# Women's World Chess Championship 2004

The Women's World Chess Championship 2004 took place from May 21 to June 4, 2004 in Elista, Russia. It was won by Antoaneta Stefanova, who beat Ekaterina Kovalevskaya in the final by 2½ to ½.
For the third time, the championship took the form of a 64-player knock-out tournament.

## Participants

Qualified players were seeded by their Elo ratings (on the April 2004 list).
* Humpy Koneru (IND), 2513, GM (AS)
* Alisa Galliamova (RUS), 2502, IM (R)
* Maia Chiburdanidze (GEO), 2502, GM (WC)
* Svetlana Matveeva (RUS), 2496, WGM (E)
* Kateryna Lahno (UKR), 2493, IM (PN)
* Pia Cramling (SWE), 2491, GM (R)
* Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL), 2490, GM (R)
* Zhao Xue (CHN), 2477, WGM (J)
* Xu Yuhua (CHN), 2474, WGM (WC)
* Natalia Zhukova (UKR), 2471, WGM (E)
* Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS), 2469, IM (WC)
* Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (RUS), 2467, WGM (E)
* Irina Krush (USA), 2465, IM (Z2.1)
* Almira Skripchenko (FRA), 2456, IM (R)
* Nana Dzagnidze (GEO), 2452, WGM (PN)
* Tatiana Kosintseva (RUS), 2451, WGM (E)
* Hoang Thanh Trang (VIE), 2447, IM (AS)
* Iweta Radziewicz (POL), 2444, IM (E)
* Corina-Isabela Peptan (ROM), 2439, IM (E)
* Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska (GER), 2439, IM (E)
* Olga Alexandrova (UKR), 2430, IM (R)
* Viktorija Čmilytė (LTU), 2430, IM (E)
* Nadezhda Kosintseva (RUS), 2425, WGM (E)
* Elina Danielian (ARM), 2418, IM (E)
* Wang Pin (CHN), 2417, WGM (R)
* Xu Yuanyuan (CHN), 2410, WGM (Z3.5)
* Monika Soćko (POL), 2408, IM (E)
* Ekaterina Polovnikova (RUS), 2406, WGM (E)
* Natasa Bojkovic (SCG), 2400, WGM (E)
* Marie Sebag (FRA), 2398, IM (E)
* Maia Lomineishvili (GEO), 2397, IM (E)
* Peng Zhaoqin (NED), 2396, IM (E)
* Joanna Dworakowska (POL), 2395, IM (E)
* Irina Slavina (RUS), 2395, IM (E)
* Natalija Pogonina (RUS), 2393, WIM (E)
* Wang Yu (CHN), 2393, WGM (Z3.5)
* Nino Khurtsidze (GEO), 2387, IM (E)
* Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM), 2387, IM (E)
* Tatjana Vasilevich (UKR), 2386, IM (E)
* Elisabeth Pähtz (GER), 2385, WGM (E)
* Elena Sedina (ITA), 2382, IM (E)
* Lela Javakhishvili (GEO), 2372, WGM (E)
* Dronavalli Harika (IND), 2368, WIM (AS)
* Ana Matnadze (GEO), 2364, WGM (E)
* Nguyen Thi Thanh An (VIE), 2353, WIM (Z3.3)
* Rusudan Goletiani (USA), 2352, WGM (AM)
* Subbaraman Meenakshi (IND), 2344, WIM (Z3.2)
* Lê Kiều Thiên Kim (VIE), 2341, WIM (Z3.3)
* Huang Qian (CHN), 2339, WIM (Z3.5)
* Jennifer Shahade (USA), 2337, WIM (Z2.1)
* Jana Jacková (CZE), 2331, WGM (E)
* Maritza Arribas (CUB), 2327, WGM (Z2.3)
* Carolina Lujan (ARG), 2319, WIM (Z2.5)
* Maria Sergeyeva (KAZ), 2319, WGM (Z3.6)
* Svetlana Petrenko (MDA), 2319, WGM (E)
* Sopio Tkeshelashvili (GEO), 2307, WGM (E)
* Shadi Paridar (IRI), 2265, WIM (Z3.1)
* Tan Zhongyi (CHN), 2250 (Z3.5)
* Anna Hahn (USA), 2218, WIM (Z2.1)
* Luciana Morales Mendoza (PER), 2120 WIM (Z2.4)
* Asma Houli (ALG), 2116 (AF)
* Farida Arouche (ALG), 2114, WIM (AF)
* Dinara Khaziyeva (CAN), 2110, WFM (Z2.2)
* Cecile van der Merwe (RSA), 2062, WIM (AF)
Notable top players not taking part was Judit Polgár (ranked the no. 1 woman in the world - and 9th overall), Xie Jun (ranked 2nd), Zhu Chen (8th), Qin Kanying (14th), Inna Gaponenko (18th) and Sofia Polgar (19th).
Notably, this was the second Women's World Championship in a row in which the reigning champion (in this case Zhu Chen) did not attempt to defend their title.

