Upset wins for Zayac, Zhaoqin

By P.K. Ajith Kumar

NEW DELHI, DEC. 1. Maia Chiburdanidze never liked the knock-out system. ``It's very unfair,'' the Georgian had said only a few days ago. On Friday, she became the first major casualty of the system, when she drew the second game of the second round with Romania in the women's World chess championship at Hyatt Regency. Maia, a five-time World champion, had to win today to stay in contention.

Joining Peptan in the third round are Xu Yuhua of China, Tatjana Vasilevich of Ukraine, Elena Zayac of Russia, who upset veteran Pia Cramling of Sweden, Nana Isoliani of Georgia, Peng Zhaoqin of Netherlands, who shocked Wang Lei of China, Ekaterina Kovaleskaya of Russia, Natalya Zhukova of Ukraine and Almira Skripchenko- Lautier of Maldova.

World champion Xie Jun was held to a draw for a second successive tim by Russia's Svetlana Matveeva and will have to play in the tie-breakers on Saturday. Also playing will be Alisa Galliamova of Russia, who was shocked by the Yugoslav Natasja Bojkovic.

Maia replied with Modern Defence to Corina's King pawn push today. Since the Romanian needed only a draw, it wasn't surprising to find her going for a quick exchange of pieces. On the 16the move she exchanged her queen initiated a bloody exchange. Maia had no room to attempt a win, and the game was drawn after 25 moves by repetition of moves. When the peace treaty was signed, White was placed better.

``I played a bit uncharacteristically today,'' Corina said later, ``I know I could have pressed for a victory, but I just did not want to to take any risk.''

Zhukova made it 2-0 with an impressive 31-move over Poland's Joanna Dworakowska. She attacked splendidly playing on the white side of a Dutch Defence. The World Cup champion Xu Yuhua also had it easy against the American, Ann Hahn, winning in 41 moves of Sicilian.

Zhoaqin defeated Wang in 40 moves of Slav Defence, while Kovelaskaya beat Marat Zeilinskaya of Poland in 35 moves of French Defence.

The results (Round Two, Game One):Xie Jun (Chn) 1 drew with Svetlana Matveeva (Rus) 1; Corina Peptan (Rom) 1.5 bt Maia Chiburdanidze (Geo) 0.5; Irina Krush (US) 0.5 lost to Tatjana Vasilevich (Ukr) 1.5; Anna Hahn (US) 0.5 lost to Xu Yuhua (Chn) 1.5; Pia Cramling (Swe) 0.5 drew with Elena Zayac (Rus) 1.5; Natasja Bojkovic (Yug) 1 bt Alisa Galliamova (Rus) 1; Wang Lei (Chn) 0.5 lost to Peng Zhaoqin (Chn) 1.5; Niina Kosleka (Fin) 0.5 drew with Nana Ioseliani (Geor) 1.5; Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (Rus) 1.5 bt Marta Zeilinskaya (Pol) 0.5; Marany Meyer (RSA) 0.5 Almira Skripchenko-Lautier (Mda) 1.5; Natalya Zhukova (Ukr) 2 bt Joanna Dworakowska (Pol) 0; Maria Manakova (Yug) 0 lost to Ketino Kachiani-Gersikno (Ger) 2; Maritza Arribas (Cub) 1 drew with Julia Demina (Rus) 1.

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