WGP Austria R07: Zhu catches up with Anna Muzychuk in the race for the crown
In a day of fast and sharp games, Zhu Jiner scored her fifth consecutive victory to tie for first place with Anna Muzychuk, who made a third draw in a row. Tan defeated Javakhishvili and is now half a point behind the leaders. Mariya Muzychuk pulled off her first victory in the tournament in a blunder-laden game against Olga Badelka. Round seven of the final 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix leg delivered four decisive outcomes in under four hours, leaving just one draw. A blunder by Nana Dzagnidze helped Zhu Jiner secure a fifth consecutive victory, joining Anna Muzychuk at the top, on five points. Another Chinese player, former World Champion Tan Zhongyi, is just half a point behind, in striking distance. Vaishali is in fourth place, on four points. After a great start in the first part of the tournament (with two wins and two draws), she stumbled, making just one point out of the last three games. Zhu and Anna Muzychuk are the only two players in this tournament who have a chance to win the overall Grand Prix series, and there are just two more rounds to go! A look at the games of round seven Zhu Jiner benefited from an oversight by Nana Dzagnidze, who blundered in an inferior position. Nana made a serious inaccuracy on her previous move and here she had to give up her a-pawn – 35…Nb6 36.Qxa5 Nbd7 blocking White’s passer. Instead she played 35…Rf4? missing a refutation 36.d7! A perfect illustration of deflection! 36…Nxd7 37.Qxd5 and White is a knight up. In another Nimzo-Indian, Vaishali ended in time trouble as Black against the great Alexandra Kosteniuk. The former Women’s World Champion surprised her opponent with 1.d4 – which she usually doesn’t play against Vaishali. “There are many first moves,” Kosteniuk said – “but the most important thing is not what you play but how you play.” In this position, Black was in time trouble and under pressure. 23…c5?? Playing 23…b6 or …b5 with an exchange on the d-file was a much better option. 24.bxc5 Nc6 25.Rxe4!! Bxe4 Black cannot take with the knight because of mate on g7. 26.Nxe4 Ne5 27.Nd6! And now Black has to give up a rook on d6. She cannot play 27…Re7 because of 28.Bf5 and the queen is trapped. And if 27…Rf8 then Black loses the knight on e5. A few moves later, Vaishali resigned. This was a second consecutive victory for Kosteniuk, and she now has 3.5 points. Though pleased with this victory, Kosteniuk expressed dissatisfaction with her overall performance. As she pointed out, “the quality of my games in this tournament is about 73-75 percent. And if my performance is below 90%, I think it’s very bad.” The most dramatic or, rather, most chaotic game of the round was played between Olga Badelka and Mariya Muzychuk, where both traded grave errors in time trouble. In the Slav Defence, former Women’s World Champion Mariya Muzychuk took a pawn in the centre that gave White an upper hand in development and a strong attack. However, Badelka did not find the best continuation and after a series of mutual inaccuracies by move 31, the position was sharp for both. 31…Qb7, threatening mate on b2. Instead of 32.Qb3 Badelka played the seemingly natural but losing move 32.b3. However, it fails to 32…R5f3! and now White is completely lost. In time trouble, both traded mistakes, with the position swinging from a total victory for Black to a draw: 33.Qg6 Qf7 34.Qxe6 Rxa2 Black is better, but White has chances. 35.Qc8?? Blunder. Black is winning. 35…Qf8?? Now it’s equal. 36.Qe6+ Kh8 37.Qe5?? Black is now winning: 37…Rff2. Soon the two reached the first time control and it was completely lost for White. The first victory for Muzychuk in the tournament, who is now on 3/7. Badelka’s third consecutive loss leaves her on two points. In the main line of the Giuoco Piano, China’s Tan Zhongyi and Lela Javakhishvili from Georgia followed well-known theory. But on move 17, Black made her first serious inaccuracy. White seized the initiative and emerged notably better. Soon, Black overlooked a pawn, and it was all over for her. Tan confidently converted her material advantage into a full point. The only peaceful game of the day was between Anna Muzychuk and Nurgyul Salimova. In the Four Knights Game, the position was even throughout without much excitement. The two agreed to split a point after move 40. Anna Muzychuk has five points and is the only undefeated player in the tournament so far. Standings after Round 7: A rest day is not a no-chess day On Monday, 12th May, during the rest day at the Women’s Grand Prix in G’Schlössl Murtal, a VIP event featured a blitz tournament and a challenge match against 15th World Champion Viswanathan Anand. Alexandra Kosteniuk, Mariya Muzychuk, Tan Zhongyi, and Austria’s Olga Badelka faced six young Austrian talents, with all games won by the experienced Grand Prix players. The youngsters then faced Anand one-on-one in a blitz challenge to see who could hold out longest. Katharina Pötscher lasted 55 moves for the day’s longest game, but it was Eva Maria Schmied who surprised everyone with a draw—winning two pawns and trapping Anand in perpetual check. A gala dinner at the G’Schlössl Orangery closed the day, with players, FIDE officials, and guests gathering for the evening. Felix Blohberger’s historical chess puzzles set up on each table provided entertainment, as FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky correctly identified all of the positions and their backstories. Anand on India’s chess boom: Strong foundations and rising stars During a live broadcast with Felix Blohberger, Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand reflected on the remarkable rise of Indian chess, crediting the country’s structured support system and cultural acceptance of the game. Anand highlighted the role of key regions – such as his home state Tamil Nadu, but also Pune, Kolkata and Mumbai in building chess expertise. “We have excellent coaches… and I think the cultural acceptance is quite high, so
Malawi hosts the Chess for Freedom Continental Championship and Workshop for Africa
The FIDE “Chess for Freedom” program is the largest global initiative of the FIDE Social Commission. In the Year of Social Chess, each month highlights a specific social group, and May focuses on the “Chess for Freedom” initiative with two major continental conferences and tournaments—first in Malawi (Africa), followed immediately by another one in Mexico (Americas). The primary goal of these conferences is to expand the reach of the Chess for Freedom program from its current presence in 50 countries to over 60. This was the motivation behind organizing the African Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi, under the leadership of Susan Namangale, Dadaz Academy Chess Founder and Member of FIDE PDC Commission. The first day featured a workshop involving representatives from the FIDE Social Commission, officials from Malawi’s Prison Service, prison directors from across the country, and delegates from Ghana, Kenya, and the Malawi Chess Federation. Also in attendance were members of Dadaz, a local chess academy led by Susan Namangale, who also serves as a representative of Malawi’s Sports Council. The day included presentations, interactive discussions, fostering a collaborative and visionary atmosphere. The hybrid format allowed for international participation via Zoom. André Vögtlin, Chair of the FIDE Social Commission, praised the initiative as a well-established global project and expressed satisfaction with its successful introduction to Central and Southern Africa. He expressed hope that many new countries would now join the movement and participate in the 2025 Chess for Freedom World Championship in October. Vögtlin personally thanked Susan Namangale for her outstanding efforts and presented her with a certificate of recognition from the FIDE Social Commission. Susan Namangale emphasized that chess has a transformative effect on incarcerated individuals and sees her collaboration with Malawi’s prison system as a foundational element for expanding the Chess for Freedom program in the region. She expressed great satisfaction in witnessing the growth of social chess in Malawi. Project founder Mikhail Korenman expressed his delight with both the workshop and the subsequent championship, praising the exceptional organization. He highlighted the logistical achievement of safely transporting inmates from different prisons to the central venue—an approach that is rare globally. Both Korenman and Vögtlin noted that Malawi could serve as a role model for other African countries in the development of the Chess for Freedom initiative. The conference also showcased the success of partnerships, notably with Gift of Chess, in supplying chess sets. Maxwell Kamova, Assistant Commissioner of the Malawi Prison Service, stated that the chess program has had a profoundly positive impact on inmates, contributing to behavioral improvements. He mentioned that Malawi has specific guidelines for pardons and sentence reductions, and chess could potentially be used as a criterion for early release, given its role in promoting good behavior. The second day saw the African Continental Chess for Freedom Championship held at Maula Prison. Four teams from Malawi participated: two men’s teams, one women’s team, and a youth team. Additional teams from Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Kenya joined the tournament. Team Zimbabwe emerged victorious in the open section, followed closely by Malawi I and Malawi II. Malawi’s youth team was at a slight disadvantage due to a last-minute illness, yet home youngsters had a good showing, placing second, third, and ninth. André Vögtlin noted that the online Chess for Freedom format has proven effective for inter-prison competition, and that this championship served as an excellent trial run ahead of the global championship in October. Special thanks go to the technical team led by Nebojsa Baralic, who coordinated the online components of the tournament via Zoom and ensured smooth operations on chess.com. In closing, Mikhail Korenman stated: “Malawi is not only a strong partner for this project but for chess development in general.”