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

No fourth game was played, as Stefanova led with two points.
    Women's World Chess Championship Final 2004 1234Total  Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (Russia) 00½—½  Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) 11½2½

### 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 | Humpy Koneru | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Cecile van der Merwe | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Cecile van der Merwe | 0 | 1 | Humpy Koneru | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 32 | Peng Zhaoqin | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Peng Zhaoqin | 4 | 32 | Peng Zhaoqin | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Joanna Dworakowska | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Joanna Dworakowska | 3 | | | | 1 | Humpy Koneru | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 16 | Tatiana Kosintseva | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Tatiana Kosintseva | 2½ | | | | | | | 16 | Tatiana Kosintseva | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Huang Qian | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Huang Qian | 1½ | 16 | Tatiana Kosintseva | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 17 | Hoang Thanh Trang | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Hoang Thanh Trang | 1½ | 17 | Hoang Thanh Trang | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | Lê Kiều Thiên Kim | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | Lê Kiều Thiên Kim | ½ | | | | | | | | 1 | Humpy Koneru | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 9 | Xu Yuhua | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Zhao Xue | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | Xu Yuhua | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 57 | Shadi Paridar | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 57 | Shadi Paridar | 0 | 8 | Zhao Xue | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 40 | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Wang Pin | 0 | 40 | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2 | | | | 40 | Elisabeth Pähtz | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9 | Xu Yuhua | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Xu Yuhua | 3 | | | | | | | 9 | Xu Yuhua | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Sopio Tkeshelashvili | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Sopio Tkeshelashvili | 1 | 9 | Xu Yuhua | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 24 | Elina Danielian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Elina Danielian | 2½ | 24 | Elina Danielian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Elena Sedina | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Elena Sedina | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Humpy Koneru | 1½ | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | |
| 4 | Svetlana Matveeva | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | |
| 61 | Asma Houli | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 61 | Asma Houli | 0 | 4 | Svetlana Matveeva | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 29 | Natasa Bojkovic | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Natasa Bojkovic | 1½ | 29 | Natasa Bojkovic | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Wang Yu | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Wang Yu | ½ | | | | 29 | Natasa Bojkovic | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Irina Krush | 1½ | | | | | | | 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Maritza Arribas | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Maritza Arribas | ½ | 13 | Irina Krush | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 3½ | 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Nguyen Thi Thanh An | 3½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Nguyen Thi Thanh An | 3½ | | | | | | | | 20 | Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska | 1½ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Kateryna Lahno | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Luciana Morales Mendoza | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Luciana Morales Mendoza | ½ | 5 | Kateryna Lahno | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 28 | Ekaterina Polovnikova | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Ekaterina Polovnikova | 1½ | 28 | Ekaterina Polovnikova | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 37 | Nino Khurtsidze | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 37 | Nino Khurtsidze | ½ | | | | 5 | Kateryna Lahno | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2 | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Carolina Lujan | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Carolina Lujan | 0 | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 21 | Olga Alexandrova | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Olga Alexandrova | 1½ | 21 | Olga Alexandrova | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Ana Matnadze | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Ana Matnadze | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | ½ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2½ |
| 2 | Alisa Galliamova | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2½ |
| 63 | Dinara Khaziyeva | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 63 | Dinara Khaziyeva | 0 | 2 | Alisa Galliamova | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 31 | Maia Lomineishvili | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Maia Lomineishvili | 1½ | 31 | Maia Lomineishvili | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Irina Slavina-Turova | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Irina Slavina-Turova | ½ | | | | 31 | Maia Lomineishvili | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 15 | Nana Dzagnidze | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Nana Dzagnidze | 1½ | | | | | | | 15 | Nana Dzagnidze | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Jennifer Shahade | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Jennifer Shahade | ½ | 15 | Nana Dzagnidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 18 | Iweta Radziewicz | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Iweta Radziewicz | 1½ | 18 | Iweta Radziewicz | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 47 | Subbaraman Meenakshi | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 47 | Subbaraman Meenakshi | ½ | | | | | | | | 15 | Nana Dzagnidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Tan Zhongyi | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Tan Zhongyi | 0 | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 3½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 39 | Tatjana Vasilevich | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Xu Yuanyuan | 3 | 39 | Tatjana Vasilevich | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Tatjana Vasilevich | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Tatjana Vasilevich | 4 | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 10 | Natalia Zhukova | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Natalia Zhukova | 2½ | | | | | | | 10 | Natalia Zhukova | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | Svetlana Petrenko | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | Svetlana Petrenko | 1½ | 10 | Natalia Zhukova | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 23 | Nadezhda Kosintseva | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Nadezhda Kosintseva | 3 | 23 | Nadezhda Kosintseva | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Lela Javakhishvili | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Lela Javakhishvili | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Antoaneta Stefanova | 1½ | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | ½ | | | | |
| 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | ½ | | | | |
| 62 | Farida Arouche | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Farida Arouche | ½ | 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 30 | Marie Sebag | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Marie Sebag | 1½ | 30 | Marie Sebag | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Natalija Pogonina | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Natalija Pogonina | ½ | | | | 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 51 | Jana Jacková | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Almira Skripchenko | ½ | | | | | | | 51 | Jana Jacková | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Jana Jacková | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Jana Jacková | 1½ | 51 | Jana Jacková | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 19 | Corina-Isabela Peptan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Corina-Isabela Peptan | 1½ | 19 | Corina-Isabela Peptan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 46 | Rusudan Goletiani | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 46 | Rusudan Goletiani | ½ | | | | | | | | 3 | Maia Chiburdanidze | 3½ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Pia Cramling | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 2½ | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Anna Hahn | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Anna Hahn | ½ | 6 | Pia Cramling | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 38 | Lilit Mkrtchian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Monika Soćko | 3 | 38 | Lilit Mkrtchian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Lilit Mkrtchian | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Lilit Mkrtchian | 4 | | | | 6 | Pia Cramling | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2 | | | | | | | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Maria Sergeyeva | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Maria Sergeyeva | 0 | 11 | Alexandra Kosteniuk | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 2 | 22 | Viktorija Čmilytė | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Dronavalli Harika | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |