WWch Rd3 tiebreaks: Nervy and dramatic

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), as well as other leading grandmasters. Unfortunately, the reigning champion Hou Yifan was unable to come for personal reasons, but as the winner of the FIDE Grand Prix she will still be able to challenge the new champion to a match.

The first five rounds consist of mini-matches of two games played at 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game and a 30-second increment per move. The final match will consist of four games.

In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by a series of tiebreak games: two rapid games of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If the score remains equal, the players then proceed to two more games played at 10 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If the score continues tied a final mini-match will be played of two blitz games of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Finally, an Armageddon game will be played to decide the winner in which White has five minutes and Black has four minutes, with a three-second increment per move after move 61. Black will be declared the victor if the game is drawn.

Round three - tiebreaks

In the first rapid game Marie Sebag (France) and Natalia Pogonina (Russia) repeated the line that occurred in the Carlsen-Anand World Championship match (Sochi 2014). Pogonina improved Anand's play and got a comfortable position. Sebag continued playing aggressively, allowing the opponent to seize control of the d-file. As described by Pogonina, "She understandably tried hard for a win, but blundered badly when she was very short on time."

France's Marie Sebag (right) came with a will to win, but her nerves betrayed her in the end

The return game was a wild one in which Marie even had a few chances to win, but desperately short of time, the players erred understandably, and in the end luck was on Pogonina's side as Sebag overstepped her time in a lost position.

Alexandra Kosteniuk was one of the final two Russians left in the competition

Harika Dronavalli (India) played a quiet opening against Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) in their first game, aiming at a complex middlegame, but nothing came of it until the end when Kosteniuk blundered a pawn in a rook ending, after which Dronavalli did not squander her chance.

In spite of the Zen-like posture, shoes off and legs tucked under her, Harika was not quite so calm

In the second game Harika equalized in the opening and even won a pawn. However, Alexandra managed to keep the game alive, and her persistence paid off as her Indian opponent lost control of the position and suddenly it was not so clear, and then at move 61...

Kosteniuk - Dronavalli

In this position, Black just took a pawn on g2. White played 61.Re6+ a terrible
blunder as it condemns the result to a draw. Instead, the body check 61.Ke5!
would have won the game, and forced the tiebreak into a second mini-match.

To be fair, it was a rapid game and both players were extremely short of time. White missed her chance, and Dronavalli thus advanced to the quarterfinals.

Georgian Meri Arabidze was the slightly unexpected winner over Victoria Cmilyte, but earned
it deservingly, acknowledged graciously by the Lithuanian

The young Georgian Meri Arabidze showed excellent technique against Victoria Cmilyte (Lithuania), defeating her in the first game as she converted a strong centralized rook into a winning endgame. In the return game Cmilyte created massive complications and won a pawn, however, Meri showed great tenacity and held the draw, securing her spot into the Last Eight.

During the event, activities, seminars, and more are organized to promote the game

Anastasia Karlovich holding a princess in her arms

Vladimir Barsky has been providing photos at the site and for the Russian Chess Federation

Report by Albert Silver and Eteri Kublashvili
Photos by Eteri Kublashvili, Anastasia Karlovich, and Vladimir Barsky

Round 3 pairings / results

Schedule

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN 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 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.