Changes to the World Rapid & Blitz format and a 1M euro prize fund
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced a series of format enhancements and a one million euro prize fund for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships. Set to take place in Doha, Qatar, the World Rapid and Blitz Championships have become one of the most prestigious events on the international chess calendar since their official launch in 2012. Traditionally held in the last week of the year (from 26 to 31 December), the event attracts the best players in the world, including current world champions Gukesh Dommaraju and Ju Wenjun, as well as the world’s top-rated player, Magnus Carlsen, and a host of other heavyweights in both the Open and the Women’s competition. “We are very much looking forward to hosting the chess world in Doha and are happy to see FIDE has introduced important enhancements to the regulations,” said Mohd Al-Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association. “We are committed to supporting chess, as we have shown with the Qatar Masters which has become one of the most prestigious chess tournaments globally. Doha also successfully hosted the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in 2016, and we are proud to welcome this flagship event back to our capital, further strengthening our place on the global chess map.” For the 2025 edition, the prize fund has been set at one million euros (approx. 1.125 million USD), maintaining the high financial standard of recent editions and reaffirming FIDE’s commitment to top level competition. The total will be split between the Open and Women’s events, with €700,000 allocated to the Open section — evenly divided between the Rapid and Blitz tournaments — and €300,000 for the Women’s section, also split equally. A new knockout format for the Blitz The two-day Blitz World Championship is the most watched and the most dramatic chess event of the year. In 2024, FIDE introduced a new knockout format in the Blitz that brought even more excitement to the event. In a significant structural shift, for 2025 FIDE is introducing a more streamlined knockout stage in the Blitz events in the Open and the Women’s sections. Only the top four players from the Swiss stage of the tournament will advance directly to the knockout semifinals (previously, eight players in both competitions qualified for the knockout). “The new format is an exciting mix of the Swiss system and knockout. The increased number of rounds in the qualifying part ensures that the strongest players will progress to the knockout. Also, the final match-up is ideally scheduled to suit audiences across all major chess hubs,” FIDE CEO and Grandmaster Emil Sutovsky said. “We are very excited about the event, and have already started preparations to produce the best quality broadcast for millions of spectators,” Sutovsky added. The Blitz schedule includes 19 Swiss rounds for the Open and 15 Swiss rounds for the Women, both played over two days, followed by semifinals and finals on December 30. The format for the Rapid World Championships remains unchanged, with 13 rounds in the Open and 11 in the Women’s competition, culminating in a playoff in case of a tie for first place. “With rapid and blitz formats gaining global popularity, the field is deeper and more competitive than ever,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “These format enhancements aim to make the event more dynamic while preserving the sport’s integrity and excitement for both players and fans.” Regulations for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz events: Open – handbook.fide.com/files/handbook/wrbc_regulations_2025_open.pdf Women – handbook.fide.com/files/handbook/wrbc_regulations_2025_women.pdf
World’s largest chess queen erected in Río Ceballos, Argentina
Standing 7.62 meters tall, a giant chess queen now towers in the heart of Río Ceballos, Argentina. The application for official recognition by Guinness World Records has already been submitted. When Yanina Pepino showed her father Enrique a photo of a giant King chess piece in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), she never imagined how much it would inspire him. The moment Enrique saw the image on his phone, he began to envision creating another monumental chess piece—a Queen, but even bigger. Pepino, a well-known businessman originally from Santa Fe, has lived in Río Ceballos for many years. The wooden king in St. Louis, previously the largest chess piece in the world, measures 6.09 meters tall. The newly inaugurated queen surpasses it, standing at 7.62 meters, and the Guinness World Record recognition process is now underway. Enrique is also a graphic designer, and as he describes himself, a “pencil-and-paper designer.” He began sketching the queen—the most powerful piece on the board—with a vision for something entirely different. “It didn’t need to be wooden; it had to be something visually light, something that would blend into the landscape, not disrupt it. Obviously, it had to be more than 7 meters tall. So I started designing the Queen in the Staunton style, keeping its proportions,” he said. He concluded that iron would be the ideal material for the sculpture. “I did the drawings all in pencil, since I’m an old-school graphic designer. Then I outlined the segments for step-by-step construction. Once I had the plans, I invited my friend José Strasorier, a traditional iron craftsman, to build it together. He and a collaborator, Fernando Rotania, gave shape to the chess sculpture through handcrafted ironwork.” As for the color, there were only two options: black or white. “Naturally, we chose white because it offers better visibility, especially at night.” The project was privately funded and built, and is installed on private property in downtown Río Ceballos, directly across from the Chess School founded by Pepino. “The giant Queen is a symbol that will surely have a positive impact on chess in Córdoba. It will help raise awareness of the many benefits of this science game, and will position Córdoba as a national and international chess reference,” Pepino remarked. And his vision is gaining traction. At the inauguration, Mario Petrucci, Executive Director of the Argentine Chess Federation (FADA), proposed declaring Río Ceballos the chess capital of Argentina. He also conveyed a message by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who said: “This giant chess piece is not just a monument to our game but also to a great chess nation. Argentina’s place in chess history, both in Latin America and globally, is