Khalifman scores easy win;
Ivanchuk suffers setback

Defending FIDE World Chess Champion Alexander Khalifman of Russia continued his quest to retain the title, scoring an easy victory over German Christopher Lutz, to move into the third round, even as day saw the biggest upset of the championship in ninth seeded Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine.

Khalifman made a clean sweep with white pieces in the first game of his tie-break game against Lutz and drew the second with black comfortably in the 25-minute time control rapid games.

In the first game, Khalifman employed the English opening and played a pawn sacrifice variation. Having obtained an edge in the middle game, the Russian converted the position in rook and knight ending where he became two pawns up.

In the second game, Khalifman surprised Lutz by playing the sharp Sicilian-Pelikan variation. Khalifman had a double bishop advantage in the middle game but could not break through the position and agreed to draw after the perpetual moves as he needed just half a point to move ahead.

Ivanchuk suffered a setback at the hands of GM Jaan Ehlvest of Estonia.

Ehlvest drew the first tie-break game without much difficulty and then caught Ivanchuk unawares in the second.

The Ukrainian mishandled the position from the opening of the Panov Botvinnik attack.

The Estonian got the initiative after a lacklustre play by Ivanchuk and thereon, without losing the control of the game pocketed the full point and won the match with a 1.5-0.5 margin.

Upsets were the order of the day as GM Zoltan Almasi of Hungary was ousted by GM Evgeny Vladimirov in the tie-breaker.

There were only three games in the women's section for a tie-break. Two produced decisive results and one entered further 15-minute rapid games.

World champion Xie Jun of China showed her class in her victory over Svetlana Mateeva of Russia to enter the third round.

Playing the Kings Indian defence in the first game of the tie-breaker, Jun got the upperhand when Svetlana went for unwarranted complications.

In the middle game, the position was of a sharp nature but a precise handling helped Xie Jun in winning the game in 42 moves in a minor piece ending.

In the second game Xie drew it comfortably with white pieces and pocketed the game and the match.

Alisa Galliamova of Russia overcame Natasa Bojkovic of Yugoslavia with a margin of 1.5-0.5 and made it to the third round.

Cuba's Maritza Arribas and Julia Demina of Russia were engaged in a tight tussle as the two won a game each to take the fight into the next set of tie-break games.