Women's World Chess Championship 2015

Last updated
Women's World Chess Championship 2015
Mariya Muzychuk 2013.jpg
Mariya Muzychuk, winner of the 2015 championship
Location Sochi, Russia
Dates16 March – 7 April 2015
Competitors64
Champion
Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk
←  2013
2016  →

The Women's World Chess Championship was held from 16 March to 7 April 2015 in Sochi, Russia. It was a 64-player knockout tournament. It was originally scheduled from 11 to 31 October 2014 but problems in finding a sponsor and host city eventually forced international chess organisation FIDE to announce the postponement of the Championship on 24 September 2014, [1] scheduling it for early 2015 in Sochi. [2] The unclear state of the tournament was highly criticised by the Association of Chess Professionals (ACP). [3]

Contents

In the final, Ukrainian Mariya Muzychuk, seeded 8th, defeated Russian Natalia Pogonina, seeded 31st. As a result of this victory, Muzychuk was awarded the title of Grandmaster (GM), qualified for the FIDE World Cup 2015, and earned the right to defend her title in a 2016 match against the winner of the Women's FIDE Grand Prix Series 2013-14, Hou Yifan.

Participants

Natalia Pogonina, finalist of the championship Natalia Pogonina.jpg
Natalia Pogonina, finalist of the championship

The players were selected through national chess championships, zonal tournaments and continental chess championships. 51 players from women's continental and zonal qualifiers: [4] Europe 28, [5] Asia 12, Americas 8 and Africa 3.

The qualified players were announced on 22 January 2015, subject to signing the contract. [6]

Three former world champions were in the field: Alexandra Kosteniuk seeded 5th, Antoaneta Stefanova 9th and Anna Ushenina 15th. Notably, women's world number one and defending champion Hou Yifan from China opted not to play, because of a prior commitment to a chess tournament in Hawaii. [7] [8] Also absent from the world top 10 were Nana Dzagnidze and Kateryna Lagno. (They were replaced by two spots from E13.)

The participating players were seeded by their FIDE rating of March 2015.