undeniable. It hosted important events, produced legends like Julio Bolbochán and Oscar Panno, and now inspires hope with rising stars like 11-year-old Faustino Oro. It is therefore fitting that such a visible chess landmark stands here in Río Ceballos, Córdoba, in the heart of the country! We also hope there will be more support for chess in Argentina and Latin America, so new talents could shine through!” Petrucci also took the opportunity to celebrate three centennials: 100 years of FADA (1922–2022) 100 years of the Argentine Olympic Committee (1923–2023) 100 years of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) (1924–2024) The ceremony was filled with emotion. Pepino expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the project possible—his children, his wife—and became emotional remembering his mother and grandmothers. Notable attendees included: Vice Governor Myrian Prunotto Río Ceballos Mayor Ezequiel Lemos President of the Córdoba Provincial Chess Federation, Guillermo Soppe FADA Executive Director Mario Petrucci Dorita Larrachea, President of Talent Academy of Chile International Masters María José Campos and Liliana Burijovich, along with other municipal and provincial officials. “What a brilliant move you made, Enrique! And how wonderful that it’s a Queen, symbolically highlighting all women’s struggles,” said Vice Governor Prunotto in her dedication to Pepino. The giant piece has already been officially recognized by the Municipality of Río Ceballos as a historic monument, and Vice Governor Prunotto supported the idea of turning the city into a provincial chess hub, including plans for an international tournament in honor of the giant queen. To round out the celebration, a giant-piece exhibition match was held at Paseo Humberto Francia between Masters Campos and Burijovich. On Sunday, María José Campos will also host simultaneous exhibition games on 25 boards. Source: lavoz.com.ar/ Photos: Federación Argentina de Ajedrez
The stage is set: Nearly 60 teams confirmed for the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships in London
Registration has officially closed for the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships, and it’s the biggest edition yet! With teams from every corner of the globe confirmed, this year’s event has attracted nearly 60 teams, a remarkable increase from the 38 who participated in 2024 and 36 in the inaugural 2023 edition (which featured only the Rapid competition). With average team ratings ranging from 1747 to 2695, the tournament truly represents the global chess community – uniting elite super grandmasters, rising stars, and ambitious amateurs. Let’s take a closer look at the top contenders in the line-up: Once again, WR Chess has assembled a dream team. Organised by Wadim Rosenstein, the reigning Blitz champions, and 2023 Rapid champions, return with a slightly different cast of familiar faces. While Magnus Carlsen led the team in 2024, this year’s roster includes Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, and the returning Wesley So (from the 2023 edition). Also returning are Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and former Women’s World Champions Hou Yifan and Alexandra Kosteniuk. With so much firepower and fan appeal, WR Chess will once again be the team to watch. But with fierce competition ahead, winning both titles will be no easy feat. Ranked second on the starting list is another powerhouse: Hexamind Chess Team. The team boasts a lineup led by seasoned Grandmasters Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez Perez, Vladimir Kramnik, and Peter Svidler, players who have long defined elite chess. Complementing their experience are Indian stars Vidit Gujrathi and Divya Deshmukh, alongside David Muradyan. The balance of generations and styles gives this team real championship potential. The 2024 World Rapid Team Champions, Al-Ain ACMG UAE, are also back to defend their crown. With a core lineup featuring Vladislav Artemiev, Daniil Dubov, Dmitry Andreikin, Volodar Murzin, Kateryna Lagno, and Wafiya Darvish al-Maamari, the team remains one of the most formidable in the field. One notable change is the absence of Parham Maghsoodloo, who has switched sides this year to play for KazChess, the fourth-ranked team. There, he joins Richard Rapport and Alexander Grischuk in one of the tournament’s most intriguing rosters. This reshuffling of players is part of what makes this event so fascinating for spectators. Unlike the Olympiad, where national teams are fixed, this championship allows a mix of backgrounds, bringing together unexpected partnerships and rivalries and teams that have played together in the past may have an edge when it comes to synergy and coordination. Another crowd-favourite team is ranked fifth. Freedom is led on board one by none other than Viswanathan Anand. The five-time World Champion leads a rich lineup including Le Quang Liem, Samuel Sevian, Haik Martirosyan, Anna Muzychuk, Sarbartho Mani, Alexey Sarana, Rauf Mamedov, and Teodora Injac (fresh off her 2025 European Women’s Championship title). With other big names such as Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Vincent Keymer also in action, fans are guaranteed a feast of rapid-fire chess and high-stakes blitz battles. The full team list is available on the official website: worldrapidblitzteams2025.fide.com About the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships Now in its third edition, the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships will take place from June 10–16, 2025, at the Novotel London West, London. The event is open to national federations, clubs, cities, universities, companies, or any formally organized teams of six to nine players. Each team must include at least one female player and one recreational player (unrated or rated under 2000). The tournament begins with the Rapid competition, held from June 11–13, following a 12-round Swiss format with a time control of 15 minutes plus 10 seconds increment per move. This is followed by the Blitz tournament, which introduces a two-stage structure: a round-robin pool stage on June 14, and a knockout phase for the top 16 teams on June 15. Blitz games will be played with a time control of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds increment per move. With a record total prize fund of €500,000 (€310,000 allocated to Rapid and €190,000 to Blitz) this edition will be the richest in the event’s history. Medals will also be awarded for the best results on individual boards. For more information, visit the official website.
WGP Austria Round 6: Zhu and Tan shine in Grosslobming
Chinese stars Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi led the charge with crucial victories, while Alexandra Kosteniuk and Vaishali Rameshbabu also bounced back with important wins. For the best part of round six in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, it seemed that this would be a calm day on the chessboards. What began as a seemingly tranquil round turned into a thrilling display of sharp moves and nerves. Anna Muzychuk continues to lead with 4.5/6, after she drew with Nana Dzagnidze the only peaceful game of the day. Zhu Jiner scored her fourth victory, securing sole second place, half a point behind Anna. The two are the only players with a chance to win the overall 2024/2025 WGP season and get a spot in the 2026 Women’s Candidates. Congratulations go to former World Champion Tan Zhongyi, who ground down Salimova in what seemed to be a dead-drawn rook endgame. It was the longest game of the round, lasting five hours and 89 moves. The most intense game of the day was between Mariya Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner. In the Murphy Defence of Ruy Lopez, the position was even until the late stages of the middlegame when Muzychuk overlooked a tactical attack by Black. Mariya has just played the most natural move 31.Bg2? (after 31.Nh4 position is equal) but missed 31…Ndf4!! The knight is taboo – 32.gxf4 fails to 32…Nxf4 33.Re7 Nxg2 and if 34.Kxg2 then Qg4+, regaining piece, with a pawn advantage and a dominating position. White should have played 32.Qe3 here, defending the f3-knight, although, after 32…Rc3 her position is no fun. Instead, she blundered. 32.Rb1? Nxg2 33.Kxg2 Nf4+!! 34.Kg1 Nh3+ 35.Kg2 Rc2 36.Qe8+ Kh7 – and Black is completely winning. Although Zhu later gave Muzychuk a fleeting chance to equalise the Ukrainian missed her opportunity. Black should have proceeded with Nh3+ and g5, pressing and holding everything. Instead Zhu carelessly played 41…d5? giving respite to White in a position where she could almost not do anything! But Muzychuk erred. Instead of activating her knight with Nh4 and going for counterplay, she played 42.Qc3?, missing the only chance she got to save the game. In the next move, Zhu was on target – 42…g5! 43.Ne1 g4 44.Qd3 Removing the queens in the hope of a respite, but that didn’t help. 44…Qe4 45.Qxe4 dxe4 White ran out of moves. 46.Kh1 – giving up a pawn, but 46.d5 is met with 46…Rd2 followed by e4-e3) 46…Nxf2. The white king is in a mating web, and the pieces are pinned to the first rank. Five moves later Mariya capitulated. A well-deserved victory for Zhu – her fourth win in a row. Tan outlasts Salimova in a dead draw The second game that marked round six of the WGP in Austria was played by another Chinese – Tan Zhongyi, who defeated Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova. After scoring her first victory in round five (an effective win against Kosteniuk), Nurgyul Salimova was in a buoyant mode against former World Champion Tan. Salimova played the King’s Indian Attack – an uncommon opening on grandmaster level. The Bulgarian was pushing on the queenside, but spent a lot of time thinking and didn’t succeed in creating any real opportunities. By move 28, the two transitioned to a rook endgame, where White had a 2:1 pawn advantage on the queenside. Still, Nurgyul had one major problem – time. With just six minutes on the clock (compared to Tan’s 46), Salimova needed to make 10 moves to reach the first time control, which isn’t easy in a rook endgame. Soon, a pair of rooks and pawns was exchanged. The two entered a rook endgame with White having a runner on the a-file. The position was even and everyone anticipated a quick draw. But Tan refused to settle. White soon abandoned her pawn, demonstrating the impregnability of her position, but Tan was determined to drain blood out of stone. And it eventually paid off. After White first lost her h-pawn, it was still a drawn endgame, but Tan had the psychological advantage. After 80 moves – 53 of which were spent on a rook endgame – Salimova finally broke. White should have moved her king to the corner with 81.Kh1, avoiding a double attack with …Rg2. If Black did go for 81..Rg2, she would then have a perpetual check from Black’s back ranks using the well known mad-rook motif. For example: 81.Kh1 Rg2 82.Rf8+ Ke5 83. Re8+ Kd5 84.Re5+! Kd4 (84..Kxe5 – stalemate!) 84.Rxe4+ and so on. However, Salimova played 81.Ra2?? and after 81…Rg2+ 82.Kh1 Kg4! Tan soon proceeded to take the second pawn and win. A remarkable show of perseverance from the former Women’s World Champion, who has so far had three victories, two defeats and one draw in the tournament. A great victory in a “miserable tournament” Another former Women’s World Champion – Alexandra Kosteniuk – also won. In the words of Grandmaster Emil Sutovsky, Kosteniuk had “a miserable tournament” so far – with just 1.5 points from five games. In round five she was upset by Salimova in a game where Kosteniuk had a significant advantage. Despite the shock, today she was back in good form and fighting spirit. Playing with the black pieces against Georgia’s Lela Javakhishvili, Kosteniuk achieved a solid position in the Colle system. As early as move 11, Javakhishvili gave up a pawn but got a sufficient compensation. On move 17, Black gave back the pawn but enjoyed a comfortable position. A few moves down the line, approaching time trouble – White made a heavy blunder. 23.Bb2? The optimal choice was to play 23.f3, giving up her d4-pawn but getting some activity after 23…Rxd4 25.Qb5. Any attempt to defend the d4-pawn is dangerous. As played, Black won the much more important e4-pawn after 23…Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Nxe4. Black has multiple things going in her favour: an extra pawn, a runner on the b-file, an excellent d5-square for the knight and the command of the c-file. White continued to resist, but Kosteniuk activated her king and broke
