Final Four set in WWCC

[Jack Rabbit]

Alisa Galliamova and Svetlana Matveeva of Russia, Viktoria Cmilyte of Lithuania and Xu Yuhua of China advanced to the semi-final round of the Women's World Chess Championship today by winning their respective fourth-round matches against other contenders in Ekaterinaberg, Russia.




Clockwise from upper left: Alisa Galliamova, Viktoria Cmilyte, Xu Yuhua, Svetlana Matveeva

While most chess tournaments are of a round robin format, this one is a single-elimination event which began March 10 with 64 competitors. The participants play not single games against each other but two-game matches over a two-day period in which each victory is worth a full point and draws a half point each. The winner of the match advances while the loser is eliminated. If the match is tied 1-1, the opponents play two rapid games (a game with a thirty-minute time control) and, if those game are split, two blitz games (a game with a time control of five minutes). If there is still no winner of the match, one final blitz game is played with Black having the odds of draw (the player with White must win to advance).

Galliamova and Matveeva won their matches in two games each. Galliamova defeated Nino Khurtsidze of Georgia by winning both games while Matveeva bested 19-year-old Marie Sebag of France by winning with Black today after yesterday's game was drawn.

Xu and Russia's Ekaterina Kovaleskaya drew both of their regulation games. Xu won the first game as White and held Kovaleskaya to a draw in the second to win that match.

Cmilyte, who is married to Latvian-born Spanish grandmaster Alexey Shirov, won her match against former Women's World Champion Maia Chiburdanidze of Georgia the hard way. Chiburdanidze won yesterday's game as White, putting Cmilyte's back to the wall. However, Cmilyte fought back today to win the regulation game as White and then, again as White, the first of the two rapid games. Chiburdanidze, at 44 the oldest player in the tournament, showed why she is a chess legend by fighting valiantly with Black in a game where a draw would do her no good. In the end, Cmilyte won the game and the match.

The semi-final matches will be played tomorrow and Tuesday. In those matches, Galliamova will play against Cmilyte and Xu will oppose Matveeva. The winners of those two matches will play a four-game match in as many days for the title of Women's World Champion beginning Thursday.

Photos from ChessBase.com.

[MaryBear]

1. OK, then, Mr. Rabbit, could you explain

"Cmilyte, who is married to Latvian-born Spanish grandmaster Alexey Shirov"


How and when do two chess masters talk with words and otherwise engage each other in non-chess intimate moments?

A woefully ignorant one here only wonders.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. They play chess . . .

Queen takes Bishop.

[MaryBear]

3. * cough *

Er

Um

:blush:

That question was in regard to non-chess.


:blush:

Or

Um

Is that what you meant?

:blush:

If she's quiet will he make his move?


:rofl: :yoiks:

:blush: :loveya: :hug: