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Women's World Chess Championship final kicks off in Ukraine

Xinhua, March 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

The FIDE Women's World Chess Championship final match kicked off in the city of Lviv in western Ukraine on Wednesday.

The reigning world champion Maria Muzychuk from Ukraine will be challenged by another world champion and the winner of the FIDE Grand Prix Hou Yifan from China in a race for golden chess crown.

The opening game, which was held in the Pototsky Palace, ended in a draw with each having half a point. The final will run until March 18.

Muzychuk and Hou have nine games ahead in the 10-game match.

The winner of the tournament will get a cash prize of 120,000 euros (about 130,000 U.S. dollars), while the loser receiving 80,000 euros (about 87,000 dollars).

Hou, the leader among women in FIDE ranking, was the Women's World Chess Champion in 2010-2012 and in 2013-2015.

Muzychuk, who holds the fourth position in FIDE ranking, has won her champion title during the 2015 Women's World Chess Championship hosted by Russia's Sochi from March 16 to April 6, last year. Endit