Four matches were played on tie-breaks today. Hou Yifan, Almira Skripchenko, Harika Dronavalli and Ruan Lufei were qualified. The last Russian player Aleksandra Kosteniuk lost the match to Chinese player Ruan Lufei after 2 rapid games which were ended with 1,5:0.5 score. The match between Hou Yifan and Zhu Chen was the second one which was determined after the rapid games. The first game was drawn but the second one finished on a favor of Hou Yifan. After two draws in rapid games Almira Skripchenko won both blitz games against Viktorija Cmilyte and was promoted to the 4th round. The first Armageddon blitz game happened in the match Muzychuk Maria - Harika Dronavalli. Ukrainian player won the first blitz game with black but her opponent succeeded to take revenge. After the drawing of lots Harika Dronavalli got the right to choose a color of her pieces. She preferred to play with black pieces therefore Maria Muzychuk, playing white, had to make a full point in order to win the match. After the tense struggle Harika won by time.
Drawing of lots before Armageddon
The final position on the board after the game Muzychuk Maria – Harika Dronavalli. White lost by time
Indian player Harika Dronavalli was more calm today
Anna Muzychuk came to support her sister Maria but it didn`t help
The match between Skripchenko – Cmilyte
French player Almira Skripchenko can be proud on herself
Aleksandra Kosteniuk had chances to win in rapid games but her opponent Ruan Lufei had more luck today
Hou Yifan is in a good mood before the game and with a good result after
Round 3 Game 2
The results of the four matches were decided today. Thus, Humpy Koneru, Katerina Lahno, Ju Wenjun and Zhao Hue were promoted to the next stage. The fate of the other four matches Cmilyte - Skripchenko, Muzychuk M. - Harika, Kosteniuk - Ruan Lufei and Zhu Chen - Hou Yifan will be determined in the tie-breaks tomorrow. Playing with white pieces Zhu Chen equalized the match score after her loss in the previous game. The game Koneru – Zatonskih lasted only 14 moves. In the final position Indian player could win a pawn and fight for a win in the game but preferred to fix her victory in the match and accepted a draw.
One of the most exiting games of today was Cmilyte - Skripchenko. Playing white, Lithuanian player sacrificed a piece for an attack. Almira Skripchenko could take this knight with a pawn and force her opponent to give a perpetual check but decided to test her fortune.
The position on the diagram happened twice during the game. After white’s move Qa3 Black has to resign soon. Instead White chose Qh7 and had to agree for a draw after several moves
Viktorija Cmilyte and her second and friend Peter-Heine Nielsen on the way to the game
Hou Yifan could not hold the advantage in the match today and will play in tie-breaks against Zhu Chen tomorrow
Yelena Dembo was eliminated from the event after she drew the second game. Chinese Zhao Hue who has already won her matches against Martha Fierro and Maia Chiburdanidze will play in 1/4
Aleksandra Kosteniuk will play her third tie-break after two draws in the match against Ruan Lufei
Anna Muzychuk could not equalise the score in the match against Ju Wenjun and has to leave the event while her younger sister Maria Muzichyk continues to play in tie-break tomorrow
Ukrainian Katerina Lahno managed to make a draw in a dubious position against Huang Qian and won her match
Humpy Koneru confidently won all three matches
Round 3 game 1
16 participants out of 64 continue to play in the World Championship. Three games Kosteniuk – Ruan Lufei, Skripchenko – Cmilyte and Harika - Muzychuk Maria were drawn. Two games were finished relatively quick but in the third one Harika Dronavaliy was trying to win rook ending with pawn up but after 90 moves players shared a point. Among the winners of the first game are Humpy Koneru, Hou Yifan, Zhao Xue, Katerina Lahno, Ju Wenjun. The game between Chinese Hou Yifan and her former compatriot Zhu Chen ended in favor of the young prodigy. After 20 moves the position was about equal. The player from Qatar underestimated her pawn weaknesses in the ending which fallowed after the queen trade that she proposed herself. Hou Yifan was accurate to prove the ending to be won.
Only 16 participants are left in the playing hall
16 years old Hou Yifan won in 39 moves today
Harika Dronavalli concentrates before the long game
Both games Kosteniuk – Ruan Lufei and Cmilyte-Skripchenko ended in a draw
Katerina Lahno confidently won against Huang Qian
Anna Zatonskih playing with white pieces was ready to fight today but lost to her opponent Humpy Koneru
Playing with white pieces against Ju Wenjun Anna Muzychuk lost her first game in the championship
Zhao Hue could win against Yelena Dembo several times in the middle game but preferred to enter an endgame with 2 pawns up and win it safely
