# Women's World Chess Championship 2001

The Women's World Chess Championship 2001 took place from November 25 to December 14, 2001, in Moscow, Russia. It was won by Zhu Chen, who beat Alexandra Kosteniuk in the final by 5 to 3. The final was tied 2–2 after the classical games and decided in the rapid tie-breaks.
For the second time, the championship took the form of a 64-player knock-out tournament.

## Participants

The qualified players were seeded by their Elo ratings (October 2001).
* Alisa Galliamova (RUS), 2547, IM (R)
* Maia Chiburdanidze (GEO), 2513, GM (R)
* Wang Pin (CHN), 2498, WGM (R)
* Almira Skripchenko-Lautier (MDA), 2497, WGM (E)
* Nana Ioseliani (GEO), 2497, IM (R)
* Zhu Chen (CHN), 2497, GM (R)
* Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (RUS), 2486, WGM (WC)
* Xu Yuhua (CHN), 2485, WGM (R)
* Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL), 2473, IM (R)
* Corina-Isabela Peptan (ROM), 2462, IM (E)
* Alisa Marić (SCG), 2457, IM (WC)
* Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS), 2455, IM (E)
* Nataša Bojković (SCG), 2452, WGM (E)
* Cristina Adela Foișor (ROM), 2444, IM (E)
* Peng Zhaoqin (NED), 2443, IM (E)
* Hoang Thanh Trang (VIE), 2439, IM (Z3.2a)
* Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (GEO), 2437, IM (E)
* Tatiana Stepovaia-Dianchenko (RUS), 2435, WGM (E)
* Nino Khurtsidze (GEO), 2425, IM (E)
* Anna Zatonskih (UKR), 2419, WGM (E)
* Xu Yuanyuan (CHN), 2411, WIM (J)
* Svetlana Prudnikova (SCG), 2411, WGM (E)
* Inna Gaponenko (UKR), 2409, WGM (E)
* Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi (IND), 2405, WGM (AS)
* Marta Zielińska (POL), 2405, WGM (E)
* Tatiana Grabuzova (RUS), 2399, WGM (E)
* Elena Sedina (ITA), 2398, IM (E)
* Tatiana Kononenko (UKR), 2395, WGM (E)
* Elisabeth Pähtz (GER), 2392, WGM (E)
* Olga Alexandrova (UKR), 2387, IM (E)
* Iweta Radziewicz (POL), 2387, WGM (E)
* Natalia Kiseleva (UKR), 2382, WGM (E)
* Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM), 2382, WGM (E)
* Wang Yu (CHN), 2378, WFM (AS)
* Monika Soćko (POL), 2375, IM (E)
* Elina Danielian (ARM), 2373, WGM (E)
* Tatiana Shumiakina (RUS), 2371, WGM (E)
* Joanna Dworakowska (POL), 2358, WGM (E)
* Nona Gaprindashvili (GEO), 2349, GM (PN)
* Sulennis Piña (CUB), 2345, WIM (AM)
* Li Ruofan (CHN), 2341, WIM (AS)
* Svetlana Petrenko (MDA), 2336, WGM (E)
* Camilla Baginskaite (USA), 2336, WIM (Z2.1)
* Genrieta Lagvilava (BLR), 2326, WGM (E)
* Julia Galianina-Ryjanova (RUS), 2320, WGM (E)
* Aarthie Ramaswamy (IND), 2301, WIM (AS)
* Gu Xiaobing (CHN), 2299 (Z3.3)
* Jennifer Shahade (USA), 2295, WIM (Z2.1)
* Maritza Arribas (CUB), 2287, WGM (Z2.3)
* Elena Levushkina (UZB), 2280, WIM (Z3.4)
* Huang Qian (CHN), 2275 (AS)
* Dagnė Čiukšytė (LTU), 2271, WIM (E)
* Nisha Mohota (IND), 2262, WIM (AS)
* Maria Kouvatsou (GRE), 2234, WGM (PN)
* Nava Starr (CAN), 2211, WIM (Z2.2)
* Ngan Phan-Koshnitsky (AUS), 2182, WIM (Z3.2b)
* Pallavi Shah (IND), 2172, WIM (Z3.1b)
* Elina Groberman (USA), 2103 (Z2.1)
* Elisa Maggiolo (ARG), 2090, WIM (Z2.5)
* Joara Chaves (BRA), 2079, WIM (Z2.4)
* Farida Arouche (ALG), 2077 (AF)
* Shadi Paridar (IRI), 2071, WIM (Z3.1a)
* Asma Houli (ALG) (AF)
* Wissam Toubal (ALG) (AF)
Notable top players not taking part were Judit Polgár (ranked the no. 1 woman in the world), Xie Jun (ranked 2nd), Wang Lei (4th), Pia Cramling (6th), Koneru Humpy (13th), Qin Kanying (15th), Sofia Polgar (16th), and Viktorija Čmilytė (20th).
Polgár, ranked 1st female and 19th overall in the world, chose instead to participate in the concurrent open event. Reigning champion Xie Jun had put her active career on hold at the time and decided not to defend her title.

