Zhu Jiner and Stavroula Tsolakidou strike first in WGP Nicosia
The first round of the Cyprus WGP was highly entertaining. Except for the encounter between the Muzychuk sisters, which ended in a quick draw, the four remaining games were fought to the bitter end, resulting in two important wins for Stavroula Tsolakidou and Zhu Jiner. The fourth leg of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024-25 kicked off this afternoon at 15:00 in the fantastic Hilton Nicosia. Evgenii Tiapkin, executive director of main sponsor Freedom24, performed the ceremonial first move for Stavroula Tsolakidou. One of the toughest events of the six that compose the Grand Prix, Cyprus features leg 2 winner Aleksandra Goryachkina, former Women’s World Champions Anna and Mariya Muzychuk, side-by-side with young powerhouses such as China’s Zhu Jiner and Greece’s own Stavroula Tsolakidou. If the fighting spirit displayed this afternoon at the Hilton Nicosia is a prelude to the rest of the tournament, glorious afternoons of great chess await us. Let’s take a closer look at all five games. Aleksandra Goryachkina 1/2-1/2 Nana Dzagnidze Thanks to her two excellent results in Shymkent and Monaco, Goryachkina currently leads the Grand Prix and is widely considered the favourite here: a strong performance in Cyprus would practically secure her spot in the next women’s Candidates Tournament. Starting off the tournament with White against Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze, with whom she has a +3 =8 record with no defeats, couldn’t be better. But Dzagnidze is a very experienced player, and her international rating of 2513 is no small feat. She tends to play with strength and focus: defeating her takes a lot of energy and commitment. Goryachkina began with the Queen’s Gambit, one of her usual openings, against which Dzagnidze had prepared a line in the Accepted Variation, in which she faces an isolated queen’s pawn. Although Goryachkina developed a small initiative during the first moves, Dzagnidze neutralized White’s attack and ultimately exchanged queens. The endgame seemed to favour the Georgian GM very slightly but, low on time, she wasn’t able to capitalize, and the game petered out into a draw. Both players performed this afternoon at the highest level with an all-around 98% accuracy score. Anna Muzychuk 1/2-1/2 Mariya Muzychuk The Muzychuk sisters have faced each other in classical chess on twenty-one occasions in the past. Except for a single win by Anna in the 2002 U-12 Ukrainian Girls Championship, all the other games have ended in draws, and this afternoon’s encounter was no exception. Today they battled it out in a 99% accuracy Najdorf Sicilian, more specifically a line that features eleven master games that all end in equal endgings and subsequent draws: for example, a 2009 bout between elite GM’s Akopian and Miroshnichenko. Although the tournament rules forbid draws before 40 moves have been played, a three-fold repetition is one of the few exceptions to the rule, and a peaceful outcome was signed on move twenty-seven. Divya Deshmukh 1/2-1/2 Harika Dronavalli As per rules, players of the same federation must face each other in the first round. Both Indian players, playing in their second tournament of the cycle, decided to go for a fight, but proceeded with caution trying not to overstep. The result? A long, 50-move, 98% accuracy draw, more than enough for both players to be content with their over-the-board efforts. In their previous three encounters, Harika was dominating with two wins and one draw but today she had to settle for a half-point. For most of the game, in a well-known solid line of the Ruy Lopez Berlin, fan-favourite Divya nurtured a very small edge with White. But the pawn structure was symmetrical and Harika managed to force some interesting exchanges – it soon became clear that the talented young player from Nagpur wasn’t getting anywhere. Moreover, her experienced opponent finally obtained the bishop pair and, for a moment, entertained the idea to press for the advantage, but to no avail. Divya kept things under control and a three-fold repetition was recorded on move fifty. Zhu Jiner 1-0 Olga Badelka A six-event cycle that runs over several months is bound to produce replacements. Players that may fall ill, or run into other commitments, vacate their spots for other contenders, under the specific rules of the competition. Both Zhu Jiner and Olga Badelka fall into this category. Although Nicosia is the fourth of the six tournaments, and all players are set to play three, funnily enough, for both of them this is their first event! Olga Badelka has replaced Regina Theissl-Pokorna and will play in Cyprus and her home country Austria, while Zhu Jiner is replacing China’s own Lei Tingjie and will add the India and Austria legs to Cyprus. Even though the game began as a Ruy Lopez, it soon developed into a slow Italian opening. Going into the middlegame, it seemed that Badelka had equalised comfortable but a couple of minor inaccuracies – 15…Bxf3 and above all 20…Nh7 landed her in a very difficult position. Zhu Jiner had the two bishops against her opponent’s two knights, plays a superior pawn structure. To top it all, Badelka was slowly spending all her time, in an attempt to defend against her opponent’s attack. With excellent combinatorial play, the Chinese prodigy won a couple of pawns and opened up the gate to her opponent’s king, forcing the Austrian to resign on move forty-seven. In her postgame interview, Zhu Jiner gave us her thoughts on her fine performance. https://youtu.be/S92m9mKCaXY?si=jP-JmXJ89DH-ZL4p Stavroula Tsolakidou 1-0 Elisabeth Paehtz The other victory of the day went to Greece’s top-ranked female player, Stavroula Tsolakidou. The twenty-four-year-old player from Kavala, who actually turns twenty-five during this event, gave a fine performance against another very experimented GM, Elisabeth Paehtz, representing Germany. Both players went down a rabbit hole in an extensively pre-analysed variation of the Sicilian Rossolimo Attack. On move thirteen, with both opponents having used hardly any time on the clocks, Paehtz offered a draw by means of a three-fold repetition attempt. Eager to continue the fight, Stavroula went into the tank, considered her options, and
European Individual Championship 2025 begins in Eforie Nord, Romania
The European Individual Chess Championship 2025 has officially commenced in Eforie Nord, Romania. The event is being held from March 15–26 at Ana Hotels Europa. Nearly 400 players from 40 European federations have registered for the tournament, including 103 Grandmasters, 77 International Masters, and 71 FIDE Masters. The top seeds are: Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU, 2692)Alexey Sarana (SRB, 2689)Jorden Van Foreest (NED, 2676)Pavel Eljanov (UKR, 2666)Shant Sargsyan (ARM, 2666)Daniel Dardha (BEL, 2665)David Anton Guijarro (ESP, 2663)David Navara (CZE, 2663)Radoslaw Wojtaszek (POL, 2659)Benjamin Gledura (HUN, 2658) The starting list of players can be found here. The European Individual Chess Championship 2025 serves as a qualification event for the FIDE World Chess Cup. According to FIDE regulations and the ECU Board decision, 20 players will qualify. The tournament features a total prize fund of €100,000, with €20,000 awarded to the winner. The competition is an 11-round Swiss tournament, with a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves, plus 30 minutes until the end of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move one. The opening ceremony took place in the playing venue with the attendance by the Vice President of the Romanian Chess Federation Mr. Alin Berescu, Secretary General of the Romanian Chess Federation Mr. Gabriel Grecescu, and ECU Tournament Director Mr. Petr Pisk who addressed the distinguished guests. The first round started at 15:00 (local time). Live games with live video broadcast and commentaries by GM Alojzije Jankovic and WIM Lena Govedarica can be followed through the ECU TV and ECU YouTube channel. Photos: Florin Ardelean Official website: https://www.eicc2025.com/
Fair Play Commission leadership update
The leadership of the FIDE Fair Play Commission has changed. The current Commission’s Councilors Andrew Howie and Vincent Geeraets will take over the roles of Chair and Secretary, respectively. Both are experienced fair play specialists, committed to strengthening FIDE’s efforts in ensuring a fair and secure chess environment. In recent years, FIDE has made significant strides in fair play: enhancing detection methods, conducting training, establishing titles and providing control routines at major events. These efforts will continue with even greater intensity. We sincerely thank Bojana Bejatović and Yuri Garrett for their contributions to the Commission’s work. Moving forward, our priorities include expanding the use of advanced fair play detection tools, training and streamlining the work with arbiters, and strengthening collaboration with federations, tournament organizers, and online platforms. We will organize round table discussions with key stakeholders to align on best practices and further reinforce fair play policies in a professional and cost-efficient manner. FIDE maintains a zero-tolerance policy for cheating in all its events. We want to serve the chess community in the best possible way, and our mission remains clear: to prevent, detect and catch cheaters, ensuring that chess competitions are fair and secure for all.
