5/18/2018 – Ju Wenjun has done it: In the tenth and final game of the World Championship match against Tan Zhongyi, she secured herself a world title with a draw. Tan had to win the game, and looked desperately for opportunities, but she could do nothing against the very careful play of Ju Wenjun. | Photo: Gu Xiaobang

5/16/2018 – The ninth game of the Women's World Championship match between reigning World Champion Tan Zhongyi and challenger Ju Wenjun ended in a draw. Before the tenth and final game Ju now leads 5-4 and Tan must win the tenth game to reach a tie-break. However, Tan was lucky to get this chance. Because in game nine she was again on the verge of defeat. | Photo: Gu Xiaobang

5/13/2018 – The seventh game of the Women's World Championship match between reigning World Champion Tan Zhongyi and challenger Ju Wenjun was drawn after 33 moves. Ju Wenjun now leads by 4-3 and Tan Zhongyi has only three more games to catch up and to keep her title. | Photos: Gu Xiaobing

3/2/2017 – The third game of the Women's World Chess Championship in Tehran saw one of the best games of the tournament so far! What else could make a championship as spectacular as this than to have the the best games of the event take place in the very last rounds! Trailing by a point, Anna Muzychuk could not believe her eyes when she was given the chance for the classic Greek gift with a bishop sac on h7. Full report with analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

5/20/2016 – At fourteen she was the youngest female player ever to gain the title of grandmaster, and at sixteen she became the youngest Women's World Champion in history. She has won the title four times and is the reigning champion. Now Hou Yifan, 100 points stronger than any of her colleagues, has abandoned the Women's Championship cycle. She tells us why and calls for a reform of the system. Her proposal is amazingly simple.

3/22/2015 – In round two of the Women's World Championship in Sochi number two seed Ju Wenjun had to give up all hopes of becoming World Champion after losing against Natalja Pogonina. But most of the favorites prevailed, and Valentina Gunina (picture) and Humpy Koneru even won their fourth game in a row. Five matches were drawn and will be decided in the tie-break.

3/18/2015 – It would be surprising not to see any surprises at the Women's World Championship. After all, it is a knock-out tournament. But the first round brought hardly any upsets, the favorites won or drew, hoping for better opportunities in the second game. With one exception: Yuan Yuanling used a lethal counter to win against Marya Muzychuk.

9/25/2013 – Women's World Champion Anna Ushenina took a pounding in the World Championship match that ended in Taizhou, China, last week. Challenger Hou Yifan won four games – while three were drawn. That in spite of the fact that "Anya" had some top-class seconds. One of them, former FIDE world champion Alexander Khalifman describes the ordeal in this indepth interview.

9/20/2013 – In a desperate last-ditch attempt to take her opponent out of book, reigning champion Anna Ushenina played a rather bizarre Najdorf, but to no avail. The 19-year-old challenger Hou Yifan soon obtained a pleasent edge and, with some precise play, wrapped up the game and the World Championship in 40 moves. Final report with extensive analysis by IM Elisabeth Pähtz.

9/18/2013 – It's all but over. Challenger Hou Yifan won her third black game in a row to take a commanding lead over reigning world women's champion Anna Ushenina, who must now contrive to win three of the remaining four games just to stay in the match. It looks very much as if the 19-year-old Chinese GM will regain the title she first won at sixteen. Report and analysis.

9/17/2013 – On Tuesday Challenger Hou Yifan had a second white, and she once again played the aggressive Keres Attack she had used in the previous game. A theoretical battle ensued, with many exchanges leading to an even endgame. On move 21 women's world champion Anna Ushenina missed a chance and the game was drawn in 61 moves. Round five report with analysis by Tania Sachdev.

9/15/2013 – The second white by the challenger, who has won both her black games, was a Sicilian Scheveningen in which Hou Yifan executed the aggressive Keres Attack (7.g4 after 6...e6). She gained enough advantage to play for a win, but the women's world champion Anna Ushenina defended well and the game ended in a draw. Round four report with beautiful photos by Anastasiya Karlovich.

9/14/2013 – Hou Yifan played a classical Nimzo-Indian and had her opponent thinking for 40 minutes after move 15. World Champion Anna Ushenina did not find the right path and soon found herself in serious trouble. Her 19-year-old Chinese challenger took the initiative, played some precise moves and forced Ushenina's resignation after just 24 moves. Round three report with pictures and videos.

9/12/2013 – The second game of the Women's World Championship that is being currently played in China was a Sicilian Pelikan/Sveshnikov that followed theory for 17 moves. Challenger Hou Yifan seemed unfamiliar with the position and decided to simplify the position quickly to obtain a draw rather than allow complications that could turn against her. Commentary and pictures.

3/25/2006 – After winning her first game and drawing the second, Chinese WGM Xu Yuhua today took the title at the Women's World Chess Championship by defeating her opponent, IM Alisa Galliamova of Russia, with the black pieces. According to our calculations this makes Xu the eleventh champion, since Vera Menchik first won the title in 1927. Congratulations Xu!

3/24/2006 – The Russian hosts were understandably a bit upset. Alisa Galliamova, finalist at the Women's World Championship in Ekaterinburg, showed great resolve and a determination to win. But in the queen ending she did so at the cost of weakening her position, which Chinese WGM Xu Yuhua used to take a critical lead in the match.

3/22/2006 – After both games on day one of the semifinals had ended in tough draws, the decision fell on day two, when both the white players prevailed. Alisa Galliamova of Russia beat Viktorija Cmilyte of Lithuania, while Xu Yuhua of China won a queen and pawn ending against Russian WGM Svetlana Matveeva. The finals begin on Thursday. Report.

3/20/2006 – The women's world championship has traditionally been a battle between the Russians and Georgians, which the latter normally tended to win. In the quarterfinals in Ekaterinburg the remaining players from Georgia, Chiburdanidze and Khurtsidze, were eliminated, while Russians Galliamova and Matveeva went through. Cmilyte and Xu Yuhua are also in. Illustrated report.

3/16/2006 – Of the 13 top ranked players 11 have been eliminated after just three rounds of the Women's World Chess Championship in Ekaterinburg. Only the fourth and fifth seeds, Maia Chiburdanidze and Xu Yuhua remain in the competition. Today saw high drama, some of it brought on by pure fatigue. Even poor Moxi is confused.

3/15/2006 – Round one saw some high-ranking players knocked out, after round two we can bid goodbye to the world's two highest ranking females (after Judit Polgar) and the reigning women's world champion. Only Alexandra Kosteniuk, number four in the world, remains, having won all her games so far. Big report with remarkable pictures by Pufichek.

3/13/2006 – The first round of the 64-player Women's World Championship that is being staged by FIDE in Ekaterinburg, Russia, saw the top rated players going through in their mini-matches, while thee stars, Almira Skripchenko, Elisabeth Pähtz and Kateryna Lahno, were knocked out before they could really get started. Big illustrated report.

3/10/2006 – Sixty-four of the strongest female players in the world have arrived in Ekaterinburg, 1500 km east of Moscow, to play for the FIDE Women's World Championship. One participant is Elisabeth Pähtz, the reigning Junior World Champion from Germany. Elli and her team documented their trip and their arrival in Ekaterinburg. Here's the pictorial report.

2/8/2006 – FIDE has announced the list of players who will take part in the World Women's Championship, to be held from 10-27 March 2006, in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The reigning world champion is Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, who won the title in 2004. We bring you complete lists and lots of pictures.