Hou Yifan regains Women's World Championship

Congratulations to Hou Yifan, who decisively regained the Women's World Championship, beating Anna Ushenina 5.5-1.5 in the match, scheduled for 10 games. In an unusual reversal of the classic "win as White, draw as Black" formula, Hou won all three of her games as Black, while drawing her first three games as White. As White in the seventh game, she routed Ushenina, giving her the 5 1/2 points necessary to secure the title. All of the games are available on the match website.

Hou Yifan's 78.6% score is the most decisive match result in Women's World Championship history since Gaprindashvili routed Bykova 9-2 (+7 =4, 81.8%) in 1961. Even Vera Menchik's two match wins, against Sonja Graf in 1934 (+3 -1, 75%) and 1937 (+9 =5 -2, 71.9%) were less lopsided. Here is the decisive game:

Women's Grand Prix in August, Hou Yifan - Humpy Koneru match in November?

Alexandra Kosteniuk passes along a credible rumor from a Russian chess news site: Hou Yifan of China and Humpy Koneru of India may play their world championship match in Chicago later this year.

And look at the powerhouse lineup for the Grand Prix event to be held here in Chicago August 1-15!

When FIDE is involved and the lead time is short, I get a bit nervous. Please let us know if we can help!

Heh: see the comments for the (amusing) probable explanation!  You know, we'd be a great site for the Anand-Gelfand match....

Hou Yifan makes the New York Times op-ed page

She's featured in Nicholas Kristof's column.  It's much better than the rest of today's depressing news.

I'm playing chess this weekend; back to blogging soon!