FIDE EDU “Preparation of Teachers” online courses in French announced
The FIDE Chess in Education Commission and AIDEF are announcing an online Preparation of Teachers course in French. FIDE EDU has offered many English and Spanish courses since 2023, with help from the Confederation of Chess for America. The first French course runs online from May 16-18, 2025. Participants who pass the final exam with at least 65% will earn the FIDE School Instructor title. The implementation of French courses aimed at training teachers in schools addresses a fundamental need: ensuring equitable access to quality pedagogy in a language mastered by both trainers and learners. Chess, as a recognized educational tool, fosters the development of essential skills in children, such as concentration, logic, critical thinking, memory, autonomy, and decision-making abilities. It integrates perfectly into school curricula, complementing traditional learning and contributing to strengthening basic education. In this context, the growing interest in the French language is clear. French is the language of instruction, administration, and inter-community communication in many countries, particularly in Africa. Offering training in French thus ensures better access to educational content, a quicker assimilation of training tools, and sustainable skill development for teachers. Moreover, the French language carries values of cooperation, solidarity, and knowledge transfer that align fully with the educational goals pursued by organizations engaged in the development of chess. The International Association of Francophone Chess (AIDEF), recognized by FIDE as the representative body for Francophone chess, has set itself the mission of organizing and promoting chess in the Francophone world. This mission is particularly important in countries where chess structures are still in their infancy or in the process of being established, especially in many African nations where the youth population is large, motivated, but often faces a lack of resources and institutional frameworks. Members of AIDEF at their General Assembly during 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest While Northern countries already benefit from established educational systems and available teaching resources, Southern countries have specific needs, both in terms of training, equipment, and logistical support. This is why the development of a structured training offer in French is a crucial lever to support the professionalization of local actors and promote the sustainable integration of chess in schools. Therefore, AIDEF aims to intensify its efforts in these regions, working closely with FIDE and national federations, so that chess becomes a true educational, empowering, and social cohesion tool for the younger generations of the Francophone world. Written by Patrick Van Hoolandt
WGP Pune: Zhu Jiner dodges a bullet and keeps the lead
Going into the rest day, one would think that the players would keep it to the vest and play cautiously – no one wants to lose a game and ponder over it too much. But almost the opposite was true! With the sole exception of the duel between friends and rivals Humpy and Harika, the other four games were heavily contested, to the point where we witnessed a fantastic positional queen sacrifice along with Vaishali’s first win. https://youtu.be/vtzRcfo5BkU For tomorrow’s free day, the organizers have planned a trip to the center of Pune for some sightseeing and souvenir hunting. Players, arbiters and media will get a chance to bond, at the same time recharging their batteries for the four final rounds, which will decide the winner of the Pune WGP. Today’s ceremonial first moves were performed on the Humpy vs Harika board. Mr. Shri Sridhar, Superintendent CID Pune opened the game for Humpy while GM Abhijit Kunte, gold winning captain of the 2024 Women’s Olympiad Team and the WGP Tournament Organizer, defended Harika’s black pieces. Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s games. Humpy Koneru 0.5 – 0.5 Harika Dronavalli The first game to finish this afternoon was the match between the two best Indian female players of all time, Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli. According to my database, their rivalry goes way back, to 2003. Since then they have played thirty games against each other, with a very close record – 3 wins a piece and 24 draws. Humpy opened with a very solid Neo-Catalan declined, but failed to achieve any advantage in the opening. Both players completed their development comfortably and a draw was agreed on move nineteen after a threefold move repetition. It could be argued that Humpy could have played on in the final position with 19.Bxf6, weakening Harika’s castled king, but maybe going into the rest day she preferred to play it safe. Alina Kashlinskaya 0.5 – 0.5 Salome Melia Soon afterwards, Kashlinskaya and Melia, currently occupying the bottom two spots in the standings, also agreed to a draw, albeit after many more moves. The Polish number one decided to try out the solid Alapin variation against her opponent’s Sicilian Defence. However, after