ChessFests across England this summer
ChessFest Trafalgar Square A huge thank you to everyone who came to Trafalgar Square on Sunday for ChessFest 2025. Over 20,000 visitors enjoyed a range of fun, family-friendly chess activities: Our troupe of actors put on four fabulous performances, re-enacting the famous Evergreen Game. Some of England’s top chess stars (Nikita Vitiugov, Mickey Adams, et al) took on all-comers in simultaneous games. Many thousands of blitz games were played in our Challenge the Master tent. England junior stars Bodhana Sivanandan and Supratit Banerjee defeated their counterparts from North America in a live match. Grandmasters Gawain Jones and Matthew Sadler delivered an amazing queen sacrifice to win a blindfold consultation game. CSC tutors delivered hundreds of free lessons to players of all standards in one of two teaching tents. A game of giant blitz chess between two masters turned out to be as much a test of physical speed and stamina as chess ability. FunMaster Mike and his team entertained all the ChessKids with two Puzzle Rush competitions. ChessFest Portishead New for 2025, ChessFest opened in the Somerset coastal town of Portishead on Saturday 12th July. ChessFest truly took over the whole town for the day: Zone 1 – Casual Chess at Aqua. Visitors enjoyed a game of chess with brunch and coffee in this great restaurant on Portishead Marina. The chess was still carrying on 3 hours after ChessFest had finished! Zone 2 – Elite Chess on Parish Wharf. International Master Chris Beaumont took on four players simultaneously while blindfolded! Zone 3 – Kids’ Zone outside Portishead Leisure Centre. ChessKid’s FunMaster Mike who ran activities for children of all ages. Zone 4 – Schools’ Competition at Portishead Primary School (9am-11am). Children from across the town took part in an outdoor tournament. Zone 5 – Ark of Angels in Jubilee Park. 32 adults and children took the place of chess pieces in two live performances. Special thanks go to the CSC Bristol team for an amazing inaugural event. We know they are already planning for next year! Still to come… ChessFest Liverpool ChessFest returns to Chavasse Park at Liverpool One for a fifth year on Sunday 20th July. Please join the event for: Free chess lessons for adults and children, delivered by CSC tutors Social games of chess on one of many boards across the park Giant chess games – a test of skill and stamina Simultaneous displays – take on a one of our visiting chess masters Blitz chess tournament – test your skills at speed chess Last year, over 1,000 people enjoyed a day of free, family-friendly fun at ChessFest Liverpool. We hope to see you there. Government announces funding for chess Just as our Trafalgar Square event was coming to a close, one of CSC’s highest profile ambassadors, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves was announcing a huge boost to English chess: a £1,500,000 financial package aimed at “identifying, supporting, and elevating young people who have the potential to compete at the top level“. The Chancellor, herself a junior chess champion, is a regular attendee at our events, and recently came to see a school from her Leeds West constituency take part in a CSC tournament in London, taking on eight of the players simultaneously while she was there. This funding builds on a series of grants introduced under the previous government. On this week’s funding, Rishi Sunak commented, “Chess isn’t just a great game. It also builds the kind of skills young people need to thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive world.”We await more details of the new grants. Under the previous funding, 100 schools introduced chess lessons and chess clubs for their pupils, with 42 of these being delivered via CSC’s Schools Programme.
FIDE Director for Chess Development visits Mauritania
In his ongoing efforts to promote chess growth across Africa, Grandmaster Nigel Short, FIDE Director for Chess Development, recently visited Mauritania. The primary purpose of the visit (from July 8-12) was to strengthen relations with the Mauritanian Chess Federation, the Ministry of Sport, and the National Olympic Committee, as well as to assess the state of chess development in the country. The program included meetings with the Minister of Sport and the Mauritanian National Olympic Committee, where discussions focused on strategies for the future of chess in Mauritania and on reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Education regarding the introduction of chess in schools. As part of his visit, Nigel Short also gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Hotel Nouakchott. The event was attended and formally opened by His Excellency Mr. Guy Harrison, the British Ambassador to Mauritania. Nigel Short was later honored with a trophy by the president of the national federation. He also visited the headquarters of the Mauritanian Chess Federation, where he met with the executive board and top local players to share his chess expertise. The Mauritanian Chess Federation expressed its deep appreciation for Nigel Short’s visit and voiced its hope to collaborate with FIDE on future joint programs.
