Dear participants, guests and organizers of The Women's World Chess Championship 2006!

Congratulate you on the beginning of the Women's World Chess Championship in the capital of hospitable Ural Land!

It is the third time when Russia becomes the home of Women's World Championships. This fact shows the high level of the women's chess development in our country.

It's very pleasant to realize that the interest in this Royal Game in Russia is really great. That is why I am especially happy that the representatives of the best part of the mankind, without exaggeration, the queens of the chess will give us the unique chance to watch their brilliant duels.

It goes without saying that the World Chess Championship will be exceptionally interesting and captivating because of the participation of such well-known players as the world chess champion Stefanova Antoaneta, the legend of the chess Chiburdanidze Maya, European champions Zhukova Natalia and Skripchenko Almira, the world vise-champions Kovalevskaya Ekaterina and Galliamova Alisa, the eminent player Matveeva Svetlana and many other chess stars.

This event will definitely attract attention of the whole sport world.

I wish all the participants creative achievements and sport luck!

Alexander ZHUKOV
President of Russian Chess Federation,
Deputy Chairman of Russian Federation Government