a few moves it already seemed that she was out of the book, spending ten minutes for 7.dxc5 and then a further thirteen minutes for 9.h3. With the queen’s off the board, it all fell down to Kashlinskaya’s endgame technique – would she be able to squeeze water from a stone in an opposite-coloured bishop with two rooks? She continued to push, and even sacrificed a pawn to get an outside passer, but Salome was able to hold the balance at all time and the engine confirmed equality. A draw was eventually agreed on move forty-one, with both players clocking-in a 98% accuracy score. Divya Deshmukh 0.5 – 0.5 Polina Shuvalova A very equal game all along. Divya prepared a twist in the exchange variation of the Queen’s Gambit that definitely caught Shuvalova off-guard. The move 8.Ng-e2, instead of the more common 8.Qf3, forced Shuvalova into the tank for more than seventeen minutes. Polina eventually found the correct defence but Divya pressed on for most of the game, working her way towards the only weakness in Shuvalova’s position – the pawn on b7. But Polina was on point today and defended accurately, simplifying into a totally drawn theoretical rook and pawn endgame. The game indeed ended in a draw, with both players performing above 98% accuracy! Vaishali Rameshbabu 1 – 0 Munguntuul Batkhuyag An important win for Vaishali, that leaves her on 50% going into the rest day. She opened the game with the Reti 1. Nf3 + 2. g3 followed by an early exchange of queens. Very solid but with hardly any aggression – Munguntuul equalised comfortably and one could even argue that Black had the upper hand. Additionally, on move twenty-five Munguntuul had twenty-five minutes left while Vaishali was already under her final ten minutes. Up to this point both players were being very accurate (around 98%), and according to the engine the position remained in balance but at the same time extremely dynamic. Vaishali finally decided to go for an attack, and the risk reaped the reward. After several inaccuracies, the Indian IM took advantage of her opponent’s final mistakes and won the game. She was also kind enough to join us in the media center to go over her game on the screen, and talk about her performance in the tournament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSVFbtM2C00&pp=0gcJCX4JAYcqIYzv Nurgyul Salimova 0.5 – 0.5 Zhu Jiner If Zhu Jiner ends up winning this tournament, it will be largely because she saved her game today by the skin of the teeth. In a fashionable London opening, Zhu was obtained the bishop pair in exchange for a slight kingside pawn weakness. Both players made some small positional inaccuracies in the early middlegame, but eventually the position evened out, and a draw was looking to be the most likely outcome. After some more exchanges and manoeuvres, Salimova was even proposing some move repetitions, while Zhu Jiner was avoiding them at all costs: she wanted the game to carry on, probably counting on some mistakes in Salimova’s time trouble. And then this happened! Moment of the day Zhu Jiner could have just exchanged rooks and the game would have headed to a draw. But instead she played 44…Nd5? And got hit by a fabulous queen sacrifice. Salimova played 45.Qxd5! exd5 46.Rxc7 with a massive positional advantage for the material. The game eventually ended in a draw when Salimova missed a couple of wins. We were lucky to catch her leaving the playing hall and convinced her to pop into the media center and see where she had missed the win. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx-AKwfNLH4 Round 6 dates and pairings The players will enjoy a rest day tomorrow. The sixth round of the fifth leg in the 2024/25 Women’s Grand Prix series will take place on Sunday, April 20 at
Grand finale in Chongqing: FIDE Women’s World Championship Match 2025 comes to a close
The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match concluded on April 18 with a vibrant closing ceremony held at the Multi-Function Hall of the Jinke Grand Hotel in Chongqing’s Fuling District. The event marked the end of an exciting championship between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi, and celebrated the power of chess to bring people, cities, and cultures together. The national anthem of the People’s Republic of China and the FIDE anthem were played, followed by a highlights video recapping key moments from the match. For a few minutes, attendees experienced the emotions of the match – from the first stable draw to the final one that sealed Ju’s title, and all the wins and losses in-between. It ended with a shot of the beautiful Phoenix Coronet trophy, the final highlight that showcased the prestige of the event. Attending leaders and guests included Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Dana Reizniece, FIDE Treasurer Zhu Chen, Mr. Zhao Aiguo Deputy general director of China QIYUAN and Vice Chair of the CCA, Mr. Du Xueyong Deputy Director of Chongqing Administration of Sports, Mr. Liu Shizhen President of the Shanghai Board and Card Games Center, Ms Wang Yaping, Deputy Mayor of Fuling District, and Mr. Dong Yifeng, Mayor of Fuling District. The national anthem of the People’s Republic of China and the FIDE anthem were played, followed by a highlights video recapping key moments from the match. For a few minutes, attendees experienced the emotions of the match – from the first stable draw to the final one that sealed Ju’s title, and all the wins and losses in-between. It ended with a shot of the beautiful Phoenix Coronet trophy, the final highlight that showcased the prestige of the event. In speeches that followed, officials praised the organizational excellence and the level of competition. Mr Dong Yifeng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fuling District Committee and Mayor of the People’s Government of Fuling District, took to the stage first, noting how the event had showcased both the intellectual beauty of chess and the cooperative spirit between Shanghai and Chongqing, ending with the sentiment, “May the sport of chess flourish across continents!”. Mr Zhao Aiguo, Deputy Director of the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sports of China, took to the stage next, emphasizing the achievements of chess in China, particularly women’s chess. Chief Arbiter Sabrina de San Vicente and Deputy Chief Arbiter Zhu Jiaqi then made their way to the stage and formally announced the results: the Winner of the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match: Ju Wenjun, clinching her fifth consecutive world title. The awards presentation followed, with Dana Reizniece and Wang Yeping presenting the runner-up award to Tan Zhongyi, and Zhu Chen, Zhao Aiguo, and Du Xueyong awarding Ju Wenjun the championship Phoenix Coronet trophy, medal, and laurel crown. Remaining on stage adorned in her laurel crown, the champion herself made a speech. In her brief remarks, Ju Wenjun expressed gratitude and pride, calling this fifth title “deeply meaningful” and thanking everyone who supported the event, and specially thanked her team GM Ni Hua, Gm Maxim Matlakov, and WGM Wang Pin. To recognize outstanding contributions to the event, FIDE presented the “Outstanding Organization Award” to both the Shanghai and Chongqing organizing teams, and the “Outstanding Venue Award” to Fuling District. In a symbolic exchange, the Fuling District presented a replica of the championship trophy to FIDE. Ms Dana Reizniece then took to the stage for the final closing speech of the ceremony. The speech started off with congratulations to both the World Champion and Runner-up, thanking them for their strength and fighting spirit, and spectacular match: “Chess is usually played in silence, but the moves spoke volumes – about the strength of the players, their character and determination to show their best, to be the best. Anyone who looked at the games – and I was among them, closely following every single one – has not been disappointed. From the first move to the final handshake, Ju and Tan have captivated us all. While the title goes only to one person, both Ju and Tan have earned the world’s respect. From start to finish, this has been a championship to remember – full of surprising twists and turns, it brought us excitement, intensity and brilliance which has become part of the great history of chess. This match has been a gift to the chess world – and we are all the richer for it. Tan, Ju, thank you – for everything that you have shown in this match; for everything that you have given to chess over the years; and for the hopes and anticipation you have created about your future and the future of our beloved game!” Before officially closing the match, the speech concluded with an important message about women’s chess: “Although the match is over, it marks the beginning of a new chapter for women’s chess. My team and I have made it one of our key goals to improve women’s chess – create more events, increase prize funds and provide more support at every level, to increase the number of women players. We have been successful, but we are not done yet! Events such as this one give us the stimulus to carry on. As we do, given China’s prominent place in the chess world, we hope there will be more events and more support for this game, which, in an ever more uncertain world, enriches us all, builds bridges and opens opportunities for deeper ties and growth.” The ceremony concluded with all dignitaries jointly pressing the “closing button,” signaling the official end of the match. A powerful cultural performance, the Emei Sword Dance, brought the evening to a close, followed by a group photo session and celebratory banquet. As the curtain fell on the 2025 Women’s World Championship, what remained was not just the name of the winner, but the collective memory of a fighting match held across two great
Winners crowned at FIDE World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Rhodes, Greece
The final moves have been made, bringing the FIDE World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Rhodes, Greece, to a close. More than 430 boys and girls from 48 countries competed across Open and Girls categories in the U18, U16, U14, U12, U10, and U8 age groups, in both rapid and blitz formats. After five intense days and a total of 22 rounds—11 each in rapid and blitz—the winners emerged in all 24 tournaments. Medals were awarded to some of the most talented young players in the world. The closing ceremony, held at the Palace Hotel Rhodes, was attended by distinguished guests including Akis Delaportas, Vice Governor of the South Aegean Region; Ozgur Solakoglu, FIDE Technical Delegate; Maria-Anna Stefanini, member of the Greek Chess Federation; and Stamos Karabas, President of the Ippotis Chess Club, along with over 400 participants and their parents. Ksenia Norman (pictured above), the winner of both Rapid and Blitz Under 18 Girls category, shared: “The tournament is at the highest level. The hotel is nice, the judges are professional. Very high result for me, I am very proud of it. I always expect the best from myself and I strive for it… For my next tournaments, I have India Open and Uzbekistan Open… My next goal is to achieve the WIM title. My main goal is to reach 2200 – 2300, and never forget to enjoy the game.” Ergali Suleimen (pictured below), the winner of both Rapid and Blitz Under 18 Open said: “The tournament was great, organization was excellent, and a little break between rounds was great. The emotions are high-sky. The next tournament for me is the Final of Kazakhstan Championship, I will try to continue my great performance. I am now a Fide Master, so my next goal is to try to achieve IM.” Arya Aydogan, the winner of the Blitz Under 14 Girls added: “I would like to thank the organizers for a great tournament. I started the tournament with a loss, but then I pulled myself together and came out on top. My next goal is to achieve the Women’s FIDE Master title and work toward higher titles step by step. When I play chess I am really happy – if you want to play chess, enjoy it and go for success.” Final standings Blitz Under 8 Open: Netrebka, Myron (UKR) Yunker, German (FIDE) Jevglevski, Lev (EST) Under 8 Girls: Bissaliyeva, Alisha (KAZ) Trzcinska, Wiktoria (POL) Volkova, Varvara (FID) Under 10 Open: Anetov, Amirzhan (KAZ) Hoang, Tan Vinh (VIE) Nguyen, Xuan Phuong (VIE) Under 10 Girls: AFM Tran, Hoang Bao An (VIE) WCM Divi, Bijesh (IND) Kiyanna, Parihaar (IND) Under 12 Open: CM Guo, Ethan (USA) Sason, Noam (ISR) Nurakyn, Suleiman (KAZ) Under 12 Girls: WCM Yunker, Alisa Genrietta (FIDE) Gruszecka, Alicja (POL) WCM Sholpanbek, Zhansaya (KAZ) Under 14 Open: IM Dau, Khuong Duy (VIE) CM Duong, Vu Anh (VIE) Singh, Siddharth (USA) Under 14 Girls: WCM Aydogan, Arya (TUR) Tong, Thai Hoang An (VIE) WCM Ejsymont, Blanka (POL) Under 16 Open: IM Uskov, Artem (FIDE) Skembris, Simon Max (GER) Rumyantsev, Semen (FIDE) Under 16 Girls: WFM Kaliakhmet, Elnaz (KAZ) FM Lyutsinger, Iren (FIDE) WFM Khafizova, Diana (FIDE) Under 18 Open: FM Suleimen, Ergali (KAZ) FM Khripachenko, Alexander (FIDE) FM Sapenov, Daniyal (KAZ) Under 18 Girls: WFM Norman, Kseniya (FIDE) WIM Karmanova, Olga (FIDE) Nguyen, Binh Vy (VIE) Complete results: Chess-Results.com Photos: Ippotis Chess Club Rhodes Official website: wcyrb2025.com/
FIDE Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners: Registration continues
Building on the momentum of the Intercontinental Championships, FIDE is proud to announce the inaugural Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners, taking place throughout May 2025. Teams from across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia have already signed up, with more expected to follow, marking another powerful step forward in the Chess for Freedom initiative. The first-ever FIDE Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners will be held in May 2025, with many teams from around the world already registered and additional entries anticipated. Since its inception in May 2021, the FIDE Intercontinental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners have seen four successful editions, including the 2024 edition that featured over 115 teams from 51 countries. The new Continental Championships will host regional competitions across four continents; Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, to crown their respective champions. This event is a significant milestone in FIDE’s continued mission to bring chess into correctional institutions worldwide. As a key element of the Chess for Freedom initiative, the continental format offers incarcerated individuals renewed access to intellectual engagement, personal development, and social reintegration. Event Schedule and Registered Teams (as of now): Africa – May 13, 2025 Malawi (4 teams) Ghana Americas – May 16, 2025 USA (2 teams) Colombia El Salvador (2 teams) Grenada Paraguay Europe – May 20, 2025 Italy (2 teams) Croatia Spain Norway Greece Netherlands Germany Czech Ireland Iceland Asia – May 23, 2025 Mongolia Phillipines Singapore South Australia Team Format & Eligibility Each championship is a team event, open to correctional institutions within their respective continents. Each country may register up to three teams: One team from a male correctional facility One team from a female correctional facility One team from a juvenile correctional facility (under 20 years old) Additional