Fourth leg of FIDE WGP 2024-2025 kicks off in Nicosia
The fourth leg of the 2024-25 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix kicked off this evening in the magnificent Nicosia Hilton Hotel, in the capital of Cyprus. Under the auspices of the International Chess Federation and Cyprus Chess Federation, the event runs from the 14th to the 25th of March, and will showcase the skills of ten of the best female players in the world. The opening ceremony began at 19:00 with the national anthem of the Republic of Cyprus, followed by the anthem of FIDE. Immediately afterward, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky took the stage, welcoming everyone to the opening ceremony, and highlighted the significance of the tournament. “In the past two years, Cyprus has become one of the European chess hubs. We are delighted with our cooperation with the Cyprus Chess Federation and with our partner, Freedom, who are backing a number of important events all over the world. Our mission here is not only to stage a high-level event, but to lay a foundation and keep building on the previous work to make chess more popular, more accessible and more attractive to everyone.” Furthering their firm commitment to promoting chess in Cyprus, and supporting the event, Freedom Holding Corp CEO Timur Turlov, initiated his speech thanking the players for their participation and pointing out that it is a great honor to have them here. “I believe that the Cyprus role as interconnector of finance and chess will continue to grow. This is a country with very welcoming people, great weather, great cuisine, and with a lot of opportunities to enjoy and also focus on your business.” Turlov wished the players to be really focussed on their games but also have fun during their breaks and, if at all possible, visit other beautiful cities in Cyprus, such as Limassol. He was also very grateful to FIDE for their continued cooperation. “I am very thankful to FIDE for our partnership. We definitely share the same values and I believe that we will continue this cooperation through some new initiatives such as the International School Federation. I really see how prestigious this game is rising all over the world and how more and more people are being involved.” Finally, the President of the Cyprus Chess Federation, Criton Tornaritis, took the floor, welcoming all the players to Cyprus and highlighting the joint association with Freedom. “This is the second time we organize this tournament in Cyprus and I hope that there will be a third time. The most important thing for me is to enjoy some good games. Chess in Cyprus before Freedom was very poor. Now we have more than 2,000 members, most of them kids.” After the speeches, the attendees enjoyed the performance by a talented group of young dancers from Live Dance Studio, who brought a touch of energy and artistry to the ceremony. The evening culminated in a family group photo, with all the players on the stage joined by FIDE Secretary General and tournament director Lukasz Turlej and Takis Nikolopoulos, Chief Arbiter. Afterward, the guests had the chance to speak to the players, take photos, and enjoy the cocktail reception. The first round is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, at 3pm. As per rules, players representing the same federation must face each other at the start of the event. You can follow the games live and watch the action with our wonderful commentators GM Alik Gershon and WGM Anastasiya Karlovich on YouTube. Written by Michael Rahal Photos: Mark Livshitz Official website: womengrandprix.fide.com/
International Festival Baku Open 2025 announced
The Azerbaijan Chess Federation (ACF) is thrilled to announce the Baku Open 2025, an international chess festival celebrating the game and the rise of Azerbaijani talent. The event will take place at Baku Crystal Hall from April 27 (arrival) to May 6 (last round and closing ceremony). The festival features three tournament sections (A, B, and C)—all 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control: Tournament A: Open to players with a FIDE Elo rating above 2250 (Women: above 2100). Tournament B: Open to players with a FIDE Elo rating under 2250 (Women: under 2100). Tournament C: Open to young players with a FIDE Elo rating born in 2013 or earlier. Unrated players may be accepted at the ACF’s discretion. The total prize fund for the festival is $55,000, with $12,000 awarded to the winner of Tournament A. Additionally, the first 10 registered players with a FIDE Elo above 2650 (as of April 1, 2025) and women rated above 2450 will receive full board accommodation at the official festival hotel, Ibis Hotel. Exciting side events Simultaneous exhibition by a former World Champion Viswanathan Anand (April 27, 2025) The legendary Viswanathan Anand will showcase his exceptional skills in a simultaneous exhibition against some of Azerbaijan’s most talented young players. This is a rare opportunity to see a chess icon take on the future stars of Azerbaijani chess! Rapid match: Viswanathan Anand vs. Rauf Mamedov (April 28–29, 2025) A thrilling rapid match between Viswanathan Anand and the 2025 Azerbaijani Chess Champion promises an intense, fast-paced showdown. Blitz match: Viswanathan Anand vs. Rauf Mamedov (April 30, 2025) A high-energy blitz match between Viswanathan Anand and Azerbaijan’s third-rated player will deliver lightning-fast moves and an electrifying conclusion to this prestigious event. All side events will be held at the Museum of Carpet in Baku, a venue that beautifully blends culture and competition, providing a perfect stage for these exciting chess battles. We warmly invite chess enthusiasts and supporters from around the world to join us for this spectacular festival. Don’t miss this celebration of chess, talent, and tradition in Baku! Regulations for Baku Open 2025 (PDF) Official website: http://www.asf.org.az/
FIDE extends fee waiver for Rapid and Blitz through 2026
The FIDE Council has announced the extension of its rating fee waiver for all Rapid and Blitz tournaments through 2025-2026 The FIDE Council—the organization’s strategic and oversight body—stated that the decision aims to expand player participation and promotion of chess. These rating fees, covered by federations, are outlined in the Financial Regulations of the FIDE Handbook. According to the regulations, “All rated tournaments are subject to rating fees. The FIDE Council, at its sole discretion, may waive or reduce rating fees for Rapid and Blitz tournaments for a given year.” The fee waiver was first introduced for the 2021-2024 period. Since then, nearly 60,000 Rapid and Blitz tournaments have been rated (59,603), with the estimated waived fees exceeding €2.2 million. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich noted that this helps not only federations and organizers but also players. While rating fees are a source of revenue for FIDE, this waiver is widely welcomed by national federations as it supports both organizers and players,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “We believe this is not the right time to impose additional financial burdens. Instead, federations can redirect these funds toward increased prize pools and greater opportunities for players—which is fantastic news for the chess community.” Nebojsa Baralic – an International Arbiter who has also organized many chess events in his native Serbia and the Balkans, welcomed the news of the decision to continue waiving the rating fees. “This initiative eases financial pressures on organizers and federations while encouraging more Rapid and Blitz events,” said International Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic. “Support like this is crucial for the growth of chess, especially in regions with limited resources. By reducing financial barriers, we can have more grassroots tournaments and create opportunities for players at all levels.” Baralic further highlighted the positive impact on arbiters and organizers: “With reduced financial constraints, we can focus more on the quality and accessibility of events, ensuring that our sport reaches a broader audience.” The decision has been added to the FIDE Handbook and takes effect immediately.
Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2025: A global chess celebration
On March 7, 2025, Almaty became the focal point of the chess world as it hosted the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2025, a women’s blitz chess tournament organized by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KazChess) with support from the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Dedicated to International Women’s Day, the tournament brought together 95 participants of various ages and skill levels, uniting them in a spirited competition for the championship title. More than just a sporting event, the tournament was a true celebration of intellect, artistry, and inspiration. The event was officially opened by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who made the symbolic first move, emphasizing the global significance of women’s chess and reinforcing support for the initiative. Later, the FIDE President had a productive meeting with top officials from KazChess, where they discussed joint projects both in Kazakhstan and internationally. He also fulfilled a long-standing promise by delivering a lecture at NARXOZ University. The rise of new Champions The tournament followed a 9-round Swiss system with a 3+2 time control. In a gripping battle, 13-year-old WFM Aiaru Altynbek emerged victorious scoring an impressive 8 points. Mariya Kholyavko secured second place, while 11-year-old Zhansaya Sholpanbek claimed third. All three winners are recipients of the Young Talent Support Programme scholarships. The tournament’s prize fund amounted to KZT 2 million (approximately $4,000), with the champion receiving KZT 500,000. Additional cash prizes were awarded to the top finishers and best players in various age categories. A Year of Triumph for Kazakhstan 2024 marked a historic milestone for Kazakhstan’s chess scene. Across international competitions, the country’s juniors, adults, and seniors won 160 medals, including 55 golds. The most remarkable achievement came from Kazakhstan’s women’s team, which secured silver medals at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. These victories have inspired a new generation of female players, many of whom participated in the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2025. Supporting women’s chess Timur Turlov, President of KazChess, emphasized: “Kazakhstan’s women are shining brighter in chess than ever before in our country’s history. We witness their growing skill and professionalism each year. With their victories, they are paving a new path for Kazakhstan to reach the pinnacle of world chess. This motivates us to invest even more in supporting our remarkable female players. The Kazakhstan Chess Federation remains committed to expanding opportunities for women in chess. We will continue to nurture their talents and open new career prospects for them.” Chess and Art: When Boundaries Blur As part of the tournament, an art exhibition showcased paintings by Kazakhstan’s artist Aituar Amirkhanova, whose works explore themes of women’s experience and self-expression. A special guest at the event was Inessa Nazarova, titleholder of Mrs. Supermodel Worldwide 2019, who inspired participants with her motivational speech. Kazakhstan and the world: Women’s Chess without borders The Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2025 became part of a global chess movement, with similar women’s tournaments taking place simultaneously in five countries: Wroclaw, Poland – IV Memoriał Apolonii Litwińskiej, honoring the legendary Polish chess player. Saint-Tropez, France – a simultaneous exhibition match with 24 opponents, led by the Ukrainian 15-year-old quad sisters, the Prochaievs. Nairobi, Kenya – the 3rd Queens Rapid Chess Tournament, the largest women’s chess competition in the region. Kampala, Uganda – the 4th Queens of Chess Rapid Chess Tournament, bringing together Africa’s strongest female players. Kazakhstan has reaffirmed its role as a key hub for women’s chess, and the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2025 has solidified its place in an international movement that unites women worldwide through the game of chess. Women are changing the chess world—and this is just the beginning.
Celebration of family, friends, and colleagues at Indonesia Chess Museum
By Peter Long There are few chess museums in various countries – Iceland, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, Türkiye and now in Indonesia. Museum Catur Indonesia (Indonesia Chess Museum) was soft launched on 26th February 2025. Who are the people who made it happen? Peter Long, who was present at this event, shares everything about it with information and attractive photos. It is located together with Cafe Tutur at the Headquarters of the Utut Adianto Chess School (SCUA) in Bekasi, Indonesia, a FIDE Tier 1 Academy also founded by Eka Putra Wirya. Entrance to the Indonesian Chess Museum The soft launch of the Indonesia Chess Museum (ICM) on 26th February 2025 was indeed a celebration of family, friends, and colleagues of Eka Putra Wirja. ICM is of course located together with Cafe Tutur at the Headquarters of the Utut Adianto Chess School (SCUA) in Bekasi, a FIDE Tier 1 Academy also founded by Eka. Eka Putra Wirja Who is Eka Putra Wirja? To start with, one of the worst kept secrets of the Indonesian chess success of the last three decades, as he is recognized together with Senator GM Utut Adianto, Indonesia’s greatest ever player, as either the first or second of the two main pillars of a trio that includes FST Kristianus Liem. In a long ranging interview conducted with the official opening of ICM, we learned Eka’s story, and indeed how this might be the final piece of a strategic vision which begun in 1990. Post Catholic Mass family photo Remarkably, with family together with hundreds of friends and chess colleagues present, a special Catholic Mass was held to both inaugurate and bless the ICM and Cafe Tutur premises. Tributes then followed, from a member of SCUA management, this writer considered an old friend, a media representative, followed by the keynote address by Eka, after which came the speech and official opening by GM Adianto, also the President of the All Indonesian Chess Federation (PERCASI), and who had rushed back from official government work in China. GM Utut Adianto Media and guests then were taken through a guided tour before adjourning to lunch, and entertainment by a live band helmed by a former junior chess champion where many, including Eka joined the performances, while concurrently two clock simultaneous exhibitions took place with some of the best Indonesian young talent took on the two GM winners of the recently concluded Indonesia GM & IM Tournaments. Main Hall, Indonesian chess history display Eka was in his youth a promising young talent but the responsibilities of being the oldest son in a business family demanded he gave up his chess ambition, at least that of becoming a grandmaster. And yet, when visiting the FIDE World Championship Match in Singapore last year, he was still strong enough to beat former world women chess champion GM Xie Jun in a simultaneous exhibition. Instead, Eka decided to continue to support chess in Indonesia as both an official and as a patron, starting with leading the Indonesian team to the Manila Olympiad in 1990. He hooked up with a player he recognized as having exceptional talent, and convinced him to quit his job to take up chess full-time, and did exactly the same to a journalist who covered and wrote about chess with the same passion he had. Indonesian GM showcase Yes, the soon to become the three pillars of Indonesian chess was beginning to take shape. Adianto of course went on to be the poster boy of Indonesian chess, a top twenty grandmaster, who even when not playing for over ten years and in his 50s could still fill in on board one for a weaken Indonesian team at the Baku Olympiad and make an unbeaten 5/6 score. Liem on the other hand took the operating managing role at SCUA, initially started as Enerpac Chess School. SCUA outdoor signage It is without exaggeration that Eka and his two friends love chess and Indonesia more than anything, and that they were instrumental for every Indonesian success in the last ten years, every World and Asian Cadet, Schools, Youth, and Junior champion, for every grandmaster, international master, women grandmaster and international women grandmaster. Eka is even prouder that the success of SCUA together with the many events organized and sponsorship of national players and teams to international competitions has lifted many chess players out of abject poverty and to middle and even upper middle class lives and this is the simple explanation for the hundred from the chess community who came to the ICM soft opening. Jigsaw complete With ICM, something that no other Asian country has yet to see, Indonesian chess now has a showcase of both the history and achievements of their champions, and to serve as an inspiration to those to come after. But it also recognizes the contributions of individuals and corporations who have given so much to Indonesian chess, and offers a compelling reason for sponsors to come onboard. And finally, it positions chess in education, clearly not only articulating the benefits of chess to their young, but in collaboration with SCUA, also a means for implementation of schools and talent development programs. With ICM, Eka has perhaps put in the last piece of the jigsaw that has long been his vision for chess in Indonesia, together with old and like-minded friends Adianto and Liem. Photos: FM FT IA Peter Long
FIDE Circuit 2025: Ding Liren still leads, Praggnanandhaa closes in
Ding Liren continues to lead the FIDE Circuit 2025 with 40.64 points earned in the title match. However, his lead is no longer secure, as his competitors are closing in. Praggnanandhaa R gained 11.06 points by tying for second place in the Prague International Chess Festival 2025 – Masters, reducing the gap to just 4.5 points. Among other competitors, six tournaments counted toward the FIDE Circuit 2025 in February, brought a few new names into the top ten rankings. Photo: Petr Vrabec Aravindh Chithambaram emerged victorious in the Prague International Chess Festival 2025 – Masters, jumping to the third place in the circuit standings. The winner of the Djerba International Masters, Marc’Andria Maurizzi, earned 16.04 circuit points, then added another 5.88 points for his third-place finish in the Prague International Chess Festival 2025 – Challengers, climbing to fifth position. Ian Nepomniachtchi demonstrated his determination in the FIDE Circuit 2025 campaign by triumphing in a highly competitive Aeroflot Open, earning 18 points and rising to seventh place. Photo: Aeroflot Open Meanwhile, Anish Giri and Wei Yi, who shared second place with Praggnanandhaa R in the Prague International Chess Festival 2025 – Masters, each collected 11.06 points, securing their spots in the top ten. Just outside the top ten are the winner of Prague International Chess Festival 2025 – Challengers Nodirbek Yakubboev, Aydin Suleymanli, Mukhiddin Madaminov who caused a minor sensation by taking the Al-Beruniy Masters, Daniel Dardha and the newly crowned Azerbaijani Champion Rauf Mamedov. We maintain a dedicated page on our website for the FIDE Circuit 2025, offering the latest information on eligible tournaments, the current standings, and regulations. Visit: FIDE Circuit 2025
World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships return with record prize fund and new format
The World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships are back—bigger, bolder, and with a record-breaking €500,000 prize fund. After thrilling editions in Düsseldorf (2023) and Astana (2024), the event heads to London from June 10–16, introducing a new knockout stage in the Blitz Following the addition of the Blitz format in Astana 2024, this year’s edition introduces further improvements – a significantly increased prize fund and an extra day for the Blitz competition for the knock-outs. The championships will take place at Novotel London West Hotel (1 Shortlands Hammersmith International Ctre, London W6 8DR, United Kingdom). The total prize pool for 2025 jumps to €500,000, a significant increase from last year’s €350,000. The Rapid event will distribute €310,000, while the Blitz tournament’s prize fund rises to €190,000. Here’s how the prize money is allocated: Another notable change for this year is the addition of the second day of the Blitz. After a successful run of the Blitz in 2024, FIDE has decided to expand the competition by adding the separate second day for knock-out stage. Blitz games will follow the standard time control of three minutes plus two seconds per move, but the competition will now feature two distinct stages instead of one. In the first stage, teams will be grouped into pools of similar strength. Each pool will compete in a round-robin tournament, with a maximum of 16 teams advancing to the knockout stage. On the second day of the Blitz, the qualifiers from stage one will play a knock-out tournament, determining the winner. The rising interest in chess globally and in the UK Chess has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, both globally but also in the UK, where in recent years the government has also provided funding for the sport. For the first time in 30 years, the public broadcaster BBC will air a TV program dedicated to chess. The show will follow 12 of Britain’s rising stars of chess as they play against one another and explore the beauty of the game. “The growing popularity of chess in the UK and the global appeal of London as an international hub is one of the key reasons why we decided to bring the event here. The addition of another day for the Blitz competition and this substantial increase in the prize fund reflects the growing prestige of the competition and the continuing global interest in chess,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said. Team composition The event is open to any team that meets the official requirements, which have been designed to ensure there is an inclusive, level-playing field. Each team must have at least six and no more than nine players. This has to include at least one female player. Additionally, each team has to have one recreational player—defined as a participant who has never achieved a FIDE Standard, Rapid, or Blitz rating of 2000 Elo (or an equivalent national rating, as determined by FIDE’s Global Strategy Commission) up to and including the March 2025 rating lists. This rule is designed to encourage broader participation and give aspiring players a chance to compete alongside seasoned professionals. Additionally, each team must have a captain, who may also be one of the players. How to register for the event The forthcoming event in London is open to all and will see 60 teams take part – 10 based on their highest ratings and 45 based on earliest registration, with five wild card teams provided by the organizers. Teams wishing to participate need to apply by filling in a REGISTRATION FORM by May 10. Teams are required to register at least six players. Full event regulations and team participation requirements are available here: handbook.fide.com/files/handbook/WRTC2025Regulations.pdf The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships have a prominent place in the chess calendar and will offer a chance for top-tier Grandmasters and chess enthusiasts to play together, giving the public a chance to see the world’s best players in action. Official website: https://worldrapidblitzteams.fide.com/