Will Women World Champion Crown Remain in China?

As everybody knows, China has emerged as a new power house country in chess. They have dominated the women world championship and Chess Olympiad for almost 20 years and their men colleagues is climbing the ladder to the top of the wolrd with 3 of their guy start entering the FIDE 2700 club or the Super Elite GMs.

However, in the ongoing 2008 Women World Championship in Nalchik, Russia, the defending champion- WGM Xu Yuhua (FIDE 2483) photo up left was beaten as early as round 2 by Russian - Svetlana Matveeva (FIDE 2412) Now after round 4, the Chinese representative were continued by "only" two players - the prodigy Hou Yifan ( FIDE 2557) photo right and slightly older Shen Yang (FIDE 2445) photo left in round 4.


Photos from the Official site