Chen is women's world chess champion

Woman Grandmaster Zhu Chen of China deservedly won the world title, outplaying International Master Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia 3-1 in the rapid tiebreak games in the final of the women's World chess championship at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Friday.

After the 2-2 deadlock in the normal time control games, the players agreed to play four games in the Rapid Tiebreak though the rules specify playing of only two games.

Quite interestingly not a single game in either time control of the final ended in a draw with all the eight games producing decisive results.

There was ample entertainment for the 1,500-strong crowd who had come to witness the exciting final.

The fourth game of the final was a potboiler where Zhu Chen crashed through the defences of Kosteniuk from the black side of a Sicilian Nazdorf defence game.

Kosteniuk failed to impress in the middlegame arising out of a classical variation and got in to an inferior position as Zhu Chen got her pieces rolling on the king side.

Looking for counterplay, Kosteniuk sacrificed a pawn in the centre and went for an attack against the uncastled black king but Zhu was well armed in the complexities.

By returning the sacrificed pawn on her 25th move, Zhu Chen obtained the outpost for her knights and thereafter it was a matter of routine technique.

Kosteniuk resigned after Zhu promoted her king rook pawn to a queen and had huge material advantage after 36 moves.

Playing white in the first game, Zhu Chen opened with her pet queen pawn and faced the Semi Slav defence of Kosteniuk. Right from the opening Zhu Chen got a slight advantage in one of the popular variations and capitalised on a tactical oversight by Kosteniuk on the 18th move to win a couple of pawns.

Striving for counter attack, Kosteniuk castled on the queenside and went for an attack along the king's flank but Zhu Chen was up to the task amidst the tactical complications.

The game was fought hard in the final stages when Zhu Chen combined her forces well to penetrate the queenside.

In the picturesque finale, Zhu Chen sacrificed her queen for two rooks to get a winning position. Kosteniuk resigned on the 42nd move.

Kosteniuk struck back in the second game with white pieces. Playing against the Nazdorf Sicilian of Zhu Chen, Kosteniuk chose the classical set up and went for the attack on the queenside.

Zhu Chen had to pay heavy dividends for her over optimistic attack on the king side where she just rolled her pawns and did not pay much attention on the other flank where Kosteniuk's knight penetrated decisively to win an exchange.

Zhu Chen got some semblance of attack on the king side as Kosteniuk's kingside became vulnerable. The Russian came up with a brilliant attacking idea and marched her queen bishop pawn to open the position on the 22nd move and gave back the extra material to gain access to the seventh rank with her rooks.

The game became quite exciting when Zhu Chen was forced to run her king to an open position and sacrificed a piece on the 28th move. But her plans did not materialise as Kosteniuk's king was well guarded. The game lasted 38 moves.

In the third game Zhu Chen was at her best as she outclassed Kosteniuk from the white side of a Dutch defence. Playing energetically all through, Zhu Chen obtained a firm bind in the centre and manoeuvred her pieces excellently to get the spatial advantage.

Kosteniuk got her share of counter attack but lost a rook for a bishop. Wild complications ensued and Zhu managed to get her queen in the opposition camp and collected three pawns after returning the extra material.

Kosteniuk persisted in the lost position and was finally checkmated on the 52nd move.

A delighted Zhu Chen said after the victory, "The tension was quite high; I think I played quite a few mistakes in my games but now I feel quite relieved. I think the final game of the finals was my best game ever."

Earlier reports:
Anand falls on the threshold
Anand looking to wrap it up
Anand draws third game in a row
Anand draws game 2 of semi-final
Ivanchuk, Anand draw game 1 in semis
Ivanchuk to meet Anand in semis
Anand reaches semi-finals
Anand beats Shirov in first game
Anand beats Dreev to enter quarters
Anand faces tough road ahead
Quick draw for Anand in round 4
Anand through to last 16
Anand settles for draw, Van Wely loses
Anand enters third round
Anand scores quick win
Anand moves into second round
Anand wins second game
Anand shocked in opening round