Asian Blitz Championship: Ivan Zemlyanskii and Alua Nurman capture titles
Asian Chess Federation (ACF) president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (left) awards medals to the winners of the Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship together with ACF General Secretary Hisham Al Taher (right). Fourteen-year-old Ivan Zemlyanskii emerged undefeated to win the Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship, held on May 10, 2025, at the Danat Resort Hotel in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The teen sensation, playing under the neutral FIDE flag, outpaced 30 grandmasters in a field of 111 players from 25 countries. The tournament was organized by the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Zemlyanskii scored an impressive 8 points out of 9 rounds to take clear first place. He began with five consecutive wins over IM G. Harshavardhan (IND), GM Nikita Matinian (FID), IM Kirill Shubin (FID), eventual runner-up GM Sina Movahed (IRI), and GM Leon Luke Mendonca (IND). After drawing with GM M. Pranesh (IND) in Round 6, Zemlyanskii secured victories against GM Subramaniyam Bharath (IND) and IM Rudik Makarian (FID), and concluded the event with a final-round draw against GM Murali Karthikeyan (IND). Fourteen-year-old Sina Movahed of Iran scored 7.5 points to finish alone in second place. IM Rudik Makarian (FID) placed third with 7 points, edging out GM Karthikeyan, IM Saha Neelash (IND), and untitled Jiang Haochen (CHN) on tiebreaks. Zemlyanskii earned $2,500 for first place, while Movahed and Makarian took home $1,500 and $1,000, respectively. Complete final standings – Open In the women’s section, WGM Alua Nurman of Kazakhstan clinched the title with 7.5 points, edging out runner-up GM Valentina Gunina (FID) on the basis of a superior opponents’ average rating. IM Song Yuxin of China placed third with 7 points, finishing ahead of IM Rout Padmini (IND) and WFM Elnaz Kaliakhmet (KAZ) on tiebreaks. Asian Chess Federation (ACF) president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (left) awards medals to the winners of the Asian Individual Blitz Women’s Chess Championship together with ACF General Secretary Hisham Al Taher (right). The women’s field featured 86 players from 20 countries, including 2 GMs, 15 WGMs, 11 IMs, and 20 WIMs. Nurman won six consecutive games against compatriots WIM Ayaulym Kaldarova and WIM Assel Serikbay, WIM Sakshi Chitlange (IND), Madinabonu Khalilova (UZB), GM Valentina Gunina (FID), and Bat-Erdene Mungunzul (MGL), then drew with IM Leya Garifulina (FID) in Round 7. Despite a penultimate round loss to IM Song Yuxin (CHN), Nurman secured the title with a final-round victory over compatriot Xeniya Balabayeva. Nurman received $1,500 for her win, while Gunina and Song earned $1,000 and $500, respectively. Complete final standings – Women A total of $80,000 in cash prizes is at stake in the 2025 Asian Individual Chess Championship. The top ten men qualify for the FIDE World Cup, while the top two women earn spots in the FIDE Women’s World Cup. Classical games are scheduled daily at 3 p.m. until May 15, with the final round beginning at 10 a.m. Watch live games in Chess.com, Lichess, Chessbase (Men) and Chessbase (Women). Photos: Hossam El Baz Official website: asianchess.com/
FIDE WGP Austria: A hat-trick for Zhu Jiner after stunning Vaishali Rameshbabu
Zhu Jiner scores her third straight win. Muzychuk holds lead despite missed chance. Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova clinches her first victory, stunning Alexandra Kosteniuk in just 25 moves. Round five marked the halfway point of the final tournament in the 2024/2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix. Anna Muzychuk remains in sole lead on 4/5, despite missing a chance with the black pieces against Tan Zhongyi. Zhu Jiner caught up with Vaishali Rameshbabu on 3/5 after a sharp victory, while Nana Dzagnidze also joined the tie for second following a draw with Mariya Muzychuk. Lela Javakhishvili outplayed Olga Badelka and now shares 2.5 points with Tan. Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova fought back from a weaker position against Kosteniuk to score her first victory. Both now sit on 1.5/5. After four days of rain and overcast skies, the sun finally broke through over the Austrian highlands surrounding G’Schlössl Murtal. The usual silence of the chess hall was broken by the birdsong in the background, making it seem the games were being played in a park rather than indoors. The main two matchups were between the tournament leader Anna Muzychuk and former World Champion Tan Zhongyi, as well as, the duel between Zhu Jiner and Vaishali Rameshbabu. Zhu Jiner and Anna Muzychuk are the only two who have a chance to win the overall WGP Series. To qualify for the Candidates and win the WGM season, Anna needs to be in sole first place in Austria. This means getting every point she can, including against Tan. In the Giuoco Piano, in which Muzychuk played as Black, things were calm until she suddenly got a sizable advantage in a complicated middlegame. This was the best position Black got in the game before she spilled the beans. The best choice for Black was to centralise the knight with 18…Ne5! attacking the queen. This forces White to take the knight and leave Black dominating the centre, or to remove her queen from the attack, opening space for the d-pawn to further penetrate White’s defences. Instead, after seven minutes of thinking, Anna played 18…d5? However, after 19.cxd4 Nxe4 20.Bxd5 Nb4? (20…Nxg3 with a slightly better position for Black) 21.Qb3 Nxd5 22.Nxe4 Bxe4 23.Qxd5! forcing the exchange of queens, 23…Bxd5 24.Rxe7 White emerged slightly better. The