  1. Flag of India.svg  Humpy Koneru  (India), GM, 2581 (R)
  2. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Ju Wenjun  (China), GM, 2557 (WC)
  3. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Anna Muzychuk  (Ukraine), GM, 2552 (E12)
  4. Flag of Lithuania.svg  Viktorija Cmilyte  (Lithuania), GM, 2530 (E12)
  5. Flag of Russia.svg  Alexandra Kosteniuk  (Russia), GM, 2529 (E12)
  6. Flag of Russia.svg  Valentina Gunina  (Russia), GM, 2528 (E12)
  7. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhao Xue  (China), GM, 2527 (R)
  8. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Mariya Muzychuk  (Ukraine), IM, 2526 (R)
  9. Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Antoaneta Stefanova  (Bulgaria), GM, 2522 (R)
  10. Flag of Georgia.svg  Bela Khotenashvili  (Georgia), GM, 2513 (E12)
  11. Flag of Sweden.svg  Pia Cramling  (Sweden), GM, 2495 (E13)
  12. Flag of India.svg  Dronavalli Harika  (India), GM, 2492 (WC)
  13. Flag of Armenia.svg  Elina Danielian  (Armenia), GM, 2488 (E12)
  14. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tan Zhongyi  (China), WGM, 2487 (R)
  15. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Anna Ushenina  (Ukraine), GM, 2486 (WC)
  16. Flag of Russia.svg  Alisa Galliamova  (Russia), IM, 2484 (PN)
  17. Flag of Russia.svg  Tatiana Kosintseva  (Russia), GM, 2483 (E12)
  18. Flag of France.svg  Marie Sebag  (France), GM, 2482 (E12)
  19. Flag of Georgia.svg  Lela Javakhishvili  (Georgia), IM, 2481 (E12)
  20. Flag of Germany.svg  Elisabeth Paehtz  (Germany), IM, 2479 (R)
  21. Flag of the United States.svg  Irina Krush  (USA), GM, 2477 (Z2.1)
  22. Flag of Hungary.svg  Hoang Thanh Trang  (Hungary), GM, 2475 (E12)
  23. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Huang Qian  (China), WGM, 2473 (AS13)
  24. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Natalia Zhukova  (Ukraine), GM, 2471 (PN)
  25. Flag of Poland.svg  Monika Socko  (Poland), GM, 2463 (E13)
  26. Flag of Georgia.svg  Salome Melia  (Georgia), IM, 2459 (E12)
  27. Flag of Russia.svg  Olga Girya  (Russia), WGM, 2459 (E13)
  28. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Shen Yang  (China), IM, 2459 (Z3.5)
  29. Flag of Georgia.svg  Nino Khurtsidze  (Georgia), IM, 2457 (E12)
  30. Flag of Russia.svg  Aleksandra Goryachkina  (Russia), WGM, 2456 (J13)
  31. Flag of Russia.svg  Natalia Pogonina  (Russia), WGM, 2456 (E12)
  32. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Lei Tingjie  (China), WGM, 2444 (Z3.5)
  33. Flag of Peru.svg  Deysi Cori  (Peru), WGM, 2444 (Z2.4)
  34. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Guo Qi  (China), IM, 2443 (J12)
  35. Flag of Armenia.svg  Lilit Mkrtchian  (Armenia), IM, 2443 (E13)
  36. Flag of Russia.svg  Ekaterina Kovalevskaya  (Russia), IM, 2438 (E13)
  37. Flag of Russia.svg  Alina Kashlinskaya  (Russia), IM, 2436 (E13)
  38. Flag of Turkey.svg  Ekaterina Atalik  (Turkey), IM, 2419 (E13)
  39. Flag of Indonesia.svg  Irine Kharisma Sukandar  (Indonesia), IM, 2415 (AS12)
  40. Flag of Lithuania.svg  Deimante Daulyte  (Lithuania), IM, 2395 (E13)
  41. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Inna Gaponenko  (Ukraine), IM, 2384 (E13)
  42. Flag of Russia.svg  Baira Kovanova  (Russia), WGM, 2381 (E12)
  43. Flag of Scotland.svg  Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant  (Scotland), GM, 2379 (E13)
  44. Flag of France.svg  Sophie Milliet  (France), IM, 2377 (E13)
  45. Flag of Georgia.svg  Meri Arabidze  (Georgia), IM, 2374 (E13)
  46. Flag of Georgia.svg  Sopiko Guramishvili  (Georgia), IM, 2367 (E13)
  47. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang Jue  (China), WGM, 2365 (Z3.5)
  48. Flag of India.svg  Mary Ann Gomes  (India), WGM, 2354 (Z3.7)
  49. Flag of Argentina.svg  Carolina Lujan  (Argentina), IM, 2349 (Z2.5)
  50. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhang Xiaowen  (China), WGM, 2349 (Z3.5)
  51. Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Guliskhan Nakhbayeva  (Kazakhstan), WGM, 2337 (Z3.4)
  52. Flag of Cuba.svg  Yaniet Marrero Lopez  (Cuba), WGM, 2322 (Z2.3)
  53. Flag of the United States.svg  Tatev Abrahamyan  (USA), WGM, 2322 (Z2.1)
  54. Flag of Iran.svg  Mitra Hejazipour  (Iran), WIM, 2302 (Z3.1)
  55. Flag of Turkey.svg  Kübra Öztürk  (Turkey), WGM, 2284 (E13)
  56. Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Yuanling Yuan  (Canada), WIM, 2267 (Z2.2)
  57. Flag of Vietnam.svg  Nguyen Thi Thanh An  (Vietnam), WGM, 2261 (Z3.3)
  58. Flag of Argentina.svg  Marisa Zuriel  (Argentina), WIM, 2219 (AM)
  59. Flag of the United States.svg  Camilla Baginskaite  (USA), WGM, 2192 (Z2.1)
  60. Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Irina Berezina  (Australia), IM, 2182 (Z3.6)
  61. Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Akter Liza Shamima  (Bangladesh), WIM, 2130 (Z3.2)
  62. Flag of Algeria.svg  Amina Mezioud  (Algeria), WIM, 2071 (AF)
  63. Flag of Egypt.svg  Shrook Wafa  (Egypt), WGM, 2058 (AF)
  64. Flag of Egypt.svg  Ayah Moaataz  (Egypt), WIM, 2022 (AF)

Qualification paths

Schedule and prize money

FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (right), awaiting the second round. Chess Championship 2015 (Women).png
FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (right), awaiting the second round.

Two days per match were followed by possible tie-breaks on the next day if the match was tied. The only rest day was 1 April the day after the semi-finals.

The total prize-money was 450,000 US dollars, the same as in 2010 and 2012. [9]

RoundMatchesTie-breaksPrize-money (US$)
First round17–18 March19 March3,750
Second round20–21 March22 March5,500
Third round23–24 March25 March8,000
Quarter-finals26–27 March28 March12,000
Semi-finals29–30 March31 March20,000
Final2–5 April6 Aprilloser 30,000
winner 60,000

Results

Final match

abcdefgh
8
Chessboard480.svg
Chess rdt45.svg
Chess kdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess rlt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess qdt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess blt45.svg
Chess ndt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess qlt45.svg
Chess klt45.svg
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Position after move 40 in game 4 of the final [10]

The final was the only match of the tournament which consisted of four classical games (from 2 to 5 April 2015), played on consecutive days with a rest-day between the semi-final tie-breaks and match 1. Eventual tie-breaks, if needed, were scheduled to play on 6 April 2015, in the same manner as the whole tournament: two rapid games (25+10), i.e. 25 minutes for the whole game plus 10 seconds increment, the two rapid games (10+10), two blitz games (5+3) and an armageddon decider.

Pogonina had the white pieces in the first game. Before the final they had met only once, in the 2007 European Individual Chess Championship, which ended in a draw. [11]

In the final game 4, white pieces belonged to Muzychuk, who opened the game with her favorite 1.е4. [12] Pogonina responded with her favorite 1...е5. [12] In the Scotch Four Knights Game she tried to avoid the main variations by putting the bishop to b4 via c5. [12] The idea allowed Black to duck the home preparation of Muzychuk. [12] White, however, achieved a spatial advantage and overall more favorable game after the opening. [12] Later White decided to advance kingside pawns, weakening own king. [12] The Black also had pawn weaknesses and a sharp and dynamically balanced position emerged. On the move 41 Muzychuk carried out a simplifying combination, transposing to an endgame with two strong passed pawns against a knight. [12] Pogonina was left with no winning chances, and the game ended in a draw on the move 56 after the move repetition. [12]

Women's World Chess Championship Final 2015
Rating1234Total
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Mariya Muzychuk  (Ukraine)2526½1½½2½
Flag of Russia.svg  Natalia Pogonina  (Russia)2456½0½½1½

Bracket

Players were seeded by their March rating. The standard bracket is used, i.e. seed #1 plays #64, #2 plays #63 and so on. The draw of who plays white first is done at the opening ceremony. Pairings published on 3 March. [13]

 
Round of 64Round of 32Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
                      
 
 
 
 
 Flag of India.svg Humpy Koneru (1)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Egypt.svg Ayah Moaataz (64)0
 
 Flag of India.svg Humpy Koneru (1)2
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Lei Tingjie (32)0
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Lei Tingjie (32)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Peru.svg Deysi Cori (33)0
 
 Flag of India.svg Humpy Koneru (1) 2
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alisa Galliamova (16) 0
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alisa Galliamova (16)3½
 
 
 
 Flag of Argentina.svg Carolina Luján (49)2½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alisa Galliamova (16)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Tatiana Kosintseva (17)½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Tatiana Kosintseva (17)5
 
 
 
 Flag of India.svg Mary Ann Gomes (48)4
 
 Flag of India.svg Humpy Koneru (1) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8) 2½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8)2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Yuanling Yuan (56)1½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8)3
 
 
 
 Flag of Poland.svg Monika Socko (25)1
 
 Flag of Poland.svg Monika Socko (25)4
 
 
 
 Flag of Lithuania.svg Deimante Daulyte (40)2
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Antoaneta Stefanova (9) ½
 
 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Antoaneta Stefanova (9)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Vietnam.svg Nguyen Thi Thanh An (57)½
 
 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Antoaneta Stefanova (9)2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Inna Gaponenko (41)1½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Natalia Zhukova (24)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Inna Gaponenko (41)1½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8) 3½
 
 
 
 Flag of India.svg Dronavalli Harika (12) 2½
 
 Flag of Lithuania.svg Viktorija Cmilyte (4)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Bangladesh.svg Akter Liza Shamima (61)0
 
 Flag of Lithuania.svg Viktorija Cmilyte (4)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (36)½
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Nino Khurtsidze (29)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (36)1½
 
 Flag of Lithuania.svg Viktorija Cmilyte (4) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Meri Arabidze (45) 2½
 
 Flag of Armenia.svg Elina Danielian (13)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Cuba.svg Yaniet Marrero Lopez (52)1½
 
 Flag of Cuba.svg Yaniet Marrero Lopez (52)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Meri Arabidze (45)1½
 
 Flag of Germany.svg Elisabeth Paehtz (20)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Meri Arabidze (45)4
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Meri Arabidze (45) ½
 
 
 
 Flag of India.svg Dronavalli Harika (12) 1½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alexandra Kosteniuk (5)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Irina Berezina (60)0
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alexandra Kosteniuk (5)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Shen Yang (28)½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Shen Yang (28)2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alina Kashlinskaya (37)1½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Alexandra Kosteniuk (5) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of India.svg Dronavalli Harika (12) 2½
 