teams may be invited from countries that organize national championships among prisoners. Each team will consist of four players, with an unlimited number of substitutes. All participants must be incarcerated individuals, and anonymity will be maintained in accordance with legal regulations. Tournament Format The tournaments will be played on Chess.com, using a 10-minute + 5-second increment time control. The format – Round Robin or Swiss System – will depend on the number of participating teams. The top two teams in each continental event will advance to the Championship Match (which will be held on the second day) to determine the continental winner. Registration & Key Dates Registration deadline: May 1, 2025 Registration link: Click HERE to register Technical meeting: Week of May 5, 2025 (via Zoom) Correctional institutions must complete the online registration form and confirm their team’s participation via email to Mikhail Korenman (mikhail.korenman@ccsheriff.org). Since its launch in 2021, the Chess for Freedom initiative has introduced chess to correctional institutions around the world, demonstrating its value as a tool for education, personal development, and social reintegration. The introduction of continental-level championships represents a step forward in expanding access to the game, allowing teams from different regions to compete on a larger stage. For full tournament details, please refer to the official event guidelines. Regulations for Continental Online Championships for Prisoners (PDF)
It’s all about the endgame! Four more victories in Pune
The Women’s Grand Prix Pune leg is gradually becoming one of the most interesting events of 2025. Not a day goes by without a few amazing games, interviews and highlights. This afternoon’s fourth round produced none less than four decisive outcomes. The fifth one, that ended in a draw, could also easily have had a winner. And what about the endgames? Both Divya and Humpy finished-off their opponents by pushing their connected passed pawns in rook endgames while Salimova took down Munguntuul in a bishop + knight vs rook finale! With these results, Zhu Jiner still leads the event with 3.5/4, just half a point ahead of Divya and Humpy. With five rounds still to go it’s anyone’s guess to who will come out on top at the end. The ceremonial first moves were performed by Ms. Shakuntala Khatavkar, an International Kabaddi playerwho opened the game for Polina Shuvalova and both Mr. Sunil Phulari,Special Inspector General of Police and Mr. Amit Sharma, General Manager Fern Hotel, opening for Humpy. Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s games. Polina Shuvalova 0 – 1 Humpy Koneru Based on her recent results in this opening, I was definitely surprised to see Humpy choosing the closed Italian game, even more when she went for the sharp 8…g5 line. She must have noticed something in Shuvalova’s playing style and decided to take advantage. Possibly afraid of a direct attack on her king, Polina opted for the exchange of queen’s, a sequence that the engine doesn’t approve. The ending was comfortable for India’s number one, moreover after yesterday’s display of technique against Divya – Humpy was going for the win. First, she invaded the second rank with her rook, and then started to push her passed pawns, which finally became too much for Shuvalova, who decided to resign on move thirty-three. Humpy clocked in an amazing 99.7 accuracy score: a perfect game! Don’t miss her game analysis on the live stream, starting minute 3.41.00 Harika Dronavalli 0.5 – 0.5 Vaishali Rameshbabu With four Indian players in the event, there will be a durby every day. In addition, all four of them know each other very well – they are the backbone of the national Olympic team. It is therefore understandable that they try to surprise their opponents with lesser-known ideas, or positions that they have never faced before. Although she has a broad repertoire with Black, Vaishali has always been an enthusiastic follower of the Grunfeld defence, and has played it at the highest level, even against Harika! But this time Harika had prepared a relatively new and fashionable idea, 9.Rb1 instead of 9.0-0 followed by 12.Qd2 – elite GM Le Quang Liemhas tried this out in the past. She achieved a strong passed pawn on d6, a typical feature in these lines and obviously very dangerous. Of course, her plan was not without risk: two pawns were the price to get her d-pawn to the seventh. In this position, three pawns down and apparently without a clear plan to win, Harika understandably forced a three-fold move repetition with 30.Qh5+ Kg7 31.Qe5+ Kh6 and the game ended in a draw. However, the computer finds a win by means of 30.Re1!, a move which is not obvious at all – can you really just stop everything to protect your bishop three pawns down? The main idea is to play 31.g4 and 32.g5 mate and it’s not at all easy to stop without further material loss. Of course, 30.g4 straight away would drop the bishop, allowing the black king to escape via h5. One of the most entertaining games of day, even though it ended in a draw. Zhu Jiner 1 – 0 Alina