### Qualification paths
## Results
### Final Match

    Women's World Chess Championship Final 2001 Classical gamesRapid tie-breaksTotal 12345678  Zhu Chen (China) 011010115  Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) 100101003

### Bracket

| 1st Round | 1st Round | 1st Round | 2nd Round | 2nd Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 3rd Round | 3rd Round | | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Alisa Galliamova | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Wissam Toubal | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Wissam Toubal | ½ | Alisa Galliamova | Alisa Galliamova | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Natalia Kiseleva | Natalia Kiseleva | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Natalia Kiseleva | 3 | Natalia Kiseleva | Natalia Kiseleva | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Wang Yu | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Wang Yu | 1 | | | | Alisa Galliamova | Alisa Galliamova | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2 | | | | | | | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 47 | Jennifer Shahade | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 47 | Jennifer Shahade | 0 | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hoang Thanh Trang | Hoang Thanh Trang | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Hoang Thanh Trang | 1½ | Hoang Thanh Trang | Hoang Thanh Trang | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Huang Qian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Huang Qian | ½ | | | | | | | | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 1½ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Almira Skripchenko | Almira Skripchenko | ½ | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Almira Skripchenko | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | Almira Skripchenko | Almira Skripchenko | ½ | | | | | | | | |
| 54 | Ngan Phan-Koshnitsky | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 54 | Ngan Phan-Koshnitsky | 0 | Almira Skripchenko | Almira Skripchenko | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Marta Zielińska | Marta Zielińska | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Marta Zielińska | 3½ | Marta Zielińska | Marta Zielińska | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Nona Gaprindashvili | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Nona Gaprindashvili | 2½ | | | | Almira Skripchenko | Almira Skripchenko | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Corina-Isabela Peptan | Corina-Isabela Peptan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Julia Galianina-Ryjanova | ½ | | | | | | | Corina-Isabela Peptan | Corina-Isabela Peptan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Tatiana Grabuzova | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Tatiana Grabuzova | 1½ | Tatiana Grabuzova | Tatiana Grabuzova | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Corina-Isabela Peptan | Corina-Isabela Peptan | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Corina-Isabela Peptan | 2 | Corina-Isabela Peptan | Corina-Isabela Peptan | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Nava Starr | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Nava Starr | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 1 | | | | |
| 3 | Wang Pin | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 1 | | | | |
| 57 | Joara Chaves | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 57 | Joara Chaves | ½ | Wang Pin | Wang Pin | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Elisabeth Pähtz | Elisabeth Pähtz | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Elisabeth Pähtz | 3½ | Elisabeth Pähtz | Elisabeth Pähtz | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Iweta Radziewicz | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Iweta Radziewicz | 2½ | | | | Elisabeth Pähtz | Elisabeth Pähtz | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Cristina Adela Foișor | Cristina Adela Foișor | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Cristina Adela Foișor | 3 | | | | | | | Cristina Adela Foișor | Cristina Adela Foișor | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 46 | Gu Xiaobing | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 46 | Gu Xiaobing | 1 | Cristina Adela Foișor | Cristina Adela Foișor | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Nisha Mohota | Nisha Mohota | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Tatiana Stepovaia-Dianchenko | 2½ | Nisha Mohota | Nisha Mohota | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Nisha Mohota | 3½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Nisha Mohota | 3½ | | | | | | | | Cristina Adela Foișor | Cristina Adela Foișor | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Xu Yuhua | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Farida Arouche | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Farida Arouche | 0 | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Elina Danielian | Elina Danielian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 37 | Tatiana Shumiakina | 0 | Elina Danielian | Elina Danielian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Elina Danielian | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Elina Danielian | 2 | | | | Xu Yuhua | Xu Yuhua | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Camilla Baginskaite | Camilla Baginskaite | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Svetlana Prudnikova | 2 | | | | | | | Camilla Baginskaite | Camilla Baginskaite | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Camilla Baginskaite | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Camilla Baginskaite | 4 | Camilla Baginskaite | Camilla Baginskaite | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Nataša Bojković | Nataša Bojković | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Nataša Bojković | 1½ | Nataša Bojković | Nataša Bojković | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Maria Kouvatsou | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Maria Kouvatsou | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alexandra Kosteniuk | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 5 |
| 2 | Maia Chiburdanidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 5 |
| 61 | Asma Houli | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 61 | Asma Houli | ½ | Maia Chiburdanidze | Maia Chiburdanidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Elena Sedina | Elena Sedina | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Olga Alexandrova | 0 | Elena Sedina | Elena Sedina | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Elena Sedina | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Elena Sedina | 2 | | | | Maia Chiburdanidze | Maia Chiburdanidze | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Dagnė Čiukšytė | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Xu Yuanyuan | 4 | | | | | | | Dagnė Čiukšytė | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 63 | Sulennis Piña | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 63 | Sulennis Piña | 2 | Xu Yuanyuan | Xu Yuanyuan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Dagnė Čiukšytė | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant | 1½ | Dagnė Čiukšytė | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Dagnė Čiukšytė | 2½ | | | | | | | | Maia Chiburdanidze | Maia Chiburdanidze | 3½ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Peng Zhaoqin | Peng Zhaoqin | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Nana Ioseliani | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | Peng Zhaoqin | Peng Zhaoqin | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Elina Groberman | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Elina Groberman | ½ | Nana Ioseliani | Nana Ioseliani | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Joanna Dworakowska | Joanna Dworakowska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi | ½ | Joanna Dworakowska | Joanna Dworakowska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Joanna Dworakowska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Joanna Dworakowska | 1½ | | | | Joanna Dworakowska | Joanna Dworakowska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Peng Zhaoqin | Peng Zhaoqin | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Peng Zhaoqin | 2 | | | | | | | Peng Zhaoqin | Peng Zhaoqin | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Maritza Arribas | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Maritza Arribas | 0 | Peng Zhaoqin | Peng Zhaoqin | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Antoaneta Stefanova | Antoaneta Stefanova | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 1½ | Antoaneta Stefanova | Antoaneta Stefanova | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | Pallavi Shah | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | Pallavi Shah | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | Maia Chiburdanidze | Maia Chiburdanidze | 1½ | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 2½ | | | | |
| 7 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 2½ | | | | |
| 59 | Shadi Paridar | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Shadi Paridar | ½ | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Lilit Mkrtchian | Lilit Mkrtchian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Lilit Mkrtchian | 2 | Lilit Mkrtchian | Lilit Mkrtchian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Monika Soćko | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Monika Soćko | 0 | | | | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Nino Khurtsidze | Nino Khurtsidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Anna Zatonskih | 1½ | | | | | | | Nino Khurtsidze | Nino Khurtsidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Li Ruofan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Li Ruofan | ½ | Anna Zatonskih | Anna Zatonskih | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Nino Khurtsidze | Nino Khurtsidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Nino Khurtsidze | 1½ | Nino Khurtsidze | Nino Khurtsidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Aarthie Ramaswamy | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Aarthie Ramaswamy | ½ | | | | | | | | Nino Khurtsidze | Nino Khurtsidze | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Zhu Chen | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Elisa Maggiolo | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Elisa Maggiolo | ½ | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Svetlana Petrenko | Svetlana Petrenko | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Tatiana Kononenko | 0 | Svetlana Petrenko | Svetlana Petrenko | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Svetlana Petrenko | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Svetlana Petrenko | 2 | | | | Zhu Chen | Zhu Chen | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Alisa Marić | Alisa Marić | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Inna Gaponenko | 2 | | | | | | | Alisa Marić | Alisa Marić | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Genrieta Lagvilava | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Genrieta Lagvilava | 0 | Inna Gaponenko | Inna Gaponenko | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Alisa Marić | Alisa Marić | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Alisa Marić | 1½ | Alisa Marić | Alisa Marić | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | Elena Levushkina | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |