FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship Match in Lviv has finished. World Champion of 2015 Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine) and three-time World Champion of 2010, 2011 and 2013 Hou Yifan (China) competed for world chess crown. With the final score 3:6 Hou Yifan became the Women’s World Chess Champion for the fourth time.

Georgios Makropoulos, FIDE Deputy President, Andriy Sadovyi, Lviv Mayor, Oleh Synyutka, Head of Lviv Region State Administration, and both playes participated at Closing ceremony. There were also both teams, Cheif Arbiter of the Match Carol Jarecki, FIDE representatives, local organizers of the Match and guests.

The Closing Ceremony took place in Potocki Palace.

The Champion of The Match was awarded with a cup, a crown, a gold medal and flowers. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi has made a special present for the Champion – a picture of amber depicting Lviv Opera House, where the Opening Ceremony of this Match took place.

Mariya Muzychuk has also got some presents. Mariya was awarded with a cup, a silver medal, flowers, and oil picture, depicting Lviv Opera House.

By the way, Dominika Dyka, a local master from “Treti Pivni” studio, made a crown for the Champion. It is created of wax by old method, which was very popular in the south of Ukraine in 18-19^th centuries.

Cups and medals were also made by locals masters of blown glass.

During the award ceremony Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi has noted that hosting Women’s World Chess Championship Match was for Lviv very important and made chess more popular for children and adults.

‘During every game someone wins and someone loose. But a great plus of this Championship Match that this time chess has won. This Match has ensured that hundreds and even thouthands of chilren started to attend chess clubs in Lviv and Ukraine. Chess became popular. And I know this because of my own children. Every time they had free time they were playing with phones or tablets. And I was extremely surprised to get an sms from my wife where she wrote: ‘Andriy, they play chess for three days’. Many families in Lviv and Ukraine have the same joy. I’m grateful to these girls for a great holiday. It was a great honour. I wish you many wins, I’m sure you’ll have them a lot. Special thanks to FIDE for the trust you have given to the city of Lviv. You have made an invaluable contribution to the development of chess’, said Andriy Sadovyi.

‘At the opening ceremony I have already said that we have chosen the right place for World Chess Championship Match. And today I can only confirm my words. The Championship Match was held on a very high level. I would like to thank the Mayor for his great support for this Match. Because whenever was nessesary to interfere he did it very fast and with excelent result. It is not easy to organize the Match on a high level and secure conditions, but the organizers in Lviv have succesed with this. I would like to thank this people who have been working for months ensuring the event.

But most of all I would like to thank to Mariya Muzychuk. Mariya was playing at home, but did not try to get any advantage of this fact. You know, we believe that a very good player should have a very good character. And Mariya Muzychuk has proved that she is not only a great player, but she is also a great lady. And we believe that her behavior has helped as much as possible Hou Yifan to feel also at home.

Our Champion from China is a champion for the fourth time. She is only 22 but she has already written a glory chapter in the history of chess. I’m sure in the fututre she will fill books with her success, her stories and her games. Hou Yifan also is a great person. And we are very proud in FIDE to have world champions as Mariya Muzychuk and Hou Yifan. I wish them all the best for the future.

I have to say that Lviv has captured our hearts. The town is very nice and people are beautiful. So, we hope to come back soon to have other important events and FIDE will have the chance to meet again with you’, said Georgios Makropoulos, FIDE Deputy President.

Afterwards all the guests of honor went to the gate of the Palace for the opening of a commemorative table dedicated to the Women’s World Chess Championship in Lviv.

About the Match

The Match for the title of a World Chess Champion lasted for 17 days from March 1^st, a day of opening ceremony in Lviv Opera House, till March 17^th, the closing ceremony.

During this time Muzychuk and Hou have played 9 rounds: 3 games finished with the win of Chinese GM, and other 6 – with drawing. The 7^th round was the longest; it lasted for more than 5 hours and finished after the 81^st move. Fourth round was the shortest – lasted for less than three hours.

The prize fund for this Match is 200,000 Euros and will be split between the players as follows: 60% for the winner and 40% for the loser, namely 120,000 Euros for Hou Yifan and 80,000 – for Muzychuk.

A bit more than a thausand of viewers watched Match in Potocki Palace.

The press center accredited 180 representatives of Ukrainian and foreign media who took more than 800 interviews with the guests and the organizers.

The live broadcast was done on the official web site of the event lviv2016.fide.com, FIDE YouTube chanel and Sport 1 TV Chanel. The number of viewers reached more than a quarter of a million in YouTube, half a million on web site and several million audience on TV.