The third round of the Women’s World Chess Championship, which started on March 10 2006 in the exhibition hall of Atrium Palace Hotel, finishes today.

Out of 63 competing players just 16 are left. Among the remaining contestants the representatives of Russian Chess school have a quantitative advantage: Alexandra Kosteniuk, Tatiana Kosintseva, Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, Alisa Galliamova and Svetlana Matveeva. The most serious opponents to them are four representatives of China: among them a new discovery of the championship – 12-year old Hou Yifan. Two players from Georgia, including legendary Maya Chiburdanidze, and 5 challengers from India, Lithuania, Holland, Poland and France , keep fighting as well.

With every passing day the fight is getting more and more intense. So yesterday in the 3rd round 6 games (out of 8) ended in a draw, which proves that the fight is reaching its heat point, when the significance of every move is felt.

We will learn the final results closer to midnight.