Women's World Chess Championship 2012: Humpy and Harika in Round 2

India’s GM Koneru Humpy will take on Natalia Zhukova of Ukraine in the second round of the Women’s World chess championship now in progress. After winning the first round with an easy 2-0 whitewash against lower ranked Denise Frick of South Africa, Zhukova will be a much tougher challenge for Humpy with better practice as she beat World junior girls’ champion Guo Qi of China in the first round.

GM D Harika will also face a tough opponent in Elena Danielian of Armenia after beating compatriot Soumya Swaminathan in the first round. Danielian showed excellent nerves in her come-from-behind victory against Sopiko Khukhashvili of Georgia. After sharing a victory each under normal games, Danielian suffered a defeat in the first game under rapid chess but quickly leveled scores winning the second game to set up the next set of tie-breaker which had 10 minutes for both players.

The Armenian won both games here to earn her right to play Harika. Humpy starts a big favorite against Zhukova but the Ukrainian is a very experienced player.While Zhukova will try to showcase her preparation, Humpy is more likely to fall back on her skills which has made her a force to reckon with in women’s chess. Harika patiently waited for her second round opponent to be declared as Danielian was involved in an extended contest and once Danielian won, Harika appeared ready for the task ahead.

Complete results round 1 (Final scores in the end): Sachini Ranasinghe (Sri) lost to Yifan Hou (Chn) 0-2; Koneru Humpy (Ind) beat Denise Frick (Rsa) 2-0; Anna Muzychuk (Slo) beat Amina Mezioud (Alg) 2-0; Natalia Khoudgarian (Can) lost to Zhao, Xue (Chn) 0-2; Kateryna Lahno (Ukr) beat Mona Khaled (Egy) 2-0; Melissa Castrillon Gomez (Col) lost to Nadezhda Kosintseva (Rus) 0-2;

Valentina Gunina (Rus) beat Gu Xiaobing (Chn) 2-0; Pia Cramling (Swe) beat Ghader Pour Shayesteh (Iri) 2-0; D Harika (Ind) beat Soumya Swaminathan (Ind) 1.5-0.5; Atousa Pourkashiyan (Iri) lost to Ju Wenjun (Chn) 1-1, 1-1, 0-2; Antoaneta Stefanova (Bul) beat Marina Romanko (Rus) 2-0; Sopiko Khukhashvili (Geo) lost to Elena Danielian (Arm) 1-1, 1-1, 0-2;

Anna Ushenina (Ukr) beat Deysi Cori (Per) 1.5-0.5; Anna Zatonskih (Usa) beat Carolina Lujan (Arg) 1.5-0.5; Alexandra Kosteniuk (Rus) beat Tatev Abrahamyan (Usa) 1.5-0.5; Marie Sebag (Fra) beat Irina Berezina (Aus) 1.5-0.5; Madina Davletbayeva (Kaz) lost to Tatiana Kosintseva (Rus) 0.5-1.5; Guo Qi (Chn) lost to Natalia Zhukova (Ukr) 0.5-1.5; Nino Khurtsidze (Geo) beat Yelena Dembo (Gre) 1.5-0.5;

Huang Qian (Chn) beat Shen Yang (Chn) 1.5-0.5; Li Ruofan (Chn) lost to Irina Kruch (Usa) 1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 0.5-1.5; Ingrid Aliaga Fernandez (per) lost to Viktorioja Cmilyte (Ltu) 0.5-1.5; Svetlana Matveeva (Rus) lost to Natalija Pogonina (Rus) 1-1, 0-2; Alisa Galliamova (Rus) beat Ekaternia Kovalevskaya (Rus) 1-, 2-0; Maritza Arribas Robaina (Cub) beat Bela Khotenashvili (Geo) 1-1, 1.5-0.5;

Nastassia Ziaziulkina (Blr lost to Zhu,Chen (QAT); 0-2; Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr) beat Cristina-Adela Foisor (Rou) 1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0; Hoang Thanh Trang (Vie) beat Evgenija Ovod (Rus) 1.5-0.5; Iweta Rajlich (Pol) lost to Olga Girya (Rus) 0.5-1.5; Arakhamia-Grant, Ketevan (Sco) lost to Lilit Mkrtchian (Arm) 0-2; Lela Javakhishvili (Geo) beat Anastasia Bodnaruk (Rus) 1-1, 1-1, 1.5-0.5; Monica Socko beat Almira Skripchenko (Fra) 1.5-0.5. (PTI)