WWCC R02: Humpy on the attack, Hou Yifan holds

by ChessBase
11/15/2011 – After being surprised in the opening, Hou Yifan forced simplifications into a drawish endgame. However, Humpy would have none of that! She pressed hard trying to create something out of nothing, and almost achieved it. However in the end it was impossible to take advantage of her opponent's weak king, and the game ended in another hard fought draw. Updated report with GM analysis.

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The FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship Match between the current World Champion Hou Yifan of China and her challenger, Koneru Humpy of India, is being staged in the Triana International Hotel from November 14 to 30. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. The winner of the ten-game match is the first player to reach 5.5 points or more. The prize fund is 200,000 Euro, with 60% going to the winner. The games start at 15:00h local time, which is also Central European Time = 17:00 Moscow, 19:30 New Delhi, 22:00h Beijing and 09:00 New York. You can find the starting time for other locations here.

Game two

After being surprised in the opening, Hou Yifan decided to not take any risks and forced simplifications into a drawish endgame. However, Humpy would have none of that! She pressed hard trying to create something out of nothing, and almost achieved it. However at the end, for all the nagging pressure she was able to exert, it was impossible to take advantage of her opponent's weak king – which was her only weakness. The game ended in another hard fought draw. We bring you analysis by GM Alejandro Ramirez.

Pictorial impressions of game two

By Frederic Friedel


These are such nice girls! When I photograph them they look into the camera and smile


Yifan (her "first name"), the 17-year-old women's world champion


5D MK2 (and WGM) Nastja Karlovich in action


Arbiter Carol Jarecki with a modern chess arbiting tool: the Garrett Super Scanner


Only for the players, please! Arbiter Panagiotis Nikolopoulos guards Hou Yifans snack table


Camera lady Li Jin Yu from CCTV


Arbiter NIkolopoulos starts the clocks for round two


Yifan thought for over a minute after Humpy's 2...Nf6 in the Petroff...


... before playing 3.Ne5 and launching into a popular line 3...d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3


The stare: Humpy sizes up her opponent


It soon becomes clear that Black wants more than the usual Petroff draw


What the Arbiter sees: Panagiotis Nikolopoulos with his "surveillance monitor"


With repetition looming before move 42...


... Humpy waits for her opponent to return from a bathroom break


At the press conference after the game (with Nastja Karlovich in the middle)


The reigning World Champion takes questions from the public...


... and then is interviewed by two Chinese channels


After that it is the turn of her (sole) trainer GM Ye Jiangchuan


Ye Jiangchuan and Li Jin Yu, reporter from CCTV China

Remaining schedule

Wednesday    16 November 2011 Rest day
Thursday 17 November 2011 Game three
Friday 18 November 2011 Game four
Saturday 19 November 2011 Rest day
Sunday 20 November 2011 Game five
Monday 21 November 2011 Game six
Tuesday 22 November 2011 Rest day
Wednesday 23 November 2011 Game seven
Thursday 24 November 2011 Game eight
Friday 25 November 2011 Rest day
Saturday 26 November 2011 Game nine
Sunday 27 November 2011 Rest day
Monday 28 November 2011 Game ten
Tuesday 29 November 2011 Rest day
Wednesday 30 November 2011 Tie-break, closing   

Links

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 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

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