured bishops endgame with rooks and seven pawns per side on the board. A long manoeuvring battle followed, but none of the contenders created enough imbalances and the draw was signed on move 68.

A similar story took place during game two. In that encounter, in fact, the players reached an endgame with, again, opposite-coloured bishops by move 35. The absence of rooks and the fact that there were four — and not seven — pawns per side sped up the conclusion: the game was drawn after 51 moves.

Three long weeks of chess are about to finish

The regulations stipulated that the players now had to accelerate the pace to a 10+10 time control. Lagno started with White this time. It looked like the players were following a well-defined script: a quiet game did not take long to reach an endgame. However, just when the commentators from the official site — Alexander Morozevich and Alexandra Kosteniuk — were joking about the fact that they were about to go into yet another opposite-coloured bishops position, a critical decision determined the outcome of the match:

 
Lagno vs. Ju Wenjun - Tiebreak game #3
Position after 22...Bd4

Lagno could have calmly captured the knight with 23.Bxb2, reaching the aforementioned drawish endgame, but played 23.Bf1 instead. Kosteniuk and Morozevich quickly agreed that the only explanation was that Kateryna completely missed 23...Nd1. White went on to grab the f2-pawn and, although the position was not completely lost, Lagno could not recover and ended up giving up the point after 49 moves.

Nerves...

Deep focus

Now the Russian contender was in a must-win situation while fighting for her first World Championship title — not a good place to be, especially against such a cold-blooded opponent. 

Ju Wenjun followed a simple strategy with the white pieces: to do nothing and wait for her opponent to falter. Nerves did not seem to play a big role for Ju, who remained still and exchanged as many pieces as she could. Eventually, the players arrived in a position with queens, knights and pawns, and it was hard to imagine for Lagno to find a way to break through. Nevertheless, the manoeuvring battle was abruptly interrupted when Kateryna suffered a mental lapse, probably caused by extreme tiredness:

 
Ju Wenjun vs. Lagno - Tiebreak game #4
Position after 34.Nh2

The Russian player hung her queen with 34...Qg6?. Ju Wenjun immediately took the gift and the match was over.

Lagno, who arrived as the third rating favourite, had a phenomenal tournament. She even had the upper hand at the start of the classical phase of the final match, but could not finish off her opponent when she had the chance. The consolation prize — and a big one at that — is that she qualified to the 2019 Women's Candidates Tournament, together with Alexandra Kosteniuk and Mariya Muzychuk.

It was a fine result for Kateryna Lagno

On a final note, Arkady Dvorkovich — who flew in for the tiebreaks — talked about the upcoming cycle in the post-game press conference. He announced that the winner of the Candidates will play Ju Wenjun in a match for the crown. Then, he also explained that the cycle that will follow that match will include, much like in the absolute cycle, a Grand Prix series, a World Cup and will award places in the Candidates based on ratings.

Flowers and gifts for the winners

All games and commentary

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nc3 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Be2 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.0-0 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 b6 11.Rfd1 LiveBook: 5 Games. B54: Sicilian: 2...d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4, Unusual Lines e5 11...Bb7 12.f3 Qc8 13.Rac1 Rd8 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.Nb5 Ne5 16.b4 Qb8 17.Qb2 a6 18.Nd4 Nd7 ½-½ (39) Jankovic,A (2569)-Loncar,R (2424) Rijeka 2010 12.Qd2 Bb7N Predecessor: 12...Ng4 13.Bxg4 Bxg4 14.f3 Be6 15.b3 f5 16.exf5 Rxf5 17.Nb5 d5 18.cxd5 Bd7 1-0 (29) Delithanasis,D (2259)-Poteas,I (2152) Athens 2003 13.f3 White is better. Qd7 14.a4 Ba6 15.a5 Qc7 15...Qb7± 16.Ra4 Qb8 16.axb6+- axb6 17.c5       Bxe2 18.cxb6 Qb7 18...Qd8 19.Qxe2 Less strong is 19.Nxe2 d5± 19...Nd7 20.Nd5 White is clearly winning. Bd8 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.Qb5
And now b7 would win. 22...Nb8 23.b7 Qa2 24.Rc1 f5 25.exf5 h6 26.Rc8 Qb1+ 27.Qf1 Qxb2 28.Rxb8 Qb3 29.Rc8 Qxb7 30.Qc4 Kh7 31.f6 Qb1+ 32.Qc1 Qxc1+ 33.Bxc1 g5 34.Ba3 Precision: White = 100%, Black = 25%.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Muzychuk,A2564Hamid,R19351–02018B40FIDE WCC 20181.1
Koneru,H2548Toubal,H18701–02018D31FIDE WCC 20181.1
Goryachkina,A2534Ouellet,M2125½–½2018D55FIDE WCC 20181.1
Tan,Z2513Sun,F21831–02018A05FIDE WCC 20181.1
Harika,D2498Khukhashvili,S2316½–½2018B51FIDE WCC 20181.1
Paehtz,E2495Alinasab,M22360–12018D23FIDE WCC 20181.1
Zhao,X2478Lujan,C23641–02018E06FIDE WCC 20181.1
Saduakassova,D2474Matnadze,A2372½–½2018D43FIDE WCC 20181.1
Batsiashvili,N2465Arakhamia-Grant,K23731–02018D25FIDE WCC 20181.1
Pogonina,N2465Kulkarni Bhakti22561–02018A06FIDE WCC 20181.1
Lei,T2457Gara,A2370½–½2018D20FIDE WCC 20181.1
Hoang,T2448Danielian,E2426½–½2018D05FIDE WCC 20181.1
Atalik,E2445Cori T.,D2406½–½2018A05FIDE WCC 20181.1
Ushenina,A2440Mkrtchian,L23961–02018D10FIDE WCC 20181.1
Ni,S2436Zhukova,N23750–12018C07FIDE WCC 20181.1
Tokhirjonova,G2435Kashlinskaya,A24771–02018C42FIDE WCC 20181.1
Krush,I2434Gaponenko,I2420½–½2018E94FIDE WCC 20181.1
Guseva,M2413Zawadzka,J2407½–½2018D38FIDE WCC 20181.1
Shvayger,Y2389Socko,M24630–12018B06FIDE WCC 20181.1
Vega Gutierrez,S2389Bodnaruk,A2426½–½2018B90FIDE WCC 20181.1
Zhu,J2379Javakhishvili,L24771–02018B36FIDE WCC 20181.1
Nakhbayeva,G2367Galliamova,A2432½–½2018D47FIDE WCC 20181.1
Vo,T2354Khotenashvili,B2477½–½2018D80FIDE WCC 20181.1
Zhai,M2352Girya,O24811–02018B12FIDE WCC 20181.1
Padmini,R2341Abdumalik,Z2473½–½2018A34FIDE WCC 20181.1
Miranda Llanes,Y2267Dzagnidze,N25160–12018E21FIDE WCC 20181.1
