"Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing" -- Robert HUBNER


Women's World Championship

: Created:18 Sep 2013 , by

It is looking all up for world champion Anna Ushenina as she falls three points behind Hou Yifan.

Ushenina's Sicilian Defence with Black has proved resilient but she has lost three times with the White pieces, twice against the Nimzo Indian Defence and today against Yifan's Queen's Indian Defence. Once again Ushenina overlooked a sharp tactical thrust and it looks certain that Hou Yifan will regain her championship very soon.

In this match Bobby Fischer's dictum that "1.e4 is best by test" looks to be true but only if you overlook Ushenina's woeful performance with White. More important is that in a match situation the Chinese player is clearly the stronger. Hopefully Yifan will kick on to challenge the men and break into the 2700 club previously inhabited only by Judith Polgar.