Kashlinskaya The second win of the afternoon confirmed the lead for Zhu Jiner, on a mission in Pune to achieve her second straight WGP first place. Her opponent this afternoon, Alina Kashlinskaya, is struggling to find her form. “It was a very complicated opening, and there were a lot of lines that I did not check too much, so I just tried to play in a logical way. After 23.d4 I took over the initiative and then she fell into time-trouble and wasn’t able to find the best defensive moves,” Zhu Jiner explained after the game. Kashlinskaya’s position collapsed after 26…g6, weakening her king position in an attempt to find counterplay, and Zhu Jiner mopped up effortlessly. Check out her postgame interview with IM Michael Rahal, Press Officer of the event, in which she explains her thoughts on the game and why she enjoys playing chess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odvQTjqhgR4 Munguntuul Batkhuyag 0 –1 Nurgyul Salimova Another Caro-Kann Defence on the board! Salimova has been playing this solid opening for most of her career so it was no surprise to see it appear this afternoon. However, in an attempt to avoid home preparation, Munguntuul shelved her usual 2.Nc3 + 3.Nf3 setup and brought back the Advance variation, which she actually stopped playing in 2018. As usual, the Mongolian number one opted for the trendy Nd2-b3 and a quick a4 plan, but Salimova hit back fast with 10…g5 and after a few inaccuracies by both players the position was a mess. With both players in heavy time trouble, the key moment came after 31…Rc7? Salimova had transferred her rook to e4, and now it was about to be captured. Munguntuul played 32.Nxe4? losing all of her advantage, whereas the correct 32.Qxh6! with mating ideas on the back rank would have led to a decisive advantage. Another mistake a couple of moves later left her in a very bad ending with a rook against two pieces and this time Salimova didn’t give her a second chance. Salimova joined IM Michael Rahal after the game for a postgame interview, in which she also went into detail on her confidence levels and how tough it is to be a professional player on the circuit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFvh2kXwTSk Salome Melia 0 – 1 Divya Deshmukh The final game of the afternoon ended
FIDE Women’s World Championship in numbers
As the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match comes to a close, the numbers tell a compelling story of fighting chess. Spanning two cities and nine gripping games, the match between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi was a battle of precision, stamina, and nerves, reflected not just in the score – but in the statistics. Total moves played: 517A total of 517 moves were played throughout the match, with both players navigating sharp opening preparation, complex middlegames, and tense endgames. Minutes spent at the board: 2,246The games were all lengthy battles spanning over a total of 2,246 minutes – that’s nearly 38 hours of focus and mental exertion! Longest game:Game 3 – 87 moves, 326 minutesThe longest game of the match was Game 3, lasting 87 moves and 326 minutes. It was a critical turning point in the match, with Ju converting a small advantage into a full point after a marathon struggle. After more than five hours, it ultimately tilted the momentum of the match as Ju bounced back from her game 2 loss, regaining her confidence. Shortest decisive game:Game 7 – 47 moves, 242 minutesIn contrast, the shortest victory came in Game 7. It lasted 47 moves and 242 minutes, and ended in a decisive win for Ju Wenjun. Interestingly, this was Tan Zhongyi’s favorite game. Tan, playing with the black pieces, held a slight advantage, which Ju first equalized and then transitioned into a winning endgame. Highest accuracy decisive game:Game 8 – Ju Wenjun: 98%The highest accuracy in a victory was recorded in Game 8, where Ju Wenjun scored an exceptional 98% accuracy with the black pieces. After Tan erred in the middlegame, Ju capitalized with great precision, leaving her opponent no room to come back. Average accuracy across the match: Ju Wenjun: 96.4% Tan Zhongyi: 94.6% The consistency and precision of both players speak volumes about the world-class level of the match, with Ju holding a slight but significant edge. Most popular opening:Sicilian DefenseThere were many repeat openings, particularly by Tan, and it was her consistent choice of employing the Sicilian Defense as Black that makes this the most popular opening of the match. The Sicilian, known for its dynamic and unbalanced nature, its constant use reflected both players’ combative spirit and unwillingness to settle for quiet draws. In the end, Ju Wenjun held her nerve and claimed the title for a fifth consecutive time—an incredible achievement that speaks to her consistency, strength, and experience at the very highest level. But this match was never one-sided. Tan Zhongyi pushed her all the way, creating chances and keeping the tension alive until the very end. It was a hard-fought battle, rich in content and drama, and one that will be remembered as a true showcase of elite women’s chess.