 Flag of India.svg Dronavalli Harika (12)2
 
 
 
 Flag of the United States.svg Tatev Abrahamyan (53)0
 
 Flag of India.svg Dronavalli Harika (12)2½
 
 
 
 Flag of the United States.svg Irina Krush (21)1½
 
 Flag of the United States.svg Irina Krush (21)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of France.svg Sophie Milliet (44)½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Mariya Muzychuk (8) 2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31) 1½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Ju Wenjun (2)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Egypt.svg Shrook Wafa (63)0
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Ju Wenjun (2)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31)1½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Guo Qi (34)½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31) 3
 
 
 
 Flag of France.svg Marie Sebag (18) 1
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Ushenina (15)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhang Xiaowen (50)½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Ushenina (15)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of France.svg Marie Sebag (18)2½
 
 Flag of France.svg Marie Sebag (18)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Wang Jue (47)½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31) 2½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhao Xue (7) 1½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhao Xue (7)3
 
 
 
 Flag of Argentina.svg Marisa Zuriel (58)1
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhao Xue (7)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Salome Melia (26)½
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Salome Melia (26)3
 
 
 
 Flag of Indonesia.svg Irine Kharisma Sukandar (39)1
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhao Xue (7) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Bela Khotenashvili (10) ½
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Bela Khotenashvili (10)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Turkey.svg Kübra Öztürk (55)½
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Bela Khotenashvili (10)4½
 
 
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Huang Qian (23)3½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Huang Qian (23)2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Baira Kovanova (42)1½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Natalia Pogonina (31) 2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Sweden.svg Pia Cramling (11) 1½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Muzychuk (3)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Algeria.svg Amina Mezioud (62)½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Muzychuk (3)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Aleksandra Goryachkina (30)½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Aleksandra Goryachkina (30)5
 
 
 
 Flag of Armenia.svg Lilit Mkrtchian (35)4
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Muzychuk (3) 1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Lela Javakhishvili (19) ½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Tan Zhongyi (14)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (51)½
 
 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Tan Zhongyi (14)½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Lela Javakhishvili (19)1½
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Lela Javakhishvili (19)3½
 
 
 
 Flag of Georgia.svg Sopiko Guramishvili (46)2½
 
 Flag of Ukraine.svg Anna Muzychuk (3) 2½
 
 
 
 Flag of Sweden.svg Pia Cramling (11) 3½
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Valentina Gunina (6)2
 
 
 
 Flag of the United States.svg Camilla Baginskaite (59)0
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Valentina Gunina (6)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Olga Girya (27) 0
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Olga Girya (27)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Turkey.svg Ekaterina Atalik (38)0
 
 Flag of Russia.svg Valentina Gunina (6) ½
 
 
 
 Flag of Sweden.svg Pia Cramling (11) 1½
 
 Flag of Sweden.svg Pia Cramling (11)2
 
 
 
 Flag of Iran.svg Mitra Hejazipour (54)0
 
 Flag of Sweden.svg Pia Cramling (11)1½
 
 
 
 Flag of Scotland.svg Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (43)½
 
 Flag of Hungary.svg Hoang Thanh Trang (22)½
 
 
 Flag of Scotland.svg Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (43)1½
 

References

  1. ↑ "Women's World Championship 2014". FIDE. 2014-09-24. Archived from the original on 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  2. ↑ "Women's World Championship to Take Place in Sochi". chess-news.ru. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Open Letter to FIDE President Mr.Kirsan Ilyumzhinov". chessprofessionals.org. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Regulations of the WWCC Cycle (PDF). FIDE.
  5. ↑ "List of competitors : 2012 & 2013" (PDF). FIDE. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  6. ↑ "Women's World Championship 2015: Player's Contract". FIDE. 2015-01-22. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  7. ↑ "Feb 05 - Hou Yifan Won't Defend World Champion Title in 2015". Yourgibraltartv.com. 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  8. ↑ "Challenge Hou Yifan, Timur Gareev and Sam Shankland in Hawaii!". Chess.com. 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  9. ↑ "Women's World Championship About To Take Off (But Hou Yifan Doesn't Play)". chess24.com. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Mariya Muzychuk Wins Women's World Championship". Chess.com. 5 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "* Chess game search engine". Chessgames.com. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mariya Muzychuk is Women's World Chess Champion". FIDE. 5 April 2015. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Women's World Championship 2015: Ranking List & Pairings". FIDE. 2015-03-03. Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.