Foisor,S2264Stefanova,A2490½–½2018D31FIDE WCC 20181.1
Aliaga Fernandez,I2194Gunina,V24970–12018B10FIDE WCC 20181.1
Wafa,S2145Muzychuk,M25450–12018B66FIDE WCC 20181.1
Vazquez Maccarini,D2065Kosteniuk,A25430–12018C23FIDE WCC 20181.1
February,J1922Lagno,K25560–12018B06FIDE WCC 20181.1
Hardegen,K1832Ju,W25680–12018C60FIDE WCC 20181.1
Ju,W2568Hardegen,K18321–02018D11FIDE WCC 20181.2
Lagno,K2556February,J19221–02018B31FIDE WCC 20181.2
Muzychuk,M2545Wafa,S21451–02018B67FIDE WCC 20181.2
Kosteniuk,A2543Vazquez Maccarini,D20651–02018C64FIDE WCC 20181.2
Dzagnidze,N2516Miranda Llanes,Y22671–02018E32FIDE WCC 20181.2
Gunina,V2497Aliaga Fernandez,I2194½–½2018E06FIDE WCC 20181.2
Stefanova,A2490Foisor,S2264½–½2018A05FIDE WCC 20181.2
Girya,O2481Zhai,M23520–12018D85FIDE WCC 20181.2
Javakhishvili,L2477Zhu,J23790–12018A80FIDE WCC 20181.2
Kashlinskaya,A2477Tokhirjonova,G2435½–½2018D20FIDE WCC 20181.2
Khotenashvili,B2477Vo,T23541–02018D37FIDE WCC 20181.2
Abdumalik,Z2473Padmini,R2341½–½2018C65FIDE WCC 20181.2
Socko,M2463Shvayger,Y2389½–½2018D30FIDE WCC 20181.2
Galliamova,A2432Nakhbayeva,G2367½–½2018E04FIDE WCC 20181.2
Bodnaruk,A2426Vega Gutierrez,S2389½–½2018B30FIDE WCC 20181.2
Danielian,E2426Hoang,T2448½–½2018A04FIDE WCC 20181.2
Gaponenko,I2420Krush,I2434½–½2018B69FIDE WCC 20181.2
Zawadzka,J2407Guseva,M24131–02018B18FIDE WCC 20181.2
Cori T.,D2406Atalik,E2445½–½2018D71FIDE WCC 20181.2
Mkrtchian,L2396Ushenina,A2440½–½2018B36FIDE WCC 20181.2
Zhukova,N2375Ni,S24360–12018D10FIDE WCC 20181.2
Arakhamia-Grant,K2373Batsiashvili,N24650–12018C00FIDE WCC 20181.2
Matnadze,A2372Saduakassova,D2474½–½2018A46FIDE WCC 20181.2
Gara,A2370Lei,T2457½–½2018C50FIDE WCC 20181.2
Lujan,C2364Zhao,X24780–12018C50FIDE WCC 20181.2
Khukhashvili,S2316Harika,D2498½–½2018C44FIDE WCC 20181.2
Kulkarni Bhakti2256Pogonina,N2465½–½2018D31FIDE WCC 20181.2
Alinasab,M2236Paehtz,E2495½–½2018B84FIDE WCC 20181.2
Sun,F2183Tan,Z2513½–½2018C65FIDE WCC 20181.2
Ouellet,M2125Goryachkina,A25340–12018E54FIDE WCC 20181.2
Hamid,R1935Muzychuk,A25640–12018C88FIDE WCC 20181.2
Toubal,H1870Koneru,H25480–12018D02FIDE WCC 20181.2
Harika,D2498Khukhashvili,S2316½–½2018B28FIDE WCC 20181.3
Stefanova,A2490Foisor,S22641–02018A05FIDE WCC 20181.3
Saduakassova,D2474Matnadze,A23721–02018D37FIDE WCC 20181.3
Abdumalik,Z2473Padmini,R2341½–½2018C65FIDE WCC 20181.3
Lei,T2457Gara,A23701–02018A37FIDE WCC 20181.3
Hoang,T2448Danielian,E24261–02018A46FIDE WCC 20181.3
Krush,I2434Gaponenko,I24201–02018E94FIDE WCC 20181.3
Cori T.,D2406Atalik,E24450–12018A05FIDE WCC 20181.3
Vega Gutierrez,S2389Bodnaruk,A24260–12018B90FIDE WCC 20181.3
Zhukova,N2375Ni,S2436½–½2018B14FIDE WCC 20181.3
Nakhbayeva,G2367Galliamova,A24320–12018D25FIDE WCC 20181.3