FIDE Women’s World Cup Round of 16 Day 2: Lei Tingjie, Tan Zhongyi, Nana Dzagnidze and Song Yuxin advance to quarterfinals
The four Indians head to tiebreaks tomorrow for quarterfinal spots The second game of Round of 16 in the Women’s World Cup knockout stage brought plenty of excitement and high-stakes drama. Of the eight matches played, only two had a decisive result, while six ended in draws—pushing most of the action into tiebreak territory. China’s top seeds, GM Lei Tingjie and GM Tan Zhongyi, continued their dominant run, qualifying directly for the quarterfinals without having played a single tiebreak so far. Joining them are GM Nana Dzagnidze and the tournament’s standout underdog, IM Song Yuxin, who punched her ticket to the final eight. All eyes now turn to the four Indian contenders, who will return tomorrow for what promises to be a thrilling round of tiebreaks. With a major prize increase and a coveted quarterfinal slot at stake, the pressure couldn’t be higher. Let’s take a closer look at how this afternoon’s games unfolded… Needing a win to force a tiebreak, WIM Umida Omonova opened with 1.e4, clearly signaling her intent to fight. GM Lei Tingjie, however, set aside her usual 2…Nc6 repertoire and instead opted for the ultra-solid Petroff Defense—an opening that’s become a hallmark of China’s top players. While Omonova was unable to gain any tangible advantage out of the opening, she remained persistent, pressing throughout the game and staying alert for any slip from her experienced opponent. In the position, 40.Nf5? was indeed a pivotal mistake—especially painful given that Omonova had ample time on the clock. The preferred continuation, 40.f4! Rxb3 41.f5!, would have launched a powerful kingside initiative, tying down her opponent’s pieces and maintaining strong winning chances. Missing this moment cost her not only the advantage but ultimately the game, which ended in a perpetual check — a common escape route in high-stakes matches when one side falters. Despite this, Omonova’s postgame attitude was strikingly mature. Rather than dwell on the missed opportunity, she looked ahead with determination, expressing her focus on upcoming competitions and her long-term goal of becoming World Champion. This mindset is critical at the elite level, where resilience often defines careers more than individual victories or defeats. IM Divya Deshmukh generally plays the Sicilian defence with Black but the open games with 1…e5 have always been considered a safer option when a draw is a good result. GM Zhu Jiner opted for the Mieses variation of the Vienna Game, a subtle and less mainstream attempt to sidestep heavy theory and provoke imbalances in quieter waters. Zhu had only played this line twice before (in 2018), suggesting this was a prepared surprise weapon. The choice may have been strategic, targeting Divya’s lack of familiarity in this specific line. In fact, Divya had only faced it once, against GM Anton Korobov in Tata Steel 2014, a game which she lost. Overall, this was a smart psychological and strategic decision by Zhu—taking Divya out of her comfort zone (the Sicilian), steering the game toward less familiar terrain, and possibly exploiting a weak spot in her repertoire. Both players blitzed out the opening, showcasing deep preparation and high-level understanding—even in this relatively obscure side-line. It’s remarkable to consider the sheer volume of opening theory top players must internalize to perform at this level. Once the queens were exchanged, it became apparent that Zhu Jiner had a deeper grasp of the resulting position than her opponent. As the game transitioned into a complex multi-piece endgame, Zhu emerged with a clear advantage. Demonstrating excellent endgame technique and playing with 96% accuracy, she skillfully converted her edge into a full point, forcing the tiebreak. After the game, Zhu Jiner joined us in the media center and shared her reflections on her performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qryecjOsjpI After yesterday’s solid draw, GM Nana Dzagnidze’s plan this afternoon was to play solidly and try to press. “I have played more than 50 games against GM Mariya Muzychuk,” she explained in her postgame interview. “But today she surprised me with an opening she has never played before.” Despite the surprise factor, the strategy backfired. Nana Dzagnidze calmly seized a pawn, traded down to a simplified position, and showcased superb endgame technique to secure the full point—effectively dodging the need for tomorrow’s tiebreaks. Though visibly fatigued, Dzagnidze graciously stopped by the press room afterward, offering a quick masterclass on converting a pawn advantage in the endgame. A lesson well worth staying awake for! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OprS5z5J48c GM Lela Javakhishvili’s choice of a reversed King’s Indian Defence as White shows a fighting spirit—it’s an aggressive and somewhat unorthodox weapon, especially when playing for a must-win. However, IM Song Yuxin’s cool handling of the position—equalising early and seizing the initiative—speaks volumes about her underrated strength. To not just neutralize an aggressive setup but also take over in the center and queenside implies deep understanding and precise calculation. As she was in a must-win situation, Lela pushed her kingside pawns, trying to create winning chances. This aggressive strategy backfired, costing her a pawn. Song then got the upper hand and could have played for a win, but instead, offered a draw from the position of strength, which was accepted by Lela — a decision that helped Song qualify for the next round. In a classical Neo-Grunfeld Defence, IM Yuliia Osmak sacrificed a full pawn in the opening in exchange for a strong pawn centre and active piece play. The line has a decent reputation and has been favoured by elite players such as GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Osmak launched a fierce kingside attack, ultimately winning an exchange for a pawn — a promising advantage for the Ukrainian player, who needed a victory to level the score. However, GM Tan Zhongyi, drawing on her vast experience at the highest level, expertly defended her position and maintained equilibrium. After a tense battle, the players agreed to a draw on move forty, splitting the point. GM Humpy Koneru secured a slight positional advantage early on in a classical Bogo-Indian Defense facing Alexandra Kosteniuk. She steadily increased the pressure, and over time, her advantage
FIDE Women’s World Cup Round of 16 Day 1: Lei Tingjie, Tan Zhongyi, Song Yuxin and Divya take the lead
Refreshed after their rest day, the sixteen qualifiers returned to the Grand Bellagio venue for the first of the two-game Round of 16 matches that will determine who advances to the quarterfinals. The round was formally opened by the Head of the Sports Department of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Irma Nizharadze, who welcomed the players and wished them good luck. She then performed the ceremonial first move on Lei Tingjie’s board, marking the official start of the round. Seeded number one and a former Women’s World Championship challenger, GM Lei Tingjie opted for a solid approach against her young opponent’s tactical prowess. It wasn’t their first encounter. “I played a blitz game against Omonova two years ago at the World Blitz and Rapid Championship and noticed that she’s a very talented and resourceful player,” said Lei after the game. “So, I decided not to waste too much time on the clock.” “It worked out very well for her when WIM Umida Omonova, perhaps slightly out of her depth, made a couple of positional mistakes and quickly found herself in a desperate position. Omonova attempted an exchange sacrifice to generate counterplay, but it ultimately proved ineffective. ‘I don’t necessarily think that I am in the best form of my life. Every game seems normal, and I just wait for my opponent to make a mistake,’ Lei explained after the game.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBql7VtCHkg IM Divya Deshmukh delivered a fantastic performance this afternoon, decisively overcoming an opponent who had posed significant challenges in recent tournaments, including two previous losses at the Nicosia and Pune 2025 Women’s Grand Prix legs. “I didn’t prepare specifically for this game. Since I had a poor score against GM Zhu Jiner, I thought it might be some sort of mental block. So, I decided to focus on playing against the pieces instead, and once the game started, it didn’t matter who I was playing,” explained Divya in her post-game interview with FIDE’s Star Interview host, WIM Charlize van Zyl. Divya’s strategic handling of the Najdorf, especially seizing control over the d5-square, shows deep positional understanding. Dominating that square in the Sicilian often means restricting Black’s counterplay and securing central control. By forcing principled exchanges, she clearly transitioned into a favorable good knight vs bad bishop endgame — a textbook example of converting a small edge into a winning position. Those endings are notoriously difficult for the defender, and her tactical precision in the final phase just capped off a well-played game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKjiTMa2s68 China’s GM Tan Zhongyi took revenge for her loss in the 2020 Online Olympiad against Ukraine’s IM Yuliia Osmak. “I think my performance has been average, especially in the second round where there were some issues,” Tan explained after the game. It was a strong performance by the former Women’s World Champion, and one of the players here, who already knows what it feels like to finish among the top spots in this event. Under pressure for most of the game, Osmak finally succumbed on move 31, despite the draw being within reach. When asked afterward about how she personally handles pressure, Tan responded, “I think there’s nothing you can really do about it; it’s something every player has to endure.” Moment of the day Playing with White, Tan is slightly better but to hold the draw Osmak must get her king to the d8 square as fast as possible. The correct move therefore would have been 31…Ke8 but after a few minutes thought Osmak played 31…Nd7? allowing 32.Bb5 Ke8 33.Re1! Kd8 34.Kd3! and suddenly the rook will invade the seventh rank. A few moves later, Osmak had to resign as the combined strength of the rook, bishop and passed pawn had created an unstoppable mating net. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WVfIeYLs24 IM Song Yuxin joined her two higher-rated country colleagues in the winning group with a fine performance against local GM Lela Javakhishvili, giving her a head start going into the second game of the match tomorrow. Although she was trailing 1.5-0.5 in their head-to-head score from two 2019 Chinese League games, Song capitalized on her deep home preparation to refute her opponent’s slightly dubious opening. Always smiling, Song joined us in the media center to analyze her game and share insights into her daily tournament routine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-i82gP31qc The other four matches concluded in solid, uneventful draws. GM Alexandra Kosteniuk delivered an exceptionally precise performance against GM Humpy Koneru in a Spanish Berlin Defense, achieving a remarkable 98% accuracy with no inaccuracies. These two players are well-acquainted, having faced each other 73 times across various formats, with Kosteniuk holding a slight edge at 36.5 to 32.5 points. GM Kateryna Lagno had a crucial moment to seize the advantage in her game against GM Harika Dronavalli. However, after missing this opportunity, the game gradually simplified into an equal rook ending, which eventually ended in a draw. This result added draw number 48 to their personal head-to-head record, which now stands at 23 wins for Lagno, 22 for Harika, out of a total of 92 games. Both GM Mariya Muzychuk (playing against GM Nana Dzagnidze) and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu (facing IM Meruert Kamalidenova) fought hard for a win but were unable to find a decisive advantage at any point in their games. They will all return tomorrow afternoon with colours reversed to determine who will advance to the quarterfinals. Follow the games live and watch the action with expert commentary provided by GM Valeriane Gaprindashvili and IM Almira Skripchenko on the FIDE YouTube channel. Written by IM Michael Rahal (Batumi, Georgia) Photos: Anna Shtourman About the tournament: Scheduled to take place from July 6th to July 28th, the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup will gather together in Batumi (Georgia) the world’s best female chess players. A total of 107 players from 46 different federations are set to participate in the event, including seventeen of the current top twenty! Chess legends, seasoned professionals and emerging talents will play for the $50,000 first prize, in addition to three qualifying spots for the
FIDE Women’s World Cup Day 9: Song Yuxin eliminates Anna Muzychuk
The Round of 16 is set: Lei Tingjie-Omonova, Dzagnidze-M.Muzychuk, Humpy-Kosteniuk, Song-Javakhishvili, Zhu Jiner-Divya, Lagno-Harika, Tan Zhongyi-Osmak and Kamalidenova-Vaishali The World Cup tiebreaks are unforgiving. In such high-stakes, compressed formats — especially with time controls like 15+10 and 10+10 — there’s so little room for error or recovery. The story of GM Vaishali versus IM Carissa Yip stands out not just for the result, but for the emotional and psychological arc behind it. Even though all the third-round tiebreak matches were interesting in their way, I was paying special attention to the match between India’s GM Vaishali, elite GM Praggnanandhaa’s older sister, and IM Carissa Yip, the America star that has a local camera crew following her around preparing a Netflix special on women’s chess. Carissa Yip being followed by a Netflix crew adds another layer. The spotlight can be motivating, but also creates added pressure. Vaishali, on the other hand, might have flown under that radar, and her underdog success makes for a compelling story. In the first two rapid games, Vaishali was completely lost—something she candidly admitted in her post-game interview. But she fought on, defending as best she possibly could, just hoping for the results to turn around. Vaishali’s ability to survive lost positions in the early rapid games shows deep psychological fortitude. In knockout formats, surviving can be just as crucial as winning. Just like in football matches, if you keep on hitting the post, don’t be surprised if your opponent scores in the last minute – you have to get the job done. And Vaishali exactly did that. In the first 10/10 game she played superbly. Her quote — “even though I’m not better at all, this is the best position I have had in the whole match” — is both honest and telling. It shows how players gauge hope and energy not just by the objective evaluation of position, but relative to the flow of the match. That moment, perhaps, was the turning point. Once Vaishali won the first 10/10 game, the psychological burden flipped. Yip, who had been pressing before, now had to play catch-up under pressure — a very different psychological space. Although she was visibly tired, Vaishali picked up her mom immediately after the game and joined us in the media center within five minutes for a short interview. She even took the time to analyze the key game for all of us. https://youtu.be/lyCXxfe1LPQ?si=KBAAiRrW8Um90Onx One of the other Indian players competing this afternoon had a similar situation. After playing extremely well against GM Kateryna Lagno in the two classical games and the first three rapid games, IM Vantika Agrawal imploded in the final 10/10 game of the day, allowing Lagno to advance, as in the second round against FM Anastasia Avramidou. Vantika’s level of play was impressive, and the heartbreak of narrowly missing out must have been very difficult to deal with. Facing someone as experienced and strong as GM Kateryna Lagno and pushing her to the limit is no small feat. Taking Lagno to the final Armageddon-style rapid game (“10/10”) shows how tightly contested the match was. As a side-note, playing the Flank Attack