The

Women's World Chess Championship The Women's World Chess Championship is a chess match played to determine the Women's World Chess Champion. It has been administered by FIDE since its inception in 1927, unlike the absolute World Chess Championship, which only came under FIDE's ...

2018 was a

knock-out tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...

to crown a new women's world champion in

chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

. It was the second world championship held in 2018, after

Ju Wenjun Ju Wenjun (; born 31 January 1991) is a Chinese chess grandmaster. She is the reigning five-time Women's World Champion, the reigning Women's World Blitz Chess Champion, and a two-time Women's World Rapid Chess Champion. In March 2017, she be ...

had defeated

Tan Zhongyi Tan Zhongyi (; born 29 May 1991) is a Chinese chess player who holds the title of grandmaster (GM). She is a former Women's World Champion, winning the 2017 knockout edition of the world championship in Iran where she defeated Anna Muzychuk i ...

to win the title in May 2018. The tournament was played as a 64-player knockout type from 2 to 23 November in

Khanty-Mansiysk Khanty-Mansiysk (, lit. ''Khanty-Mansi Town''; Khanty: , ''Jomvoćś''; Mansi: , ''Abga'') is a city in west-central Russia. Technically, it is situated on the eastern bank of the Irtysh River, from its confluence with the Ob, in the oil-ri ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. Ju Wenjun won the tournament, and so retained the Women's World Championship. The remaining three semi-finalists qualified for the 2019 Candidates Tournament, which decided the challenger for the 2020 World Championship.

Organization

Schedule

The schedule of the tournament: * November 2: Opening ceremony * November 3–5: Round 1 * November 6–8: Round 2 * November 9–11: Round 3 * November 12–14: Round 4 (quarter-finals) * November 15–17: Round 5 (semi-finals) * November 18: Rest day * November 19–23: Round 6 (final) * November 23: Closing ceremony

Prize fund

The total prize fund was $450,000.

Regulations

The time control was 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, and then 30 minutes for the rest of the game; plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move 1. In the event of a tie after the regular games, the following tie breaks were used, in order: # Two tie-break games at a time limit of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move; # Two tie-break games at a time limit of 10 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move; # Two tie-break games at a time limit of 5 minutes plus a 3-second increment per move; #

Armageddon game "Armageddon Game" is the 33rd episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. It is the 13th episode of the second season. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space N ...

, at a time limit of 5 minutes for White, and 4 minutes for Black, plus 3 seconds per move from move 61; with White having to win and Black having to draw or win.

Players

The 64 participating players are: :''Format is player name, FIDE title, current Elo (October 2018), qualification path (see below). The winner's name is shaded.'' #

, GM, 2561 (R) # Humpy Koneru, GM, 2557 (PN) #

Kateryna Lagno Kateryna Oleksandrivna Lagno (born 27 December 1989) is a Russian (formerly Ukrainian) chess grandmaster. A chess prodigy, she earned the title Woman Grandmaster (WGM) at the age of 12 years, four months and two days. In 2007, she was awarde ...

, GM, 2556 (E17) #

Anna Muzychuk Anna Olehivna Muzychuk (; ; born 28 February 1990) is a Ukrainian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster (GM). She is the fourth woman in chess history to attain a FIDE rating of at least 2600. She has been ranked as high as No. 197 in the wo ...

, GM, 2555 (WC) #

Alexandra Kosteniuk Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (; born 23 April 1984) is a Russian and Swiss chess grandmaster who was the Women's World Chess Champion from 2008 to 2010 and Women's World Rapid Chess Champion in 2021. She was European women's champion ...

, GM, 2551 (WC) #

Aleksandra Goryachkina Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina (; born 28 September 1998) is a Russian chess player who holds the title of Grandmaster (chess), Grandmaster (GM). She is the No. 4 ranked woman in the world by FIDE rating and is also the fourth-highest rated wo ...

, GM, 2536 (E16) #

Mariya Muzychuk Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk (; born 21 September 1992) is a Ukrainian chess grandmaster and Women's World Chess Champion from April 2015 to March 2016. She is also a twice women's champion of Ukraine (2012, 2013), World Team and European Team ch ...

, GM, 2533 (E17) #

, GM, 2527 (WC) # Valentina Gunina, GM, 2525 (R) #

Elisabeth Paehtz Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ( ...

, IM, 2513 (E16) #

Nana Dzagnidze Nana Dzagnidze ( ka, ნანა ძაგნიძე; born 1 January 1987) is a Georgian chess player. She was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 2008. Dzagnidze was a member of the gold medal-winning Georgian team in the Women's Che ...

, GM, 2509 (E16) # Dronavalli Harika, GM, 2500 (WC) #

Antoaneta Stefanova Antoaneta Stefanova (; born 19 April 1979) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and Women's World Champion from 2004 to 2006. She has represented Bulgaria in the Chess Olympiad in 2000 and the Women's Chess Olympiad since 1992. Early life and ca ...

, GM, 2490 (E16) #

Natalija Pogonina Natalia Andreevna Pogonina (; born March 9, 1985) is a Russian chess player who holds the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is the runner-up of the Women's World Chess Championship 2015. She is a two time Russian Chess Championship, Ru ...

, WGM, 2485 (E17) #

Zhansaya Abdumalik Zhansaya Abdumalik (; ; born 12 January 2000) is a Kazakhstani chess player who holds the title of Grandmaster (chess), Grandmaster (GM) since 2021. She is the first Kazakhstani woman and the first woman from Central Asia, and the 39th woman ove ...

, IM, 2482 (J17) #

Nino Batsiashvili Nino Batsiashvili ( ka, ნინო ბაციაშვილი; born 1 January 1987) is a Georgian chess grandmaster and 4-time and the current Georgian women's chess champion. Career In 2012, she won the Group E (women's section of the ...

, GM, 2482 (PN) #

Olga Girya Olga Alexandrovna Girya (; born 4 June 1991) is a Russian chess player. She holds the title of Grandmaster (GM), which FIDE awarded her in 2021. She was a member of the gold medal-winning Russian team in the 2014 Women's Chess Olympiad and in ...

, WGM, 2479 (R) #

Zhao Xue Zhao Xue (; born 6 April 1985) is a Chinese chess player. She is the 24th Chinese person to achieve the title of Grandmaster. Zhao was a member of the gold medal-winning Chinese team at the Women's Chess Olympiad in 2002, 2004 and 2016, and a ...

, GM, 2478 (R) #

Lela Javakhishvili Lela Javakhishvili (; born 23 April 1984) is a Georgian chess player who holds the titles of International master and Woman Grandmaster. She has won the Georgian women's chess championship twice, and competed in the Women's World Chess Champion ...

, IM, 2475 (E16) #

Dinara Saduakassova Dinara Saduakassova (born 31 October 1996)WIM title application
FIDE. is a Kazakhstani

, IM, 2470 (J16) #

Bela Khotenashvili Bella Khotenashvili ( ka, ბელა ხოტენაშვილი; born 1 June 1988), known prior to 2023 as Bela Khotenashvili, is a Georgian chess grandmaster. She competed in the Women's World Chess Championship in 2012, 2015 and 2017 ...

, GM, 2469 (E16) #

Lei Tingjie Lei Tingjie (, born 3 March 1997) is a Chinese chess player who holds the title of Grandmaster. She was the 2021 Women's Grand Swiss champion, the 2017 Chinese women's national champion and the 2022–23 Women's Candidates winner. Lei earne ...

, GM, 2468 (R) # Monika Socko, GM, 2451 (E17) #

Anna Ushenina Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina (; born 30 August 1985) is a Ukrainian chess grandmaster who was Women's World Chess Champion from November 2012 to September 2013. Personal life Ushenina lives in Kharkiv, where she was born. She is of Jewish ethnici ...

, GM, 2451 (E16) #

Alina Kashlinskaya Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya (; born 28 October 1993) is a Russian chess player playing for Poland. She holds the titles International Master and Woman Grandmaster, which FIDE awarded her in 2014 and 2009, respectively. Kashlinskaya is the 201 ...

