
Tournament conditions
The Women's World Chess Championship takes place from March 17 – April 7 in Sochi, Russia . The knock-out tournament is attended by 64 players, including the former World Champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia), Anna Ushenina (Ukraine), and Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria), the three-time Russian champion Valentina Gunina, the World Vice-Champion Humpy Koneru (India), and other leading grandmasters. Unfortunately, the reigning champion Hou Yifan was unable to come due to personal reasons, but she will still have an opportunity to challenge the new champion in a match, as the winner of the FIDE Grand Prix.
The first five rounds consist of mini-matches of two games with 90 moves per 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with bonus 30 seconds per each move. The final match consists of four games.
If the match score is tied, its winner is determined on tiebreak: two rapid games of 25 minutes + 10 seconds per move. If the score remains equal, the players proceed to another two games with a slightly faster time control – 10 minutes + 10 seconds per move. If these games do not determine the winner as well, then there are two blitz games: 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move. Finally, if the score is still even, there is an Armageddon game: White has five minutes, Black has four minutes, and a three-second increment per move after the move 61.
Round two - game one
32 participants of the Women's World Chess Championship returned today to the SCC Galactica (Sochi, Krasnaya Polyana) to play the first games of the second round.

Round two, and another nerve-wracking day
In the Russian clash between Valentina Gunina and Olga Girya a quiet opening turned into wild complications after White initiated a risky kingside expansion. Soon Gunina sacrificed a piece, playing in the style of Mikhail Tal – her sacrifice might have been unsound, but was very enterprising and led to a very sharp game. Girya did not find the correct response, and Gunina developed a winning attack.

All smiles and well-wishing on the surface between Olga Girya (left) and Valentina Gunina (right)

Olga Girya strolls between the tables, though her tranquility would soon be shattered
Valentina Gunina vs Olgar Girya
1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Rc8 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.Nb3 c5 14.dxc5 Be4 15.Qc3 Bd5 16.Rac1 Bxb3 17.Qxb3 Bxc5 18.e3 Qb6 19.Rc2 Rc7 20.Ne5 Rfc8 21.Rd1 g6 22.Rcd2 Be7 23.g4! Rc5 24.Nd3 Rg5 25.h3 h5 26.gxh5 Rxh5 27.Nf4 Rhc5 28.Nxg6! fxg6 29.Rd6! Bxd6? 29...Qc7 30.Qxe6+ Kf8 31.Rxa6 Re5 32.Qc6 32.Qb3 Rg5 30.Qxe6+ Kh7 31.Rxd6 Rc1+? 31...Qc7 32.Qxf6 Qg7 33.Qe6 Rc1+ 34.Kh2 R1c7 35.Rxa6 32.Kh2 Qc7 33.Qxf6 Rc2 34.Qxg6+ Kh8 35.Qh5+ Kg8 36.Bd5+ Kg7 37.Qh6# 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Gunina,V | 2528 | Girya,O | 2459 | 1–0 | 2015 | E06 | WCh Women 2015 | 2.6 |
Please, wait...
White also won in the second Russian derby – Alisa Galliamova vs. Tatiana Kosintseva. Galliamova got a small but lasting advantage in the opening, creating pressure against Black's weak pawns. Kosintseva replied with a pawn sacrifice, aiming at a rook ending with good drawing chances. However, Galliamova countered her plan, kept an extra pawn and carefully converted this advantage into a win.

Eteri Kublashvili working the shot

The ex-World Champion Alexandra Kosteinuk (Russia) defeated Shen
Yang (China) with Black pieces. In the middlegame Kosteniuk found a
great knight move deserving of the beauty prize!
Shen Yang vs Alexandra Kosteniuk

In this position, Alexandra Kostyeniuk had already built a solid advantage as
black, but after White's last imprecision, she pounces. Black to play and win.

Aleksandra Goryachkina drew against Anna Muzychuk
Victoria Cmilyte (Lithuania), playing with Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (Russia), capitalized on her middlegame mistakes in the sharp Botvinnik variation.