against the French Defence is particularly interesting. It’s not often seen at the top level — especially in such high-stakes games — so for Lagno to deploy it not once but twice with White is bold and worthy of study. Without a doubt, IM Song Yuxin was the underdog story of the afternoon. Her victory isn’t just a personal triumph — it’s a reminder of how deep preparation, resilience, and nerves of steel can turn the tables in elite chess. With five Chinese players in the final 16, it’s clear that the country continues to produce world-class talent at an astonishing rate. GM Anna Muzychuk surprised her opponent with the 2.c3 Alapin Variation against the Sicilian in the first game of the match. Although she’s been a lifelong 1.e4 player, Muzychuk had rarely ventured into this line, last playing it back in 2023. The unexpected choice appeared to catch Song off guard; she mishandled the opening and quickly landed in a losing position. Already ahead in development, Muzychuk’s 11.Qb3 followed by 12.Bf3 highlighted the weaknesses on Song’s queenside and her lack of piece play. The game was over on move 17. Needing just a draw to clinch qualification, Muzychuk adopted a cautious strategy. For 45 moves, the game remained balanced, with a symmetrical two-rook endgame suggesting a peaceful outcome. However, chess is a merciless game — one imprecise move was all it took for Song to seize the initiative. Doubling rooks on the seventh rank, she broke through Muzychuk’s defenses and levelled the score. In the third game, Song refined her earlier approach to the Alapin and reached a strong position. With accurate and confident play, she gradually outplayed Muzychuk to take the lead. The fourth and final game saw Song pressing with an extra pawn in a slightly better endgame. A draw was enough to win the match, and she played sensibly to neutralize any counterplay, securing the result and the match victory. Check out her post-game interview! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXhlcnmt1XQ Playing for Switzerland, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated IM Meri Arabidze (from Georgia) by 1.5-0.5: the only 2-game tiebreaker. In game one, Kosteniuk got a promising advantage from the opening against the Philidor Defence but eventually the game simplified into an equal rook ending, resulting in a draw. But in game two, Kosteniuk, playing Black, unleashed her knights, causing chaos in the center and setting up a mating net to secure the win. In her postgame interview with Charlize van Zyl, Alexandra expressed mixed feelings — she enjoys the experience, but is aware of the pressure and the risk of being eliminated at any moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3fCdl23O1w The match between GM’s Nana Dzagnidze and Valentina Gunina was arguably the most dramatic of them all. In the first game, Gunina emerged from the opening with a clear advantage, but a series of inaccuracies allowed Dzagnidze to steer the game
Machteld and Jorden van Foreest, sister and brother, win 2025 Dutch Championship
Initiated by a classic bishop sacrifice on h7, Jorden van Foreest crushed Loek van Wely in the second final game of the 2025 Dutch Chess Championship, securing his second national title (his first was in 2016). On the other board in the playing hall of the Ald Weishoes in Venlo, his sister Machteld van Foreest defeated Robin Duson in the tiebreak, also claiming her second championship title (her first was in 2022). The 2025 Dutch Championships (Open and Women’s) were played in a knockout format, with 16 and 12 players respectively. The four highest-rated women received byes in Round 1 and entered the competition in Round 2. The tournaments were held in Venlo, the Netherlands, from July 5 to 12. “Glad it’s over,” were the first words of Jorden van Foreest (26) as he exited the playing hall. He had seemed to cut through Loek’s defenses like a knife through butter. “It was also partly due to my preparation,” said Jorden. “It was good.” When did he start calculating 18.Bxh7? “Quite a while ago. And I recalculated it a hundred times.” Does this national title bring Jorden happiness, or did he feel obligated to win, given his high rating? “A little bit of both,” he answered, as thoughtful as ever. With a 2700+ rating, the new champion is clearly in form. Does he dream of challenging for the world title someday? The ever-modest Jorden avoids bold claims: “I just want to be better than I am now.” Loek van Wely, runner-up and eight-time Dutch champion, came close to a ninth title but fell short in the final. “I think I wanted to win the tournament more than anyone,” he said. Yet there was also realism in his words. “It could have gone wrong against Arthur de Winter. He’s a very strong player. Just like Jorden, of course. You can want it, but sometimes that’s not enough.” At 52, does he still have the drive to compete again next year? “I take it year by year. But my kids are a major motivator. They’re 6 and 9, and they always ask how Dad is doing.” The Women’s final between Machteld van Foreest and Robin Duson was a tense, closely fought battle. After a draw in the first classical game, Machteld miraculously escaped defeat in the second, forcing a tiebreak. By then, Robin’s resistance had faded, and after Machteld won both rapid games, the Van Foreest siblings were crowned joint Dutch champions. This article is based on report written by Ron Puyn. Photos: NZ9_1789 and Frans Peeters Official website: https://nk.schaken.nl/
FIDE Women’s World Cup Day 7: Vantika Agrawal surprises Kateryna Lagno
Seven players take the lead in the first game of the third round. Yesterday’s tiebreaks were very exciting but, more importantly, eye-opening. For the most part, the pre-tournament favourites pulled through, but one can already see that the new generation are very good at rapid and blitz. Vantika (born in 2002), Kamalidenova and Song Yuxin (both 2005), Omonova (2006) and specially Lu Miaoyi (2010), have honed their skills through practice and dedication, making them more effective and suitable for the intended purpose – rapid and blitz tiebreaks. Elnaz Kaliakhmet, also born in 2010, has yet to display her own rapid and blitz skills – she unexpectedly took down GM Nino Batsiashvili in the second-round classical games! It’s make or break time! This afternoon I could feel the tension in the room. With only 32 of the original 107 players left in the mix, qualifying to the fourth round of sixteen is already a huge success: a free day, a decent pay-jump and a chance for a shot at the title. But sometimes you have to play it safe. The first game to finish was IM Carissa Yip’s 13-move draw against GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Playing with White, and visibly surprised by Vaishali’s opening choice, Yip decided to force a quick three-fold repetition in the Symmetrical variation of the English Opening. Checking with my database, this particular draw has already been played quite often at the highest level. Unfortunately, the local Netflix crew that came to the venue to record some footage of the American star will have to return tomorrow for the second game of the match! It didn’t take too long for another couple of games to end. GM Anna Muzychuk played solidly in the classical line of the Greco Gambit and forced a draw by perpetual check on move 22 against IM Song Yuxin, while IM’s Polina Shuvalova and Lela Javakhishvili clocked in a 98% accuracy score with no inaccuracies to draw just after the 30-move threshold. But from that point onwards the battle was ferocious and the wins started to roll in. Indian IM Vantika Agrawal scored the upset of the day by defeating GM Kateryna Lagno on the White side of the 5.Na4 Grunfeld side-line. Vantika already enjoyed a big positional advantage in the middlegame, but Lagno’s 21…Nxe5? just precipitated a winning sequence that left the player from Delhi with an extra piece. In her postgame interview and game analysis, a very happy Vantika explained her thought process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2DbF-XUxko&pp=0gcJCb4JAYcqIYzv Shortly afterwards, with all the games approaching the time control, three games finished with a decisive result. IM Divya Deshmukh had already equalised comfortably with Black against IM Teodora Injac, but the position was still in the drawing zone around move thirty. However, with less than three minutes for the last ten moves, Injac started to play inaccurately and Divya was able to pick up a couple of pawns and eventually the full point. Meanwhile, GM Bella Khotenashvili was also under three minutes with sixteen moves to go against GM Mariya Muzychuk, in a complicated position. The correct move was 24.b3, protecting the c4 pawn. After the exchange of queen’s, White should be able to hold the position, according to the engine. However, after she played 24.Qc2? Muzychuk captured the c4-pawn with her knight and won an exchange shortly afterwards. In her postgame interview with Charlize van Zyl, Muzychuk said that she thought her opponent had missed 24.Qc2 Nxc4 25.Rd1 Qb6! with the double threat on the e5 rook and also 26…Na3+ winning the queen, because she started to shake her head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z3-xem3HzU GM Zhu Jiner also achieved a head start in her match against IM Alexandra Maltsevskaya, with a model game on how to increase the pressure against your opponent’s king in the advance variation of the Caro-Kann. Things slowed down a bit after the time control scramble until seed number one GM Lei Tingjie managed to convert the full point in a queen ending against former Women’s World Champion GM Antoaneta Stefanova. Ending of the day Playing with Black, Lei Tingjie has an extra passed pawn in a pure queen ending. With a few precise moves, she was able to force the exchange of queens and take home the full point. 43…Qf1+ 44.Kh4 Qe2! Threatening checkmate on g4 and the pawn on h2 45.Kh3 Qe6+! 46.Kg2 Qd5+ and Stefanova resigned. After the exchange of queen’s White’s king is too far away to stop the a-pawn. A few minutes later, GM Nana Dzagnidze finally forced her opponent to resign when there was no hope left in the position. GM Valentina Gunina blundered a tactic on move eighteen but kept fighting until the bitter end. More or less at the same time, IM Yuliia Osmak converted her two extra pawns against IM Lu Miaoyi, notching up a very important win in her hopes to qualify for the next round. Amazing endgame studies One of the most amazing positions of the tournament occurred in the game between IM Meri Arabidze and GM Alexandra Kosteniuk. The former 2021 World Cup winner missed an endgame study-like win and had to settle for a draw even though she had an extra rook. Check out the unbelievable move sequence she had to find to win the game! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QYIGKV3uto In the rest of the games of the round, GM Harika Dronavalli (vs IM Stavroula Tsolakidou), IM Klaudia Kulon (vs GM Humpy Koneru), IM Irina Bulmaga (vs GM Tan Zhongyi), IM Meruert Kamalidenova (vs WGM Anna Shukhman) and finally WFM Elnaz Kaliakhmet (vs WIM Umida Omonova) were pressing during the whole game and enjoyed good chances to win, but all five of their opponent’s defended tenaciously and achieved a draw. Written by IM Michael Rahal (Batumi, Georgia) Photos: Anna Shtourman About the tournament: Scheduled to take place from July 6th to July 28th, the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup will gather together in Batumi (Georgia) the world’s best female chess players. A total of 107 players from 46 different federations are set to participate
