|
|
|
|---|
Last update: Tuesday March 14, 2006 14:55
England’s Jovanka Houska got off to a flying start in the Women’s World Championships in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Drawn against Almira Skripchenko (2461), Jovanka Houska (2355) achieved a win with black in the first game in 44 moves.
Jovanka, despite the east European sounding name, was born in South London.
She is one of the few English chess professionals around these days and proudly boasts a WGM (International Woman’s Grand Master title), is qualified at male International Master level and has aspirations to become England’s first female Grandmaster proper.
Jovanka Houska’s second is Andrew Greet, who achieved a phenomenal 100% record in the 4NCL (Four Nations Chess League) league last season.
Almira Skripchenko vs. Jovanka Houska
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 O-O 8. Bd3
Nbd7 9. O-O dxc4 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Bd3 Bb7 12. Rc1 a6 13. a4 Rc8 14. Qe2 Re8 15.
Rfd1 Qb6 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Nd5 18. Bxe7 Nxc3 19. Rxc3 Rxe7 20. Rdc1 Rd8
21. Be4 Red7 22. R3c2 bxa4 23. h3 c5 24. Bxb7 Rxb7 25. Qc4 Qb5 26. Qh4 Rc8 27.
Rd1 Rd7 28. Rxd7 Qxd7 29. Qe4 Qb5 30. Kh2 c4 31. Rd2 a5 32. Qd4 a3 33. bxa3
c3 34. Rc2 Qb3 35. Qd3 Qxa3 36. Qd7 Qc5 37. f4 Qc4 38. f5 exf5 39. Qxf5 a4 40.
Qd7 a3 41. Qa7 Qe4 42. Rf2 Qxe5+ 43. g3 c2 44. Qxf7+ Kh8 0-1
For further information on this press release, or any other matters relating
to Chess including news stories, sponsorship opportunities etc please contact
01424 775222 or email
Jovanka Houska has drawn with black in her first game in round 2 in just 21 moves. She surprised her opponent, WGM Kinyang Qin of China (2469) with the Sicilian Defence, which she has not played in serious tournaments before. She countered the 3.Bb5 variation with some sharp play which eventually led to an exchange of queens on move 17 and then to an equal endgame in which a draw was agreed. This was the first game to finish today, and Jovanka has the advantage of the white pieces tomorrow which puts her in a good position to press for a clinching win.
The knock-out formula of this championship has already led to some upsets. In the first round, Russian Women’s Team star, Nadezhda Kosintseva, 2480, lost to a very young Chinese girl, Yufan Hou, 2269, and seventh seed Kateryna Lahno, 2500, of the Ukraine lost to Karen Zapata, 2218, of Peru.
Kinyang Qin v Jovanka Houska
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Qc7 6. 0-0 e5 7. h3 h6 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. b3 Bd6 10. Nc4 g5 11. Nxd6+ Qxd6 12. Bb2 Nd7 13. b4 g4 14. bxc5 Qxc5 15. d4 Qb5 16. d5 cxd5 17. exd5 Qxd5 18. Qxd5 Bxd5 19. Nxe5 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 Rg8 21. h4 Rg6 1/2-1/2.
-------------------------------------------
WGM Jovanka Houska, England's sole representative in the Women's World Championship currently being held in Ekaterinburg, Russia, has won a magnificent first round victory against former European Women's Champion, Almira Skripchenko of France.
Rated over 100 points above Jovanka at 2461, Almira sought to surprise her opponent in the first of their two games with d4, a first move for which she is not known. Jovanka, however, was ready as black and launched into the Semi-Slav Defence and won. In their second game, Jovanka's performance as white gained her the advantage against the Modern Defence and she agreed a draw in a winning position, scoring 1.5/2, thus securing her a fine first round victory.
This championship is a knock-out, so of the 64 who started, only 32 players go forward into the second round. Jovanka's opponent today is WGM Kanying Qin of China, rated 2469. To follow live coverage of her games today and tomorrow, please visit the official website at www.womenchess.com, which is also accessible through the FIDE website at www.fide.com.