Anna Ushenina, 14th Women's World Chess Champion

It was an unlikely run for Anna Ushenina of Ukraine, who came in to the title tournament in frigid Khanty-Mansiysk as the 30th seed, but after defeating Antoaneta Stefanova 3.5-2.5 (1.5-.5 in the rapid playoff) she is now the 14th women's world chess champion. Congratulations!

In the first rapid game, Stefanova obtained a slight edge with White, but couldn't find anything special to do with it. She played for a long time in a bishop ending, hoping Ushenina would crack, but nothing of the sort happened. In game 2, Stefanova played a line with which she had enjoyed great success. Nevertheless, Ushenina's faith in the computer evaluation seemed to have been well-founded: she obtained an edge in a risk-free ending, and her opponent wasn't comfortable in defense. Black was already in serious difficulties after 35.Kg3, but after 35...g5? her problems were insuperable. It took until move 94 before Stefanova resigned, but she had been lost for a very long time. (You can replay the games, with my notes, here.)

Congratulations again to Ushenina, who won the match, title, a nice chunk of change, the grandmaster title and a match with Women's Grand Prix winner (and newly crowned ex-champion) Hou Yifan next year to try to retain her title. Not a bad reward for winning the last game!