Date:13/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/13/stories/2008091356331700.htm

Sport - Chess

Yifan in final

NEW DELHI: Chinese prodigy Hou Yifan inflicted a heart-breaking twin-defeat on second seed K. Humpy in the two five-minute blitz games for a 4-2 victory in the semifinals of the Women’s World chess championship at Nalchik, Russia, on Friday.

In the four-game final, starting on Sunday, Hou Yifan will meet Russia’s Aleksandra Kosteniuk.

On a day reserved to break the overnight 1-1 deadlock, Yifan took the lead by winning the first of the two 25-minute rapid games in 52 moves. Humpy, like in the classical games between the two players, made full use of the white pieces to level the match with a 43-move victory.

With the players locked at 2-2, the match went into the two five-minute blitz games, where the 14-year-old Chinese girl was clearly the favourite. Humpy, not known to be as skilful in the shortest duration of the game, fumbled with white pieces in 33 moves and that left her with an unenviable task of winning with black to stay alive in the match.

But Hou Yifan did not allow Humpy any more comebacks in the match and clinched a place in the final in style with a 41-move victory.