|
Georgia wins World Women Team Championship |
Georgia concluded the event in style, by defeating the host country and three-times world champions China. The decisive game of the match was Meri Arabidze's fine victory on the second board. From the early opening stage the Georgian put a strong pressure on her opponent Shen Yang, won a pawn and went on to convert into full point.
The remaining three games were drawn.
Georgia took the gold medal with 17 match points, conceding only one tie to Russia. Bela Khotenashvili was by far the best top board, scoring 7,5/9 points for a 2699-elo performance. Meri Arabidze was the best 3rd board with 6/7.
China is third with 11 match points, claiming the bronze.
Still holding a hope for the gold medal in case of Georgia's failure in the final round, Russia put up a powerful performance against USA, convincingly winning the match 3,5-0,5.
Katerina Nemcova was the only to hold a draw, against the world championship finalist Natalija Pogonina. Olga Girya, playing as the 5th board, was the top performer of the event with 6,5/7 points or 92,9%.
Russia won the silver medal, with equal sum of individual points as Georgia, 25 each, but only 15 match points, having conceded ties to Kazakhstan and Armenia.
Ukraine won 3,5-0,5 against Egypt, but Shrook Wafa, earning on the experience of participating in recent Women's World Championship in Sochi, played an inspired game against Inna Gaponenko and nearly defeated the much higher rated opponent. Gaponenko managed to salvage a draw.
Armenia started the match against India without its top player Elina Danielian. Nevertheless, her replacement Lilit Mkrtchian won a fine game against the top rated player in the championship Humpy Koneru.
However, India showed strength on the lower boards and emerged victorious 3-1.
Poland and Kazakhstan exchanged blows to finish their match in a 2-2 tie. The top two boards were drawn. Kazakhstan assumed the lead after Gulmira Dauletova won against the World University Champion Klaudia Kulon. Karina Szczepkowska-Horowska leveled the score by defeating Guliskhan Nakhbayeva. |
