Artwork by Mike Magnan
Friday December 31, 2010
Hail to the new queen of chess
CHESS
By QUAH SENG SUN
A 16-year-old chess prodigy from China has emerged as the new women’s world champ.
NOBODY who had met Hou Yifan in April this year, when she took part in the Kuala Lumpur open chess tournament, would have expected that the petite 16-year-old chess prodigy from China could close 2010 crowned as the new women’s world champion.
“When do you think you can become the world champion?” I had asked her then. She let out a stifled giggle, a reaction which I had mistaken for a nervous laugh. “I don’t know,” she replied.
“But that’s your ambition, isn’t it?” I persisted. “Your last attempt at the world chess title had been so very close,” I men-tioned, referring to the previous world chess championship in Nalchik, Russia, in 2008.
At that time, Yifan was only 14 years old and she had progressed through the knock-out tournament till the final stage. However, her opponent proved to be the better player and she was left to reflect on her lost opportunity.
“Oh, I hope to be better prepared and play better this time,” she had replied modestly.
Well, Yifan has really played better this time and gone one better than before. Two additional years of travelling the world and playing chess against top-notch men’s and women’s players had added to her experience.
Just last Friday in Hatay, Turkey, she finally claimed the women’s chess crown as her own. In the final of the championship, she played the match of her life and just about eked through with a hard-fought win against her compatriot, Ruan Lufei.
Source: http://thestar.com.my
Hou is a worthy champ. She is very young and I hope she doesn’t plateau out like so many promising chess players. She needs to keep climbing up the ladder to be able to shake hands with the true chess queen, Judith Polgar. Go for it Hou!
from India!
That pic is so cute. Hope Yifan will keep improving and be able to challenge elite male chess player someday
Hou will be success just like Judith. Some may say a knockout format has luck factor in it. But to be in the final two years in a row is really difficult, yet to say winning it. Keep going, Hou!