Former world chess champion Mariya Muzychuk, left, reached the semi-finals of this year's World Championship tournament in Russia ©FIDE

The Muzychuk sisters from Ukraine, Mariya and Anna, suffered differing fortunes in today’s quarter-final tiebreakers at the Women’s World Chess Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Twenty-six year old Mariya, who was world champion from 2015 to 2016, secured a 4½-3½ win over Kazakhstan’s 15th ranked Zhansaya Abumalik, having recovered from being a game down.

Mariya, ranked seven, will now meet Russia’s third seed Kateryna Lagno, who qualified for the last four the day before in this World Chess Federation (FIDE) event being held in the  concert and theatre complex of the Ugra-Classic.

 Anna, 28, is ranked fourth in the world, but she lost her quarter-final decider 2½-1½ to fifth-ranked home player Alexandra Kosteniuk, who now goes forward to meet China’s defending champion Ju Wenjun in the other semi-final.

Anna Muzychuk, right, lost her tiebreaker in today's Women's World Chess Championship quarter-final to Russia's Alexandra Kosteniuk ©FIDE
Anna Muzychuk, right, lost her tiebreaker in today's Women's World Chess Championship quarter-final to Russia's Alexandra Kosteniuk ©FIDE

All players who have advanced to the semi-final except for the future champion are automatically qualified for the 2019 Women's Candidates Tournament.

Meanwhile play will resume tomorrow in the Men’s World Chess Championships in London between defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and US challenger Fabiano Caruana, with the score currently standing at 2-2.