Atalik,E2445Cori T.,D24061–02018A16FIDE WCC 20181.4
Ni,S2436Zhukova,N2375½–½2018C07FIDE WCC 20181.4
Galliamova,A2432Nakhbayeva,G2367½–½2018A04FIDE WCC 20181.4
Bodnaruk,A2426Vega Gutierrez,S2389½–½2018B30FIDE WCC 20181.4
Danielian,E2426Hoang,T2448½–½2018A10FIDE WCC 20181.4
Gaponenko,I2420Krush,I24340–12018B60FIDE WCC 20181.4
Matnadze,A2372Saduakassova,D24740–12018A46FIDE WCC 20181.4
Gara,A2370Lei,T24570–12018C54FIDE WCC 20181.4
Padmini,R2341Abdumalik,Z24730–12018A34FIDE WCC 20181.4
Khukhashvili,S2316Harika,D24980–12018C42FIDE WCC 20181.4
Foisor,S2264Stefanova,A24900–12018D31FIDE WCC 20181.4
Zhukova,N2375Ni,S24360–12018A11FIDE WCC 20181.5
Ni,S2436Zhukova,N2375½–½2018C03FIDE WCC 20181.6
Ju,W2568Krush,I24341–02018D20FIDE WCC 20182.1
Lagno,K2556Hoang,T2448½–½2018C07FIDE WCC 20182.1
Muzychuk,M2545Atalik,E24450–12018B18FIDE WCC 20182.1
Kosteniuk,A2543Ni,S2436½–½2018C42FIDE WCC 20182.1
Dzagnidze,N2516Lei,T2457½–½2018A13FIDE WCC 20182.1
Gunina,V2497Ushenina,A2440½–½2018E04FIDE WCC 20182.1
Stefanova,A2490Saduakassova,D2474½–½2018E06FIDE WCC 20182.1
Khotenashvili,B2477Harika,D2498½–½2018A45FIDE WCC 20182.1
Abdumalik,Z2473Zhao,X2478½–½2018C42FIDE WCC 20182.1
Socko,M2463Alinasab,M22360–12018D25FIDE WCC 20182.1
Tokhirjonova,G2435Tan,Z2513½–½2018C42FIDE WCC 20182.1
Galliamova,A2432Goryachkina,A25341–02018D47FIDE WCC 20182.1
Bodnaruk,A2426Muzychuk,A25640–12018B33FIDE WCC 20182.1
Zawadzka,J2407Koneru,H2548½–½2018C42FIDE WCC 20182.1
Zhu,J2379Pogonina,N24651–02018C26FIDE WCC 20182.1
Zhai,M2352Batsiashvili,N24651–02018E21FIDE WCC 20182.1
Muzychuk,A2564Bodnaruk,A24261–02018B31FIDE WCC 20182.2
Koneru,H2548Zawadzka,J24070–12018D37FIDE WCC 20182.2
Goryachkina,A2534Galliamova,A24320–12018C60FIDE WCC 20182.2
Tan,Z2513Tokhirjonova,G2435½–½2018D25FIDE WCC 20182.2
Harika,D2498Khotenashvili,B2477½–½2018B10FIDE WCC 20182.2
Zhao,X2478Abdumalik,Z2473½–½2018D85FIDE WCC 20182.2
Saduakassova,D2474Stefanova,A2490½–½2018C54FIDE WCC 20182.2
Batsiashvili,N2465Zhai,M23520–12018A06FIDE WCC 20182.2
Pogonina,N2465Zhu,J23791–02018A80FIDE WCC 20182.2
Lei,T2457Dzagnidze,N25161–02018B90FIDE WCC 20182.2
Hoang,T2448Lagno,K2556½–½2018A48FIDE WCC 20182.2
Atalik,E2445Muzychuk,M25450–12018A57FIDE WCC 20182.2
Ushenina,A2440Gunina,V24970–12018E20FIDE WCC 20182.2
Ni,S2436Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018C93FIDE WCC 20182.2
Krush,I2434Ju,W2568½–½2018A06FIDE WCC 20182.2
Alinasab,M2236Socko,M24631–02018B09FIDE WCC 20182.2
Muzychuk,M2545Atalik,E2445½–½2018B12FIDE WCC 20182.3
Kosteniuk,A2543Ni,S24361–02018C42FIDE WCC 20182.3
Zhao,X2478Abdumalik,Z24730–12018A62FIDE WCC 20182.3
Saduakassova,D2474Stefanova,A24900–12018C55FIDE WCC 20182.3
Hoang,T2448Lagno,K25560–12018A48FIDE WCC 20182.3
