Xu Yuhua seals the title

Alisa Galliamova vs Xu Yuhua

Women’s world championship · 2006 · 0-1

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0 / 116 half-moves

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A masterpiece, move by move

Xu Yuhua’s third game of the 2006 final starts with an unusual queen exchange and ends with active black rooks.

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11. Bxd8

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Both queens are attacked. White’s bishop captures the queen on d8, but Black’s knight captures White’s queen on c3. The queens disappear without a queen sacrifice by either side.

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31... Rc2

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Occupy the second rank. The rook arrives on c2 and attacks the bishop on e2. Black’s other rook can join the open c-file while White’s king remains in the center.

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50... e3

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A passed pawn drives the attack. Black’s e-pawn advances to e3, attacking the bishop on d2. The rooks on a2 and b3 coordinate against White’s exposed king and remaining pawns.