One of the most sensational rounds of the Women’s World Chess Championship has finished. It turned out tragic for Championship’s favorites. The World Women’s Champion Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria), rating–favorite Humpy Koneru (India), the 3rd number of starting list Pia Cramling(Sweden) lost to Iweta Radziewicz(Poland), Marie Sebag (France), Peng Zhaoquin from Netherlands accordingly. But if Antoaneta and Humpy are left after tie-breaks, an experienced Pia – after the normal games.

Success of the 12-year old rising star from China Yifan Hou fighting with the first European women champion Natalia Zhukova (Ukraine) deserves attention. In general, the second round brought success to Russian and Chinese chess players. Lufei Ruan was the only Chinese lost to Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania), and Maria Kursova , hope of local chess fans – to another Russian player , Vice World Champion Ekaterina Kovalevskaya.

The Russian champion Alexandra Kosteniuk won 2:0 the match against Elina Danelian from Armenia. . Tatiana Kosintseva also reached the next round winning Irina Krush from the USA with 1, 5:0, 5. Svetlana Matveeva defeated Karen Zapata from Peru.

Among the rest 16 participants there are 11 European representatives and 5 players from Asia. To sum it up, the match between these two continents will determine the new World Champion.