Tokhirjonova,G2435Tan,Z25131–02018C65FIDE WCC 20182.3
Zhu,J2379Pogonina,N2465½–½2018C51FIDE WCC 20182.3
Lagno,K2556Hoang,T24481–02018C03FIDE WCC 20182.4
Muzychuk,M2545Atalik,E2445½–½2018B12FIDE WCC 20182.4
Kosteniuk,A2543Ni,S24361–02018C42FIDE WCC 20182.4
Tan,Z2513Tokhirjonova,G2435½–½2018A20FIDE WCC 20182.4
Harika,D2498Khotenashvili,B2477½–½2018B10FIDE WCC 20182.4
Stefanova,A2490Saduakassova,D2474½–½2018A47FIDE WCC 20182.4
Zhao,X2478Abdumalik,Z24730–12018A62FIDE WCC 20182.4
Khotenashvili,B2477Harika,D24980–12018B08FIDE WCC 20182.4
Saduakassova,D2474Stefanova,A24900–12018C55FIDE WCC 20182.4
Pogonina,N2465Zhu,J2379½–½2018D70FIDE WCC 20182.4
Hoang,T2448Lagno,K25560–12018A48FIDE WCC 20182.4
Atalik,E2445Muzychuk,M25450–12018D43FIDE WCC 20182.4
Ni,S2436Kosteniuk,A25430–12018C88FIDE WCC 20182.4
Tokhirjonova,G2435Tan,Z25131–02018C65FIDE WCC 20182.4
Zhu,J2379Pogonina,N2465½–½2018C51FIDE WCC 20182.4
Abdumalik,Z2473Zhao,X24781–02018B04FIDE WCC 20182.5
Pogonina,N2465Zhu,J23791–02018E73FIDE WCC 20182.5
Pogonina,N2465Zhu,J2379½–½2018D70FIDE WCC 20182.5
Zhu,J2379Pogonina,N24650–12018C51FIDE WCC 20182.6
Muzychuk,A2564Stefanova,A24901–02018C42FIDE WCC 20183.1
Harika,D2498Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018E01FIDE WCC 20183.1
Pogonina,N2465Lagno,K2556½–½2018A48FIDE WCC 20183.1
Tokhirjonova,G2435Gunina,V24971–02018B12FIDE WCC 20183.1
Galliamova,A2432Lei,T2457½–½2018E06FIDE WCC 20183.1
Zawadzka,J2407Abdumalik,Z24731–02018C54FIDE WCC 20183.1
Zhai,M2352Ju,W25680–12018A20FIDE WCC 20183.1
Alinasab,M2236Muzychuk,M2545½–½2018B33FIDE WCC 20183.1
Ju,W2568Zhai,M2352½–½2018B38FIDE WCC 20183.2
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N2465½–½2018C95FIDE WCC 20183.2
Muzychuk,M2545Alinasab,M22361–02018D20FIDE WCC 20183.2
Kosteniuk,A2543Harika,D2498½–½2018C09FIDE WCC 20183.2
Gunina,V2497Tokhirjonova,G24351–02018D25FIDE WCC 20183.2
Stefanova,A2490Muzychuk,A25641–02018D00FIDE WCC 20183.2
Abdumalik,Z2473Zawadzka,J24071–02018C71FIDE WCC 20183.2
Lei,T2457Galliamova,A2432½–½2018C60FIDE WCC 20183.2
Muzychuk,A2564Stefanova,A2490½–½2018C65FIDE WCC 20183.3
Kosteniuk,A2543Harika,D24981–02018C09FIDE WCC 20183.3
Abdumalik,Z2473Zawadzka,J24071–02018B01FIDE WCC 20183.3
Pogonina,N2465Lagno,K2556½–½2018E62FIDE WCC 20183.3
Tokhirjonova,G2435Gunina,V24971–02018B12FIDE WCC 20183.3
Galliamova,A2432Lei,T24570–12018A05FIDE WCC 20183.3
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N2465½–½2018C95FIDE WCC 20183.4
Harika,D2498Kosteniuk,A25431–02018E04FIDE WCC 20183.4
Gunina,V2497Tokhirjonova,G24350–12018A40FIDE WCC 20183.4
Stefanova,A2490Muzychuk,A25640–12018D00FIDE WCC 20183.4
Lei,T2457Galliamova,A24321–02018A50FIDE WCC 20183.4
Zawadzka,J2407Abdumalik,Z2473½–½2018C44FIDE WCC 20183.4