Join the Global Online Celebration for International Chess Day
FIDE, in partnership with Lichess.org, invites chess-lovers from around the world to take part in the largest-ever Social Chess Day tournament — a 24-hour blitz marathon celebrating International Chess Day on July 20! Event Details: * Format: 5+3 Blitz (5 minutes + 3 seconds increment)* Platform: Lichess.org* Start Time: 00:00 CEST (Zurich time) on July 20* End Time: 00:00 CEST on July 21* Entry: Open to players of any skill level, from all time zones — join anytime and play as many games as you want! Amazing Prizes Await! All participants will be automatically entered into random prize draws, with a chance to win: Exclusive experiences: 5 winners will get vouchers to attend the Opening Ceremony & Round 1 of the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, including 2 nights of hotel stay. Merch & Collectibles: 10 winners: €100 FIDE Merchandise Vouchers 20 winners: Limited edition “Chess Players” photography books Train with the best: * 1-on-1 Online Blitz Training with GM Lei Tingjie* Group Talk (up to 50 people) with GM Nijat Abasov – motivational insights and chess prep advice Simuls & Q&A Events: Online simuls with top GMs * Humpy Koneru * Praggnanandhaa * Vaishali Rameshbabu * Tan Zhongyi * Arjun Erigaisi * Valentina Gunina (with lecture) * Anish Giri * Anna Shukhman (with lecture) Q&A & Game Analysis with GM Anna Muzychuk Be part of chess history This is more than just a tournament — it’s a global celebration of the game we all love. Whether you play one game or one hundred, you’re part of the movement. Let’s make July 20 a day to remember! Join here: lichess.org/tournament/fscday25 Regulations: fide.com/wp-content/uploads/FIDE-Social-Chess-Day-Tournament-Regulations-.pdf
European Individual Senior Championships 2025: Registration now open
The Croatian Chess Federation, under the auspices of the European Chess Union, invites all the member federation to participate in the European Individual Senior Chess Championships, taking place from September 26 to October 6, 2025, in Rabac, Croatia. Tournament Information The Championship will be played as a 9-round Swiss-system event. Time control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move one. The Championship will be played in four categories: age 50+ and 65+ (Open and Women) with women’s tournaments played separately. However, if fewer than nine women register in a given category, they will be merged with the corresponding open group but still awarded separate prizes. The total prize fund is € 8,000, and the top three places in each category will directly qualify for the 2026 World Individual Senior Championship (with free accommodation and full board). The playing venue is the restaurant Sunny Rabac by Valamar, located close to the official hotels. The official regulations can be found at the following link: EISCC2025_Rabac_regulations Accommodation Accommodation is available exclusively through the organizer at two 4-star Valamar hotels, with full-board and half-board options. Valamar Sanfior Hotel & Casa 4* Doubleroom (per person): €87 full board / €73 half board Single room: €119 fullboard / €105 half board Includes: welcome drink, use of fitness center and indoor pool, drinks during thedinner time (water, juice) 4-minute walkfrom the playing venue Valamar Sanfior Hotel & Casa Rabac, Hrvatska Valamar Bellevue Resort 4* Doubleroom (per person): €92 full board / €78 half board Single room: €125 fullboard / €111 half board Includes: welcome drink, drinks during thedinner time (water, juice, local wine and beer) 10-minute walkfrom the playing venue Family Bellevue Resort, Rabac, Hrvatska, Istra Reservations are confirmed upon payment of a €200 deposit per person. Registration Players are kindly asked to complete the official Registration Form carefully and submit it to the organizer no later than Friday, August 29, 2025, via e-mail: chessrabac2025@gmail.com. Entry fee: €120 (ECU fee included) For any questions, please feel free to contact the organizer: chessrabac2025@gmail.com Official website: hrvatski-sahovski-savez.hr/european-senior-individual-2025/
FIDE Women’s World Cup Day 6: Kamalidenova eliminates 2023 winner Goryachkina; Omonova continues to surprise
