The New Women's World Champion: Anna Ushenina!

Hi kids!  Did you know a couple of really exciting things are going on in the chess world?  Number one is that Magnus Carlsen has just earned the highest rating in history, beating Garry Kasparov who held the world record for 12 years.  Magnus is 22 years old and his new rating is 2857!!  That number is HUGE.  (Most children start around 200 or so and you gain points every time you win.  Once your rating is high, it's much harder to win a lot of points!) (Here is Magnus in London; pic from chessbase.)

The second piece of news is that Anna Ushenina has just become the new Women's World Chess Champion!  She is 27 years old, and the first woman from Ukraine to ever win the honor.  She was sort of an underdog in the event, but she crushed her opponents and never got knocked out.  (Even the amazing Hou Yifan, former WWCh got knocked out earlier!)  Here is Ushenina.

Today Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl) will show you some of Ushenina's wins.  I like how many of the women did not give up until they saw checkmate coming.

Do you see checkmate in one move?  White resigned before playing Ke4.  White was Muzychuk, rated 2586 while Ushenina was rated 2452!  Numbers aren't everything, afterall!

Did you see Qd4 mate?

Here Ushenina has white versus Kosintseva, another very strong player.  But Kosintseva resigned here.  Do you see why?  What would Ushenina do if it were white's turn?

Do you see her checkmate threat against Stefanova, the finalist?  (Stefanova resigned, but what if she had played the move Nd2?  If she stops the checkmate, she loses the knight.  A loss either way at top-level chess.)