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N2465½–½2018C95FIDE WCC 20183.5
Kosteniuk,A2543Harika,D24981–02018C08FIDE WCC 20183.5
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N24651–02018C47FIDE WCC 20183.6
Harika,D2498Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018E04FIDE WCC 20183.6
Pogonina,N2465Lagno,K2556½–½2018D71FIDE WCC 20183.6
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N24651–02018C47FIDE WCC 20183.7
Pogonina,N2465Lagno,K25561–02018D71FIDE WCC 20183.8
Lagno,K2556Pogonina,N24651–02018C95FIDE WCC 20183.9
Ju,W2568Tokhirjonova,G2435½–½2018A40FIDE WCC 20184.1
Lagno,K2556Lei,T24571–02018C42FIDE WCC 20184.1
Muzychuk,M2545Abdumalik,Z24730–12018B41FIDE WCC 20184.1
Kosteniuk,A2543Muzychuk,A2564½–½2018B33FIDE WCC 20184.1
Muzychuk,A2564Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018C88FIDE WCC 20184.2
Abdumalik,Z2473Muzychuk,M25450–12018B47FIDE WCC 20184.2
Lei,T2457Lagno,K25560–12018C78FIDE WCC 20184.2
Tokhirjonova,G2435Ju,W25680–12018C42FIDE WCC 20184.2
Kosteniuk,A2543Muzychuk,A25641–02018B33FIDE WCC 20184.3
Abdumalik,Z2473Muzychuk,M25450–12018B18FIDE WCC 20184.3
Muzychuk,A2564Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018A03FIDE WCC 20184.4
Muzychuk,M2545Abdumalik,Z24730–12018B41FIDE WCC 20184.4
Muzychuk,M2545Abdumalik,Z24731–02018B41FIDE WCC 20184.5
Abdumalik,Z2473Muzychuk,M25451–02018B18FIDE WCC 20184.6
Muzychuk,M2545Abdumalik,Z24731–02018B41FIDE WCC 20184.7
Abdumalik,Z2473Muzychuk,M2545½–½2018B18FIDE WCC 20184.8
Muzychuk,M2545Lagno,K2556½–½2018C67FIDE WCC 20185.1
Kosteniuk,A2543Ju,W25680–12018C07FIDE WCC 20185.1
Ju,W2568Kosteniuk,A2543½–½2018A56FIDE WCC 20185.2
Lagno,K2556Muzychuk,M2545½–½2018C80FIDE WCC 20185.2
Lagno,K2556Muzychuk,M25451–02018C83FIDE WCC 20185.3
Muzychuk,M2545Lagno,K25560–12018C65FIDE WCC 20185.4
Ju,W2568Lagno,K2556½–½2018E61FIDE WCC 20186.1
Lagno,K2556Ju,W25681–02018A05FIDE WCC 20186.2
Ju,W2568Lagno,K2556½–½2018E70FIDE WCC 20186.3
Lagno,K2556Ju,W25680–12018B31FIDE WCC 20186.4
Ju,W2568Lagno,K2556½–½2018D20FIDE WCC 20186.6
Lagno,K2556Ju,W2568½–½2018A06FIDE WCC 20186.6
Ju,W2568Lagno,K25561–02018A41FIDE WCC 20186.8
Lagno,K2556Ju,W25680–12018A06FIDE WCC 20186.8

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Correction: Ju becomes the first player since Xie Jun in 2000 to defend her title in the knockout format. Xie defeated Alisa Galliamova in a match in 1999.

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Antonio is a freelance writer and a philologist. He is mainly interested in the links between chess and culture, primarily literature. In chess games, he skews towards endgames and positional play.

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