The major upset of the second round’s tiebreaks was the elimination of GM Aleksandra Goryachkina – the current holder of the Women’s World Cup trophy, which she won two years ago in Baku. She will not be returning to the playing venue tomorrow. Although Goryachkina staged a comeback in the second game of the classical section, her opponent, IM Meruert Kamalidenova from Kazakhstan, delivered a dominating tiebreak performance, giving her opponent absolutely no chance at all. In the first of the two 15/10 rapid games, Goryachkina blundered a pawn in a minor piece ending, and Kamalidenova displayed excelled endgame technique to get the job done. Forced to play for a win in the second game, Goryachkina overplayed her hand, eventually landing in a completely lost position. She was lucky to escape with a draw by perpetual check but that was not enough to prevent elimination. Aleksandra has qualified for the Candidates Tournament already through the Women’s Grand Prix, so we shall be seeing her soon again at the highest level. Kamalidenova discussed her qualification with FIDE’s Charlize van Zyl in the media centre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30U7HjSDqBk The second amazing result of the afternoon was the 2-0 score by WIM Umida Omonova, playing from Uzbekistan, against established Polish IM Alina Kashlinskaya. In the first of two rapid games, Kashlinskaya blundered a pawn in the opening and Omonova demonstrated excellent endgame technique to convert the win, clocking in a 97% accuracy score. The second game was going very well for Kashlinskaya, with a huge attack for a piece, but she couldn’t follow through and finally had to resign. Once again, Omonova showcased her rapid and blitz skills – she will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the following rounds, especially if she reaches the tiebreaks. Former Women’s World Champion GM Anna Ushenina will also be travelling home very soon after losing an unbelievable eight-game tiebreak against IM Vantika Agrawal. Right at the end, in the blitz games, she had a chance to take the lead. In a winning position, with only a few seconds on her clock, Vantika played 40.Qd2-d1?? (instead of 40.Qe1) allowing her opponent to win with 40…Qxf2+ followed by 41…h3. Only nerves and game pressure can explain how Ushenina inexplicably missed this move and instead retreated her queen to b7, resigning a few moves later. Most of the other favourites advanced to the third round, although not without suffering. 2021 winner GM Alexandra Kosteniuk was on the verge of elimination but found the way to come back and prevail in the final blitz matches against IM Padmini Rout, who proved a tough nut to crack. Two other former Women’s World Champions will also be joining the rest of the qualifiers in the third round. GM Antoaneta Stefanova faced one of the toughest opponents of the field, GM Elina Danielian. After four very close draws in the classical and rapid, Stefanova pulled through in the second set of the rapid games, totaling a final score of 3.5-2.5. Meanwhile, WGM Thalia Cervantes Landeiro, playing for the United States, won the first game against GM Mariya Muzychuk, forcing the former Women’s World Champion to win three consecutive games to qualify. One of the three wins was a miniature, beautifully analysed by Mariya for the spectators in the media centre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUYSOe7zIEg Her sister Anna also has to defend her position as a top seed against her countrywoman from Ukraine, IM Inna Gaponenko. After two solid draws in the classical games, Gaponenko forced a three-fold-repetition draw in the first rapid, in a position where if anyone was better it was her. Karma struck in the second rapid, with Anna outplaying her opponent in the ending. GM Kateryna Lagno, also had to dig deep to get through to the next round. Her opponent, FM Anastasia Avramidou, from Greece, played very well, continuously putting Lagno to the test. The final score, 4-2 for Lagno, is a testament to the strength of Avramidou. Although very tired after the match, Lagno was kind enough to give Charlize van Zyl her thoughts in a postgame interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNKSNT74zzU The match between China’s IM Lu Miaoyi and IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (Uzbekistan), ended in a narrow 3.5-2.5 win for the Chinese youngster. Suffice it to say that anything could have happened in this match! In other tiebreak interesting encounters, IM Klaudia Kulon got past WIM Priyanka K with a clear 2-0 score, the same result that China’s IM Song Yuxin inflicted on Estonia’s IM Mai Narva. After winning the first game by means of a nice exchange sacrifice, Song took advantage of the fact that Narva couldn’t accept a draw in the second. She popped-in to the media center to analyse her game and give us her thoughts on the match-up. Finally, playing for Poland, IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya defeated Armenia’s IM Lilit Mkrtchian in the second game of the first rapid set, after the first game ended in a draw after a long and equal battle. Written by IM Michael Rahal (Batumi, Georgia) Photos: Anna Shtourman About the tournament: Scheduled to take place from July 6th to July 28th, the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup will gather together in Batumi (Georgia) the world’s best female chess players. A total of 107 players from 46 different federations are set to participate in the event, including seventeen of the current top twenty! Chess legends, seasoned professionals and emerging talents will play for the $50,000 first prize, in addition to three qualifying spots for the Candidates. The full pairings tree and day-by-day results can be found on the Women’s World Cup website.