game continued and was the last to finish with a draw. Anna Muzychuk left the playing area clearly angry with herself for missing an opportunity. Despite this, she maintained her sole lead with 4/5, a point ahead of the rest. After a poor start with two defeats, Zhu Jiner bounced back with two victories. In round five, she was facing Vaishali Rameshbabu, who has, until this game, had two victories and two draws. The young Indian hope surprised her opponents in three out of four games played, building an image of a very uncomfortable player. In the Four Knights of Sicilian Defence, she was surprised by Zhu and spent a lot of time thinking, entering time trouble early in the game. Despite losing a pawn, Vaishali managed to hold by move 30, and then all fell apart. In time trouble, instead of 30…gxf5 Vaishali played 30…Qc2?? Allowing White to exchange the queens and enter a winning rook endgame. 31.Qxc2 Rxc2 32.f6! sealing off the black king. 32…h5 33.Rd1 Re2 34.Rd8+! And now White has penetrated Black’s back ranks. 34…Kh7 35.Rf8 Rxe5 36.Rxf7+ Kh6 37.Rxa7 Zhu has two more pawns and a runner on the a-file and nothing can stop that. An excellent performance by Zhu. After starting with two losses, she scored three consecutive victories – a great feat in a field of strong players. This game was the first major setback for Vaishali in Austria, as she remains on 3/5. In the second game with the Queen’s Gambit Declined, Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk surprised her opponent, Nurgyul Salimova, by playing 1.d4. The former women’s world champion managed to gain the upper hand after an early break in the centre. By move 15, White gained an extra pawn and had a significant advantage. Black just lost a pawn defending the king’s fortress. In this sharp position, instead of 16.0-0! (intending to meet 16…Nxd5 with 17.Rd1), Alexandra played the natural but errouneous 16.Be4, which allowed Black counterplay with 16…f5 17.Bd3 Qxd5? regaining the lost pawn but 17…c4! was much stronger. 18.Rb1? Ra5 and now after 18…c4! 19.Be2 f4! 20.Qd1 Qa5+ 21.Kf1 the tables have completely turned: Black has space and initiative, threatening White from the centre, while Kosteniuk’s pieces are pushed back and pinned, the rook on h1 trapped, and the king not fully secure. The former Women’s World Champion tried to resist but resigned on move 25. This was the shortest game in the tournament so far, ending in a victory. This was the first win for Nurgyul Salimova in the tournament, after one draw and three defeats. Clearly pleased, in the post-game interview, she noted that thanks to the sunny weather, she “already felt positive vibes” even before the game. Austria’s Olga Badelka started losing her way in the early stages of the Queen’s Gambit Declined against Georgian Lela Javakhishvili. Playing as White, Olga pressed on the kingside, but Lela made sure she was in time to react and hold everything under control. By move 22, Black was dominating. It was obvious Javakhishvili was at ease with her position and performance – she spent a lot of time outside, enjoying the park in which the playing venue is located, while Badelka was glued to her seat for most of the game. On move 32, Black correctly sacrificed an exchange, which was the shortest way to victory. Badelka resigned on move 42, after nearly three hours of play. With 2.5 points, Javakhishvili is on 50%, while Austria’s Badelka has two victories and three losses. Mariya Muzychuk and Nana Dzagnidze drew in the Sicilian. Surprised by 7.c3 in the Moscow Variation, Dzagnidze ended up with doubled pawns on the e-file, but generated enough counterplay to hold a draw. She remains unbeaten with one win
FIDE WGP Austria: Anna Muzychuk takes the lead in a round of pawn sacrifices
Ukrainian Anna Muzychuk had a great showing against the former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, taking her to 3.5/4 and a sole lead in the tournament. Out of five games, three saw players making or offering a pawn sacrifice. Round four of the final stage of the 2024/2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix was marked by fast games and questionable pawn sacrifices. As it turned out, those who accepted the pawn offer – such as Dzagnidze (playing as White against Tan) and Badelka (playing as Black against Salimova), won. Vaishali Rameshbabu, who declined a free pawn from Mariya Muzychuk, was left defending a draw. Nana Dzagnidze’s game against former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi stood out with its sharp moves and impressive tactics. After securing a win as White, Nana is now alone in third place. Meanwhile, fellow Georgian Lela Javakhishvili blundered an even endgame and lost to Zhu in a match everyone thought would be the first to finish in a draw. In the matchup of the day, Alexandra Kosteniuk launched an early surprise against Anna Muzychuk by essaying the French Defence. However, in the Winawer Variation, Muzychuk staged her own surprise with an early 5.Qg4. On move six Alexandra deviated from the most popular continuations and opted for 6…d4, a move rarely seen at the top level. Just two three moves down the road, after a 25-minute think, Kosteniuk made a serious error, playing 9…Nd5? Black should have continued by taking on c3, doubling White’s pawns and then take on e5. Another alternative for Black to consider was 9…b5 which looks even stronger. As played, White got a chance to pin Black’s pieces and develop at the same time: 10.Bd2 Nxc3 and now, an important intermezzo 11.Rc1! After 11…Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qb6 targeting f2, Anna responded with 13.Qf4! defending f2 and preserving an extra pawn. After exchanges on the queenside, the two soon transitioned to an endgame with rooks and queens. This is the last moment in the game where Black had a chance to put up a stronger resistance. Instead of 27…f5 Alexandra played 27…Rg5? This allowed White to proceed with coordinating her rooks and executing an exchange in the centre after which she was completely winning. 