Humpy Sails Into Lead

By Arvind Aaron

World No.3 Koneru Humpy snatched a crucial one point lead from Xu Yuhua of China in the best of two quarter finals of the World Women's Chess Championship being played at Elista in Russia on May 29.

It was a decisive start to the quarter finals with all four games ending decisively. Humpy played a versatile game with the white pieces. She won in 36 moves after making full use of the vent created by the black side on the 22nd move. Humpy will be looking forward to avenge her World Cup defeat she suffered at home in Hyderabad, October 2002.

Experienced Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria won a pawn on move 37 and used that advantage to win a knight ending in 65 moves. Dzagnidze, the reigning world junior girls champion from Georgia will be expected to come back with the white pieces on Sunday.

If one junior Georgian suffered a defeat, it was made up in the other two boards. Maya Chiburdanidze won a stray pawn on the 29th move and managed to promote that extra pawn on the 42nd turn to checkmate Viktoria Cmilyte.

Kachiani of Germany won a 39-move game against Kovalevskaya of Russia with the black pieces. The former Georgian picked up a rook in the middle game on the 27th turn to take a vital 1-0 lead with the black pieces. She needs a draw with the white pieces for a place in the semis.

With Zhu Chen not defending her title, a new champion is sure to emerge on June 8. Maya Chiburdanidze had been world women's champion from 1978 to 1991 when she was unseated by Xie Jun.

Here is Saturday's results. Game two of round four will feature a clash with reversed colours.

Koneru, Humpy - Xu, Yuhua 1-0
Stefanova, Antoaneta - Dzagnidze, Nana 1-0
Chiburdanidze, Maya - Cmilyte, Viktoria 1-0
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina - Kachiani-G., Ketino 0-1

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