, IM, 2447 (E17) #

Ekaterina Atalik Ekaterina Atalik (née Polovnikova; born 14 November 1982 in Kirov) is a Russian- Turkish chess player, who holds the titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She won the European Youth Chess Championship in the under-1 ...

, IM, 2445 (E16) #

Alisa Galliamova Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova (, ; born 18 January 1972 in Kazan) is a Russian chess player who holds the FIDE titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is twice runner-up at the Women's World Chess Championship, in 19 ...

, IM, 2432 (E17) # Ni Shiqun, WGM, 2427 (Z3.5) #

Anastasia Bodnaruk Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk (; born 30 March 1992) is a Russian chess player who holds the FIDE titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She won the World Rapid Chess Championship 2023. Career Bodnaruk won the under 12 ...

, IM, 2423 (E16) #

Hoang Thanh Trang Hoàng Thanh Trang (born 25 April 1980) is a Vietnamese-born Hungarian chess grandmaster. She was Asian women's champion in 2000 and European women's champion in 2013. Hoang competed in the Women's World Chess Championship in 2000, 2001, 2004 ...

, GM, 2423 (E17) #

Jolanta Zawadzka Jolanta Zawadzka (born 8 February 1987) is a Polish chess player with the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). In 2004, she won the World Youth Chess Championship for girls U18. She won the women's Polish Chess Championship in 2006, 2011, 2015 and ...

, WGM, 2421 (E16) #

Irina Krush Irina Borisivna Krush (; born December 24, 1983) is an American chess Grandmaster. She is the only woman to earn the GM title while playing for the United States. Krush is an eight-time U.S. Women's Champion and a two-time Women's American Cu ...

, GM, 2417 (Z2.1) #

Inna Gaponenko Inna Gaponenko (also known as Inna Yanovska; born 22 June 1976) is a Ukrainian chess player holding the titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). Career She won the European under-16 girls' championship in 1992 and the ...

, IM, 2409 (E17) # Marina Nechaeva, IM, 2409 (E17) #

Elina Danielian Elina Danielian (; born 16 August 1978) is an Armenian chess grandmaster and six-time Armenian women's champion (1993, 1994. 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004). She has represented Armenia twelve times during the Women's Chess Olympiads (1992–2014). She ...

, GM, 2409 (E17) # Sabrina Vega, IM, 2404 (E16) #

Natalia Zhukova Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova (; born 5 June 1979) is a Ukrainian chess grandmaster and two-time European women's champion. She won several age-group titles as a teenager, at both the European and world levels. She has also won several internat ...

, GM, 2403 (E17) # Guliskhan Nakhbayeva, WGM, 2394 (AS17) #

Deysi Cori Deysi Estela Cori Tello (born 2 July 1993) is a Peruvian chess player, who holds the titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM), and is a three-time American Continental women's champion. At junior level, she was twice world ...

, WGM, 2391 (AM16) # Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, WGM, 2385 (Z3.4) #

Lilit Mkrtchian Lilit Mkrtchian (; born 9 August 1982) is an Armenian chess player. She holds the titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM), which FIDE awarded her in 2003 and 1998 respectively. Mkrtchian is a four-time Armenian women's ...

, IM, 2384 (E16) # Yuliya Shvayger, IM, 2375 (E16) # Anita Gara, IM, 2370 (E17) # Vo Thi Kim Phung, WGM, 2368 (Z3.3) # Ana Matnadze, IM, 2362 (E16) # Zhu Jin'er, WIM, 2360 (Z3.5) # Carolina Luján, IM, 2359 (Z2.5) # Zhai Mo, WGM, 2351 (Z3.5) #

Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (née Arakhamia; born ) is a Georgian (former Soviet Union)-born Scottish Chess Grandmaster. Chess career In 1985, she won the World Junior Chess Championship for Girls, held in Dobrna (and taking silver in Adelaide t ...

, GM, 2345 (E16) #

Padmini Rout Padmini Rout (born 5 January 1994) is an Indian chess player. She holds the titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She has won the National Women's Premier Championship five times, consecutively from 2014 to 2017 and ag ...

, IM, 2338 (Z3.7) #

Bhakti Kulkarni Bhakti Kulkarni (born 19 May 1992) is an Indian chess player. She received the FIDE titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in 2012 and International Master (IM) in 2019. She is the recipient of Arjuna Award for her contribution to chess Biography I ...

, CM, 2314 (AS16) #

Sabina-Francesca Foisor Sabina-Francesca Foişor (born August 30, 1989) is a Romanian American chess player holding the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She competed in the Women's World Chess Championship in 2008 and 2017. Foisor won the US women's championship in ...

, WGM, 2311 (Z2.1) # Sopiko Khukhashvili, IM, 2301 (E16) # Yerisbel Miranda Llanes, WIM, 2239 (AM17) # Mobina Alinasab, WIM, 2205 (Z3.1) # Ingrid Aliaga Fernández, WIM, 2194 (AM17) # Sun Fanghui, WIM, 2183 (Z3.5) # Shahenda Wafa, WGM, 2148 (AF) # Maili-Jade Ouellet, WIM, 2122 (Z2.2) # Danitza Vázquez, WIM, 2086 (Z2.3) # Rani Hamid, WIM, 1909 (Z3.2) # Jesse Nikki February, WIM, 1893 (AF) # Hayat Toubal, WIM, 1852 (AF) # Kathryn Hardegen, WFM, 1832 (Z3.6)

Qualification paths

*WC: Semi-finalists of the

Women's World Chess Championship 2017 The Women's World Chess Championship 2017 was a 64-player knock-out tournament, to decide the women's world chess champion. The final was won by Tan Zhongyi over Anna Muzychuk in the rapid tie-breaks. At the FIDE General Assembly during the 42nd ...

*J16 and J17: World Junior Champions 2016 and 2017 *R: Rating *E16 and E17: European Individual Championships 2016 and

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

*AM16 and AM17: American Continental Chess Championship 2016 and 2017 *AS16 and AS17:

Asian Chess Championship The Asian Chess Championship is a chess tournament open to all players from Asian chess federations (FIDE zones from 3.1 to 3.8). It is held with the Swiss system and consists of two divisions, Open and Women's, the latter of which is reserved to ...

2016 and 2017 *AF:

African Chess Championship The first African Chess Championship was played in 1998. Ibrahim Hasan Labib and Mohamed Tissir both shared first place with 7/10, but the former took the title. The 2007 championship was the FIDE Zone 4 qualifier for the Chess World Cup 2007 ...

2017 * Z2.1, Z2.2, Z2.3, Z2.4, Z2.5, Z3.1, Z3.2, Z3.3, Z3.4, Z3.5, Z3.6, Z3.7: Zonal tournaments *PN:

FIDE The International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation, commonly referred to by its French acronym FIDE ( , ), is an international organization based in Switzerland that connects the various national chess federations and acts as the Spor ...

President nominee

Results

Final match

Fondation_Neva_Women%27s_Grand_Prix_Geneva_09-05-2013_-_Kateryna_Lagno_vs_Wenjun_Ju

The final is the only match of the tournament which consists of four classical games. Those are played on consecutive days with a rest day between the semi-final tie-breaks and match 1. Eventual tie-breaks are scheduled for 23 November, in the same manner as the whole tournament (two rapid games of 25+10, i.e. 25 minutes for the whole game plus a 10-second increment, the two rapid games of 10+10, two blitz games of 5+3 and an armageddon decider). Top seed

, the reigning women's world champion and current women's rapid world champion, advanced to the final without playing a tie-break. Her opponent

played three tie-breaks including one armageddon game against Natalia Pogonina in the third round. Before the final, both had played each other five times at classical time control with all games ending in a draw. :

Bracket

Player positions were determined by the October FIDE rating list. No. 1 plays no. 64, 2 plays 63, and so on.

Finals

Rounds 1-4

References

External links

Official websiteFIDE calendar entry
{{World championships in 2018 Women's World Chess Championships 2018 in chess 2018 in Russian women's sport Chess in Russia International sports competitions hosted by Russia Sport in Khanty-Mansiysk Women's World Chess Championship (tournament) November 2018 in Russia 2018 in women's sport