Historic victory: Georgia’s female chess team crowned world champions

Georgia’s female chess team has been crowned world champions after winning the final game in the World Women's Team Chess Championship against host nation China today.

The Georgian players defeated the Chinese team 2.5 to 1.5, which saw them awarded the honour of world champions for the first time in Georgia’s chess history.

The Georgian team scored a total of 17 points in the competition. They won every game except one against Russia in the first tour, which ended in a draw.

Before gaining the world champion title, the Georgians defeated Egypt, Poland, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the United States of America, India and Armenia. Their defeat over China saw them gain eight wins in a row.

The winning team consisted of five players; Bela Khotenashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, Salome Melia, Meri Arabidze and Nino Batsiashvili.

While Georgia’s female chess team have never been world champions before, the women’s team have gained international success in the past. In 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2008 the Georgian female team won the Chess Olympiads, a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete.

As for the World Championship tournament, this prestigious event takes place every second year. Until now the best result for the Georgian team was third place, which the team won in 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

On another note, Georgia will host the European Woman’s Individual Championship 2015 next month.

The Championship will be held in Georgia’s Black Sea coastal area of Chakvi, Adjara (13km from Batumi) Georgia, from May 18 to 31.