28.Re4! Kb8 29.g3 a5 30.Rec4 Qb6 31.Rd4! Rf5 32.Qd2 Rfxe5 33.Rxe5 Rxe5 34.Rxg4 Rd5 35.Rd4 Rxd4 36.Qxd4 Qxb2 37.Qd8 – White’s queen is completely dominating, and her king is well protected. The situation is opposite for black. On move 46, Kosteniuk surrendered. An extremely important victory for Muzychuk who ended as the sole leader in the tournament, while Kosteniuk remains on 1.5/4. The most beautiful game of the day was one between Nana Dzagnidze and Tan Zhongyi. In a solid and well-known line of English Opening, Dzagnidze pressed on the queenside while Tan countered in the centre. After erroneously trading the light-square bishops, Tan was all but forced to sacrifice a central pawn, which opened space for her rook to join an attack on the white king’s fortress. Black got her rook into the game and is now going all in, trying to stun White. She just played 21…g5 22.g4! The only move! What is unusual is that this move defied conventional wisdom – don’t open your king’s fortress, let alone do that while at the same time giving up the pawn!? And while this all is true and that is exactly what Nana did in this position, also – she is opening the g-file for her own attack on Black! 22…Qxg4+ 23.Kh1 Kg8 and now comes another deep move by Dzagnidze – 24.Bh8! Tan’s position is extremely difficult to defend and in a few moves, the former World Champion was completely lost. After three long draws, a well-earned win for Dzagnidze, now on 2.5/4. Tan, after starting with two wins, has now lost two in a row and is on 50 percent. Olga Badelka also scored, beating Nurgyul Salimova. In a well-known line of the Italian, playing as White, Salimova went for a position with an isolated pawn in the centre. She soon gave up that central pawn and got almost sufficient compensation in the form of two bishops. Following a tactical battle in the centre around moves 19-25 Salimova got back into the game. The position was equal but, under time pressure, Salimova made a mistake by allowing Black to penetrate her back ranks with 28…Qe2, which led to White’s demise. An important comeback for Badelka following two loses. She is now on 2/4. Salimova continues her winless streak, with 0.5/4. Vaishali Rameshbabu has managed to stage surprises in all three previous games. This time around, playing against Mariya Muzychuk, the Indian seems to have been the one who was surprised as she decided not to play the most obvious move. In a popular line of the Sveshnikov Sicilian, Vaishali had an early chance to pick up a pawn but did not go for it. Vaishali spent just under 30 minutes thinking before deciding not to take the free pawn (which was the strongest continuation) but played 16.Ne3 instead. This allowed Mariya Muzychuk to equalize first and then to grab the initiative. Despite pressing hard on the queenside and pushing White’s pieces back, Mariya surprisingly decided to settle for a draw by a threefold repetition. This is the second time in the tournament (previously it was against Salimova), that Muzychuk opted not to press. Vaishali is on three points, just half a point behind the leader, Anna Muzychuk. The former world champion Mariya Muzychuk is on 1.5/4, with one loss and three draws. The game between Javakhishvili and Zhu Jiner looked set to end quickly in a draw, but instead turned into the day’s longest battle. White (Javakhishvili) emerged slightly better in a well-known line of the Queen’s Indian Defence, but the position was largely even. The first big swing happened late in the ending, when Javakhishvili made a grave mistake that cost her game. Black just moved her king to g6. In this position, White should have just
GM Christopher Yoo temporarily suspended by FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission
The FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) has announced a provisional 60-day suspension of Grandmaster Christopher Yoo, effective from May 9, 2025. This action follows the submission of a second complaint alleging harassment, currently under preliminary review. The suspension stems from two separate complaints alleging violations of the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Code. Case 5/2025 (A), filed by the United States Chess Federation (USCF), and an additional recent complaint – whose details and complainant remain confidential due to the sensitive nature of the allegations – are both under investigation by the EDC. On November 14, 2024, the US Chess Federation imposed a one-year ban prohibiting GM Christopher Yoo from participating in tournaments under the auspices of USCF. This sanction also includes a five-year probationary period extending through November 14, 2030. Under Article 26.12 of the FIDE Charter, national sanctions may be extended internationally if a member federation requests it and if the decision complies with fundamental legal principles and fair trial standards. In line with this, the USCF formally submitted a request for FIDE to recognize and globally enforce its ban, pursuant to Article 4.15 of the FIDE Ethics Code. This request remains under investigation. Given the gravity of the allegations and the ongoing proceedings, the Chair of the EDC has enacted a temporary suspension of GM Yoo to safeguard the integrity of the investigative process. Both GM Yoo and the USCF have been formally notified of this decision. The suspension may be extended if a final resolution is not reached within the initial 60-day period. This decision aligns with FIDE’s commitment to safeguarding everyone involved in chess and sends a clear message about the importance of fostering a respectful environment for the entire chess community, regardless of gender, age, or status.