Category: Uncategorized

In a nail biting finish to the tiebreakers of the semi-final match-ups at the Women’s World Chess Championship at Sochi, Ukranian Mariya Muzychuk was able to fend off the Indian challenge from Dronavalli Harika. In the other clash between Russian Natalia Pogonina and Swedish legend Pia Cramling, the Russian star was able to out-run her older opponent.

Russian GM Pogonina played a marathon game with the white pieces in the second rapid tiebreak game after drawing the first duel to win and qualify for the finals. Thus, she maintains her amazing series of comebacks and had to wait to see who her opponent for the finals would be.

The clash between Indian GM Dronavalli Harika and Ukranian GM Mariya Muzychuk proved to be a dramatic showdown. They played the tiebreak rapid games after drawing both their classical encounters. In the first game with the white pieces, Harika had an assured advantage against Muzychuk’s Dutch defence to which she replied with a double-fianchetto set-up. Unfortunately, she let her advantage slip and ended up losing. Requiring a win with the black pieces in the second tiebreak rapid game, Harika came back strongly in the late middlegame and won, drawing level with her Ukranian opponent.

In the second tiebreak, with a time control of ten minutes each plus ten seconds per move, Muzychuk was able to hold Harika to a draw with black pieces and managed to beat her with white in the second game, thus winning the match-up and moving to the finals.

This sets up an exciting Russia vs. Ukraine duel in the Finals of the Women’s World Chess Championship with GM Natalia Pogonina taking on GM Mariya Muzychuk.

Stay tuned for more updates. You may follow the broadcast of games on your FollowChess App.

Official website: http://sochi2015.fide.com/en/main-page

Pogonina of Russia played an attacking game to beat Pia Cramling of Sweden and avenge her loss in the previous round of the World Women’s chess championship semifinal.

Harika could only manage a draw with White piecespieces against Mariya Muzychuk, inspite of being a pawn up in the Rook endgame.

Both set of players will play Rapid tie breaks tomorrow.

51 year old Pia Cramling of Sweden is on a roll! She beat Pogonina (RUS) in the first semi-final game!!

Harika held Muzychuk to a draw in another exciting game which seemed to sway either way.

Harika will have the benefit of the White pieces on Monday.

In a tragic turn of events, Humpy blundered in a complicated winning position in the second tie break game and was knocked out of the Women’s World Chess championship.

Humpy was the top seed and tournament favorite! All credit goes to Mariya who played some gutsy chess. Per the official twitter account, Mariya was overwhelmed by emotions and was apparently crying!

In other games, Pogonina beat Zhao (CHN) and 51 year old Pia Cramling (!!) Of Sweden beat Mariya’s sister Anna!

Semi final matches:

Muzychuk 2526 (UKR) vs Harika 2492 (IND)

Pogonina (RUS) vs Cramling (SWE)