R11: No big shifts in the standings 21.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature The FIDE Women GP from Khanty Mansiysk came to an end, delivering two big announcements: it is official – the Chinese chess wall remained intact, as even the former women world champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk, didn’t succeed to discover its weak spot. Continue reading →
Hou Yifan seals the deal! 20.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature Today, 20th April 2014, was marked by three important moments in the FIDE Women GP from Khanty Mansiysk: the Chinese power-lady proved indeed to be unstoppable: today’s draw against Anna Muzychuk secured the first place unshared for Hou Yifan, even before the last 11th round! Continue reading →
The sensational Olga Girya! 17.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature Hou Yifan enteres the rest day on the right foot, remaining a point ahead of the second place after drawing Zhao Xue. But in the 9th round she will still have to face the sensation of today: Olga Girya! Continue reading →
The Hou Yifan express 16.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature Hou Yifan express keeps a steady pace forward after today’s win against Anna Ushenina, to the despair of second place, requested by Anna Muzychuk, who also won her game against Zhao Xue. Continue reading →
Round six drama 15.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature We enter the second half of the FIDE Women GP with the same leader: Hou Yifan, who keeps the one point distance from the second place, after drawing with Black against Antoaneta Stefanova. I Continue reading →
An apparently pacific 5th round 14.04.2014Annotated games, News, News feature After the rest day, the podium remains unaltered: Hou Yifan cruises to another win against Nafisa Muminova, running with a full point away from Anna Muzychuk. Continue reading →
Between agony and ecstasy 12.04.2014Annotated games, News If you have thought that chess had little or no connection with physical sports, the fourth round of the Khanty Mansiysk 2014 FIDE Women GP may change your view. I Continue reading →
R3: With full steam ahead, Hou Yifan seems unstoppable 11.04.2014Annotated games, News By all the rules of the somewhat undefined and yet implacable science of probabilities, keeping the pace of five decisive games per day was virtually impossible. In the third round, the drawing rate finally took revenge, as we only had two decisive games. Continue reading →
Ruthless chess in Siberia – 5 decisive results again! 10.04.2014Annotated games After the storm of decisive games from yesterday, the second round of the FIDE Women GP seemed to have taken slightly slower routes, at least in the beginning: more maneuvers, strategical struggles, cautious and prophylactic play. Continue reading →
Alexandra Kosteniuk – the hero of the first round 10.04.2014Annotated games Which could have been the odds for a 6-0 in White’s favour, as early as round one? Continue reading →