High Drama At Women's World Championship

Alexandra Kosteniuk played a solid game to draw her second semi-final game with Pia Cramling and thereby earn a place in the final, seven years after she last reached the final and lost to Zhu Chen.  Can she go one better this time?

Her opponent in the final is still to be decided, after a dramatic finish in the other game between Humpy Koneru (pictured) and Hou Yifan.  Koneru was pressing hard looking for the win that would tie the match and take it into tie-breaks, but Hou Yifan was equal to the task and holding firm.  Humpy was forced to try anything to keep the position unbalanced and avoid a draw and as a result the game swung in the Chinese girl's favour and it looked like Humpy was out for the count.

Just as it seemed all over, the normally tactically alert Hou Yifan made a terrible blunder to allow a forced checkmate for Humpy!  Agonies for the young Yifan and a huge let-off for Humpy.

Tie-breaks will now take place on Friday to see who will take on Kosteniuk in the final.