Reports | November 24, 2011 18:29

WWCh G8: Game drawn, Hou Yifan retains world title

WWCh G8: Game drawn, Hou Yifan retains world title

Hou Yifan retained her world title on Thursday in Tirana, Albania after drawing the 8th match game with Humpy Koneru.

The reigning Women's World Champion was and is Hou Yifan | All photos © FIDE by Anna Burtasova & Anastasiya Karlovich

Event Women's World Championship | PGN via TWIC
Dates November 13th-30th, 2011
Location Tirana, Albania
System 10-game match, tie-break if necessary
Players Reigning World Champion Hou Yifan (China) and Challenger Humpy Koneru (India)
Rate of play 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one

Game 8

Achieving an easy draw in the final game, Hou Yifan won the 2011 Women's World Championship match 5.5-2.5 and so she remains Women’s World Champion for at last a few more years.

The 17-year-old Chinese grandmaster did so most convincingly, not allowing her opponent, 24-year-old Humpy Koneru of India, a single win. In the final game Koneru was in a must-win situation, but when her opponent had neutralized the position, the Indian threw in the towel and congratulated her opponent.

And so the match, which coud have lasted 10 games, finished a bit earlier than expected. The closing ceremony is scheduled for the 30th of November so the players have a few days to explore Tirana and Albania.

PGN string

Women's World Championship 2011 | Final Score

Players
Rating
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total
Perf.
+/–
Hou Yifan
2578
½
½
1
½
½
1
1
½
 
 
5.5
2736
+18
Koneru Humpy  
2600
½
½
0
½
½
0
0
½
 
 
2.5
2442
–18

Hou Yifan has had some mediocre results earlier this year, but today she proved to be a real champion: one who peaks at the right moment. Besides the prize of 120,000 Euro (Koneru gets 80,000), the young Chinese won 18 rating points (and saw her opponent lose those 18). This means that for the first time, Hou Yifan is now virtually the second highest rated female player behind Judit Polgar. However, as she will still play some games in the Chinese League before the years ends, this is not yet certain.

Hou Yifan: World Champion for at least a few more years

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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Comments

Ch_Fm's picture

Ch_Fm

2 years 3 months ago

Congratulations to truly deserving World Champion Hou Yifan!!!

If not skills, her looks definitely killed Koneru Humpy.

Bastian's picture

Bastian

2 years 3 months ago

Was a great show by Hou Yifan, she clearly is a worthy World Champion!

stevefraser's picture

stevefraser

2 years 3 months ago

World Champion?....I didn't see any men in the draw. When asked, do the women feel these segregated events demean them, as if they are not smart enough to compete against men in a purely mental endeavor?

MJul's picture

MJul

2 years 3 months ago

Chess is not purely mental. And it's not about being "smart enough".

Chess require great physical resistance in wich women are, generally, inferior compared to men. While the period there's a bigger difference.

Although men and women think different (none better than the other, just different).

Chess Fan's picture

Chess Fan

2 years 3 months ago

"If not skills, her looks definitely killed Koneru Humpy."
What does this mean? What has her looks got to her winning this woman championship so meritoriously.

stevefraser's picture

stevefraser

2 years 3 months ago

Once women are segregated men start to rate them by looks.....BTW, why no men in the "World Championship".

Nicholas's picture

Nicholas

2 years 3 months ago

Under 2600, who cares.

Michael Lubin's picture

Michael Lubin

2 years 3 months ago

Isn't someone going to post: "Humpy will win the next two games!" ;)

Ashok's picture

Ashok

2 years 3 months ago

Humpy WILL WIN the next two games!!! :D

Michael Lubin's picture

Michael Lubin

2 years 3 months ago

Except, there aren't any more games.

Sam's picture

Sam

2 years 3 months ago

I don't see great Games in this match. But surely Koneru not in form or needs good coatching like Yifan undergone some training with karpov lastly..may be that put her solid with black.All the games she won with black.

Michel83's picture

Michel83

2 years 3 months ago

What's a "great game"? Shirov-style pushing and gambling or opportunities achieved through heavy blunders? Yes, that's fun, entertaining, sometimes beautiful. But come on, Hou Yifan outplayed Koneru (who also had problem with timetrouble several times) in slow, stable positions without enormous blundes. That's great chess in my book.

I agree with you though she's been more stable- hope she'll go on like this in future (she has been quite unstable in the past).

It was 2 wins with black and 1 with white by the way.

stevefraser's picture

stevefraser

2 years 3 months ago

Any chance "the Champ" will play against men in any events?

redivivo's picture

redivivo

2 years 3 months ago

Most of her events are against men, at least the last 3-4 years.

Sam's picture

Sam

2 years 3 months ago

May be you call these are great games just because the event is World championship..?

Bastian's picture

Bastian

2 years 3 months ago

What do you call a "great game"? They played good games in this match, and it was interesting to watch. And I enjoyed watching these games much more than the games played in the Tal Memorial, but that is a personal point of view.

Chess Dweeb's picture

Chess Dweeb

2 years 3 months ago

When you're two games down, you play the same opening you played to get two games down?? How suprising would it have been if Humpy opened with 1.f4 or a dragon with black... the games would have been complex, and she would have given herself a chance to get back into it. She was outplayed in slow positions..needed to win..and played more slow positions...just don't get it...

Daaim Shabazz's picture

Daaim Shabazz

2 years 3 months ago

Should have trotted out the Sicilian at least once.

rajeshv's picture

rajeshv

2 years 3 months ago

Congratulations to Hou Yifan on a well deserved title defense!! Better luck next time, Humpy!

Han's picture

Han

2 years 3 months ago

The WWC is a farce without Judit. Susan ought to get out of retirement for a match, and if Hou wins, then Judit should step in.

Bastian's picture

Bastian

2 years 3 months ago

As far as I know, she decided to not play in womens events. Would be nice to have a match between Hou and Polgar, but I don't believe that is going to happen. Wouldn't call this match a farce because Judit doesn't participate, and whether Judit is really the strongest of all female players ... in the Greek team championship she lost to women (there was at least one game), and they haven't had Hou's level of skill.

George's picture

George

2 years 3 months ago

What game she lost?

Bastian's picture

Bastian

2 years 3 months ago

Sorry, I've made a mistake there. In fact she didn't loose! In fact I meant the draw against Zawadzka Jolanta.

Anonymous's picture

Anonymous

2 years 3 months ago

Hou is the sexiest and most beautiful chess world-champion ever

R.Mutt's picture

R.Mutt

2 years 3 months ago

Sexier than Euwe?

stevefraser's picture

stevefraser

2 years 3 months ago

No way....the Russian Kostenick (?) is right now the most beautiful women in top flight chess.

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