Anna Muzychuk is Women's World Blitz Chess Champion 2014

Hello everyone,

Anna Muzychuk has won the three-day super-exciting Women's World Blitz Chess Championship 2014 in Khanty Mansiysk. She scored 23/30 points with Nana Dzagnidze, in second place, a full 2.5 points away. Russia's Tatiana Kosintseva won the bronze after a last-day burst to earn 20 points. The FIDE Women World Blitz Championship 2014 was held from 26th to 28th April at the Ugra Chess Academy in Khanty-Mansiysk. 

Entering the third day of the Championship, Anna Muzychuk and Nana Dzagnidze were tied in first place with 15/20 points each.

Already in the 11th round Dzagnidze was held to 1-1 by Harika and Muzychuk beat Natalia Zhukova 2-0. Muzychuk continued the winning streak 1,5-0,5 against Elisabeth Paehtz and 2-0 against Anna Ushenina. Meanwhile, Dzagnidze could not make more than 1-1 against Alexandra Kosteniuk and Marina Guseva, respectively.

Following the 14th round 1-1 tie with Marina Guseva, Anna Muzychuk secured the title of Women's World Blitz Champion with one round to spare.

This result is immensely important for the young Slovenian, who many times finished joint first or second in the official events, but never before took home the trophy.

Dzagnidze still had to work to secure the silver and 1,5-0,5 against Inna Gaponenko in the 15th round was just enough to seal the 2nd place.

Tatiana Kosintseva defeated Guseva 2-0 to clinch the bronze medal.

A total of 34 women chess players from 13 countries competed for the title and prize fund of $50,000.

The Blitz Championship concludes a string of FIDE official chess events that lasted nearly two months in Khanty-Mansiysk! It all started early March with the FIDE Candidates Tournament, followed by the FIDE Women Grand Prix and the FIDE Women World Rapid Championship.

Official tournament website http://wwrbc2014.fide.com/

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

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