The 22-year-old Chinese chess star Hou Yifan on Monday has been crowned the new world champion after winning the Women World Chess Championship final match, held in Ukraine's western city of Lviv.
In Game 9, which was staged at the Potostky Palace, Hou defeated reigning world champion Maria Muzychuk from Ukraine, earning 1 point to surpass the winning margin of 5.5 points and end the 10-game match before the schedule.
The sides have played the tournament mainly slowly and cautiously, with Muzychuk turning to the offensive style of playing in several legs of the match. Hou did not give up a single game to her opponent, winning three rounds of the tournament and drawing six others.
The victory in the match has cemented Hou's position as world number one female chess player in the FIDE ranking.
The Chinese grandmaster will also get 120,000 euros (about 130,000 U.S. dollars) as a cash prize for winning the tournament, while Muzychuk will receive 80,000 euros (about 87,000 dollars).
Hou, who was dubbed the "Genius Girl" as she became a grandmaster at 14, is the youngest ever World Chess Champion in history
She was the Women's World Chess Champion in 2010-2012 and in 2013-2015 and a winner of the FIDE Grand Prix.
Muzychuk, who holds the fourth position in FIDE ranking, has won her champion title during the 2015 Women's World Chess Championship hosted by Russia's Sochi from March 16 to April 6, last year.
The FIDE Women's World Chess Championship final match for golden chess crown kicked off on March 2.