The longest game of the day was Lei Tingjie (China) – Humpy Koneru (India): it took six
hours for the rating favorite to finally break the resistance of the young Chinese opponent.
Solutions to position:
23...Nc5‼ 24.dxc5 24.Qxb4? Nd3+ 24.Qc2? Nd3+ 25.Kb1 Rxf2 26.Rxf2 Nxf2 27.Rg1 Rf8 28.g5 Nd3-+ 24...Bxd2+ 25.Kxd2 Qxe5 26.Kc1 d4! 27.exd4 Rxd4 28.Kb1 Rd2 29.h5 g5 30.h6 Kb8 31.Rd1 Rdxf2 32.Rhe1 Kc8 33.a3 Re8 34.Qb4 e3 35.Qd4 Qxd4 36.Rxd4 Rf4 37.Rd3 e2 38.Kc2 Rxg4 39.Kd2 Rge4 40.Rg3 Rd8+ 41.Kc2 Rd5 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Shen,Y | 2459 | Kosteniuk,A | 2529 | 0–1 | 2015 | E10 | WCh Women 2015 | 2.5 |
Please, wait...
Round two results
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Lei, Tingjie |
CHN |
2444 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
Koneru, Humpy |
IND |
2581 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Ju, Wenjun |
CHN |
2557 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Pogonina, Natalia |
RUS |
2456 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Goryachkina, Aleksandra |
RUS |
2456 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Muzychuk, Anna |
UKR |
2552 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Cmilyte, Vktorija |
LTU |
2530 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina |
RUS |
2438 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Shen, Yang |
CHN |
2459 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
Kosteniuk, Alexandra |
RUS |
2529 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Gunina, Valentina |
RUS |
2528 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Girya, Olga |
RUS |
2459 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Melia, Salome |
GEO |
2459 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Zhao, Xue |
CHN |
2527 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Muzychuk, Mariya |
UKR |
2526 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Socko, Monika |
POL |
2463 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Gaponenko, Inna |
UKR |
2384 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Stefanova, Antoaneta |
BUL |
2552 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Khotenashvili, Bela |
GEO |
2513 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Huang, Qian |
CHN |
2473 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Arakhamia-Grant, Ketevan |
SCO |
2379 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Cramling, Pia |
SWE |
2495 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Harika, Dronavalli |
IND |
2492 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Krush, Irina |
USA |
2477 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Arabidze, Meri |
GEO |
2374 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Marrero Lopez, Yaniet |
CUB |
2322 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Tan, Zhongyi |
CHN |
2487 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Javakhishvili, Lela |
GEO |
2481 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Sebag, Marie |
FRA |
2482 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Ushenina, Anna |
UKR |
2486 |
½ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
Player |
Fed |
Rtg |
G1 |
G2 |
G3 |
G4 |
G5 |
G6 |
G7 |
G8 |
G9 |
Pts |
Galliamova, Alisa |
RUS |
2484 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Kosintseva, Tatiana |
RUS |
2483 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
Schedule
Round 1 - 64 players |
March 17 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 18 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 19 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
Round 2 - 32 players |
March 20 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 21 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 22 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
Round 3 - 16 players |
March 23 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 24 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 25 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
Round 4 - 8 players |
March 26 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 27 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 28 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
Round 5 - 4 players |
March 29 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 30 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
March 31 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
Rest day - April, 1 |
Round 6 - 2 players |
April 2 |
Game 1 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
April 3 |
Game 2 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
April 4 |
Game 3 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
April 5 |
Game 4 |
3:00 p.m. local time |
April 6 |
Tie breaks |
3:00 p.m. local time |
April 7 |
Closing Ceremony* |
|
*Closing Ceremony can be shifted to
April 6 in the absence of tie breaks |
Report by Albert Silver and Eteri Kublashvili
Photos by Eteri Kublashvili and Anastasia Karlovich