FIDE World Cup 2025 Under 8, 10, 12: Registration deadline approaching
Only five days remain until the registration deadline for the second edition of the FIDE World Cup for young chess players, taking place in Batumi, Georgia. The competition will run from June 22 to July 3, 2025, and will feature three age groups – under 8, under 10 and under 12 – in two categories, Open and Girls. The registration deadline is April 22, 2025. In order to ensure proper tournament standards, FIDE member federations must fully complete the Excel registration form and send it back to the contact person before the registration deadline April 22, 2025. Incomplete registrations will not be accepted. FIDE World Cup U 8,10,12 will be played in two stages. Stage 1 will be a 7-round Swiss system tournament. In Stage 2, players who finish in the same position in each group will play against each other. Prizes: 6 Playing categories X 3 Players each category = 18 players (Open 8, 10, 12 + Girls 8, 10, 12) I Cup, Medal, Diploma, MacBook Air 2023/24 II Cup, Medal, Diploma, iPhone 16 III Medal, Diploma, IPAD The top three finishers in each age category/any gender will get free FB (in twin share rooms with bath and/or shower) for the World Cadets championship of the same year. Each participant will receive an appropriate certificate. Contact Information E-mail: wcc@fide.com Official website – wcc2025.fide.com/
Pouya Idani and Anahita Zahedifar top Zone 3.1 Zonals in Iraq
Iraqi Chess Federation president Dhafer Abdul Ameer Madhloom awards the champion’s trophy to Idani GM Pouya Idani (pictured above) and WFM Anahita Zahedifar, both representing Iran, emerged as the winners of the Zone 3.1 Men’s and Women’s Zonals held from April 8–15, 2025, in Erbil, Iraq. Asian Chess Federation General Secretary Hisham Al Taher makes the ceremonial opening moves in the Zone 3.1 Zonal Chess Championship in Erbil, Iraq assisted by Iraqi Chess Federation president Dhafer Abdul Ameer Madhloom and first Vice president of Iraq Olypmpic Committee Abdolsalam Khalaf The open event, a 9-round Swiss tournament featuring 46 players from 10 federations, turned into a close race between Pouya Idani and Bardiya Daneshvar. The two Iranian Grandmasters, who entered as the top two seeds, lived up to expectations by tying for first place with 8.5 points each. Idani clinched the title thanks to superior tiebreaks based on the average rating of his opponents. Both players qualified for the FIDE World Cup 2025. Final standings Open The women’s section saw twenty participants from six countries: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and host nation Iraq. Anahita Zahedifar (pictured above) secured victory with a strong 7.5/9 score, finishing half a point ahead of fellow Iranians Tannaz Azali and Anousha Mahdian, who shared second place. With this result, Zahedifar qualifies for the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025. Final standings Women Officials in the Zone 3.1 Men’s and Women’s Zonals led by Iraqi Chess Federation president Dhafer Abdul Ameer Madhloom (seated center) and, next, Chief Arbiter Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh of Iran Photos: asianchess.com/
Fighting chess in WGP India – Zhu Jiner leads after three rounds
Nine decisive outcomes in fifteen games is a testament to the fighting spirit on display in the Women’s Grand Prix, here in the Amanora The Fern Hotel complex in Pune. Spectators that attended the playing venue this afternoon to watch the games and catch a photo with their favourite player were in for a treat: no fewer than three games ended decisively. The ceremonial first moves were performed by Dr. Praniti Tilak, Trustee of the Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth University, who opened the game for Nurgyul Salimova, and Mr. Ashwin Trimal, Vice President of the Pune District Chess Association. The owner of the Amanora Group, Mr. Aniruddha Deshpande, also took part. With today’s results, one of tomorrow’s Round 4 matchups should be especially exciting. While all the games have their charm, Shuvalova vs. Humpy will be the one to follow closely. Polina will be eager exert pressure with the white pieces and aim for her second victory, while Humpy will keep pushing to accumulate points in the event. Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s games. Alina Kashlinskaya 0 – 1 Munguntuul Batkhuyag The first game to finish ended in spectacular style. Mongolia’s number one female player Munguntuul Batkhuyag took down Poland’s Alina Kashlinskaya in a complicated, opposite-side castled attacking game. As Munguntuul explained in her post-game interview, she tried out a new opening, which neither of the two had played before, including a pawn sacrifice to open up some files against her opponent’s king. Alina didn’t react in the best way and soon her king was in trouble, besieged by her opponent’s heavy pieces. In this position, Munguntuul went in for the kill. She swapped off both White’s knights with 30…Bxf3 31.gxf3 Bxd4 32.exd4 and then finished off with 32….Rxb3+ 33.Kc2 and the fantastic 33…Qc7+! 34.Kxb3 Rb8! after which Kashlinskaya resigned facing checkmate along the a-file. After the game, Munguntuul went through her thought process with Michael Rahal, FIDE Press Officer, noting that “Maybe the late call to play here hasn’t allowed Alina to prepare properly.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP0kgqXAmIw Vaishali Rameshbabu 0.5 – 0.5 Polina Shuvalova Against Shuvalova’s Two Knights Defence, Vaishali went for a line that is theoretically considered harmless and even slightly worse for White. However, engine opening analysis has advanced a lot and we keep getting new information. Perhaps still affected by her defeat yesterday, the Indian player did not want to take any risks and, even though Vaishali achieved a slight advantage in terms of pawn structure, she never had any real chances of winning. At the end, Shuvalova simplified into a rook ending, with three pawns against two on the same side of the board, which was declared a draw on move sixty-three. Both players hit an unbelievable 99% accuracy performance: a high-level game! Humpy Koneru 1 – 0 Divya Deshmukh Having started the tournament with two solid draws with Black, the current Rapid World Champion was keen to display her strength with the white pieces. Her opponent, Divya, leading the event, had more time to spend on her preparation, after defeating Vaishali yesterday in the opening. In a fashionable English opening, Humpy tried out an interesting idea based on a quick h4-h5. Surprised, Divya spent twelve minutes on her reply and soon fell into time trouble. As she mentioned after the game, Humpy gained the upper hand due to her opponent’s weakened king, to the point that the exchange of queens was the best option for Divya to hold. But then Humpy brought out her best endgame technique, and displayed the full power of the bishop pair in the late middlegame and endgame, weaving a mating net and finishing the game in style. Check out her post-game interview on Youtube in which she outlines the road to victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTE41xLu-UQ Nurgyul Salimova 0 – 1 Harika Dronavalli While I was interviewing Humpy, I lost track of the other interesting game of the day, in which Harika was pushing in the Catalan with Black. And, in fact, the game was decided at the same time. As fortune would have it, Harika was interviewed on the live stream and gave her thoughts on the full game. You can check it out on the following link, starting on 5h 38 minutes. Salimova misplayed the opening – 16.Qxc4 was equal while 16.Rc1 drops a pawn and then 19.e4 instead of 19.Bxc5 was much better – and suddenly Harika had some clear chances to get out of the hole and score her first win. The Indian certainly could have finished the job sooner – the engine suggests 47…Qe1 with a decisive advantage instead of 47…Qd4 – but she kept her cool and eventually prevailed in the ending. Zhu Jiner 0.5 – 0.5 Salome Melia The final game to finish was also the most solid of all of them. With the draw, Zhu Jiner maintains her lead while Salome picked up a well-deserved half point with Black. Salome essayed the Sicilian and Zhu Jiner opted for the Rossolimo Attack, very trendy these days. Around move fifteen it seemed that Zhu Jiner had lost track and Salome started to improve the placement of her pieces: things were looking very bright for her. However, Zhu Jiner kept the game going, traded some pieces and liquidated into a rook ending. The final piece was agreed on move seventy-six. Round 4 pairings The fourth round of the fifth leg in the 2024/25 Women’s Grand Prix series starts on Thursday, April 17 at 15:00 CET local time in Pune, India. Salome Melia – Divya DeshmukhPolina Shuvalova – Humpy KoneruHarika Dronavalli – Vaishali RameshbabuMunguntuul Batkhuyag – Nurgyul SalimovaZhu Jiner – Alina Kashlinskaya More information about the event, including the regulations and details of the pairings, as well as live games can be found on the official website. You can follow the games with expert commentary on FIDE’s YouTube channel. Written by IM Michael Rahal Photos: Abhilash Shinde