Pooja Lam wins Guyana Women’s Championship
A rising star on the Guyanese chess scene, young Pooja Lam took her first national title after playing chess for just about two years. She finished ahead of more seasoned players such as 20-year-old Jessica Callender, a top prize winner in several chess tournaments in the early part of 2022, and 18-year-old Sasha Shariff, who had held the women’s title since 2020. 14-year-old Lam clinched the title on Sunday, May 29th, 2022, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. She suffered no losses in the 2022 KFC Women National Chess Championship, making draws against Shariff and Callender and scoring victories over Waveney Johnson, Angel Rahim, Alexia McAdam, Anaya Lall, Nellisha Johnson, Adia Alphonso and Maliha Rajkumar. “Winning the Women’s Championship was always a goal of mine for the far future since I didn’t believe I was strong enough or capable enough to actually win the championship at this stage in my chess development. The result came as a quite unexpected but pleasant surprise,” said the happy champion. This win solidifies her place on the Guyana 2022 Women’s National Chess Team to represent the country at the 44th Chess Olympiad in India. Text: Jessica Callender / mtvgy.com Photo: mtvgy.com/
Selection of arbiters for FIDE events
Officiating in a FIDE event is a milestone in an Arbiter’s life. It takes many steps to gain experience from the very beginning of one’s career until the FIDE Arbiter (FA) and International Arbiter (IA) titles which make colleagues eligible for selection in world competitions. No more than 20 official FIDE events are organized each year, while there are currently more than 1,500 International Arbiters and 1,800 FIDE Arbiters. Therefore, matching the number of positions in tournaments with the overall number of active arbiters is like squaring the circle. Unfortunately, whatever the selection system, it is not granted for every International Arbiter to be appointed, even once, in a world event. Nevertheless, we believe that there are a few levers that can help increase accessibility to world events. In the past, the lack of an appointment system led to many arbiters trying their luck with different events/organizers, and they could get many nominations while other competent colleagues would still be waiting for opportunities at home. Appointing arbiters without coordination prevented the implementation of a master plan for the development of arbiters through world events. Even worse: regulations for the eligibility of arbiters for FIDE events were published but not always enforced. In January 2020, an analysis of nominations for 2019 highlighted that 53% of positions in world events did not comply with the minimum requirements. A recent challenge has been to start a transformation based on two core needs: ownership and quality improvement. The ultimate goal is to put in place a new model that places FIDE and the chess community’s interests at the centre of the process. Bringing back the ownership of nominations to FIDE while preserving flexibility for organizers and giving more opportunities for development for colleagues and federations. For FIDE, this is also an effective way to foster cross-commission teamwork between ARB, GSC, EVE, PDC, and WOM, following a structured plan. A first project, focusing on the Olympiad in Moscow 2020, was launched in mid-December 2019. Subsequently, regulations were voted in 2021 to cover the selection of Arbiters in world events in general, with the first cycle of events in 2022-2023. In September 2020, a 2-hour webinar was hosted by Laurent Freyd and Nebojsa Baralic to explain the context of world events and the selection process for Arbiters. The second part of the session analyzed as a case study the process of selection for the 2020 Olympiad. After Moscow was cancelled, the devised process was applied to Chennai 2022, with minor adjustments: some colleagues had to be replaced since they could not attend, and following the 1st FIDE Council Meeting 2022, some nominations by Continents had to be included. The final list of Arbiters for Chennai 2022 is available here. In a nutshell, the selection of Arbiters for the Olympiad followed a few key principles: A) Involve the community A call of interest was used to address individuals interested to be involved. Then, federations were invited to give their feedback on their Arbiters. 526 arbiters from 136 federations answered and 101 federations shared feedback. B) Data driven The selection of arbiters for the past two Olympiads (Baku 2016 and Batumi 2018) was analyzed, producing statistics on the number of federations represented, the distribution by gender and continent, and the number of federations/arbiters selected once or twice. C) Rotation and mix of experience Selecting at least one arbiter per federation for the Olympiad is not feasible, so it was decided to encourage rotation among individuals and federations. First, an attempt was made to include the maximum of federations that weren’t represented either in 2016 or in 2018. Second, to balance experience and rotation, it was decided to select Arbiters previously involved but limit their number. A maximum of 33% of Arbiters from the last Olympiad in Batumi 2018 would be kept in the team, and only a maximum of 1/5 arbiters would be selected for the third time in a row. Overall, that means that 2/3 of the team will have a first-time opportunity to officiate at the Olympiad since 2014 – or for the first time ever. D) Support development World events are key to supporting development. Hence, between 15% and 20% of Foreign Match Arbiter positions were assigned to FAs, who would be paired with more experienced colleagues (mentors). These FIDE arbiters will, in turn, bring back to their countries some of the knowledge and experience earned during the Olympiad. Following that first experience of global selection by FIDE, a procedure was designed, and regulations were voted by the FIDE Council in 2021 to extend the process to all FIDE events and become the new standard. The first cycle started this year for 2022-2023. This is a summary of the process: 1) Call of interest While this wasn’t a common practice before, the most effective way to trim down the number of candidates to be arbiters at an event is simply to reach out and ask them. Those who are available, willing to travel, and meet the basic conditions, can respond to this call with an expression of interest, informing ARB of their readiness to take part in the event. As it has already been reported, the call of interest for World Events 2022-2023 was answered by almost 800 arbiters from 133 federations. This presents the Arbiters’ Commission with a great opportunity to engage with the community. All respondents are now registered in the ARB Training Portal, which allows us to do things like conducting a survey, or collecting all kinds of input, like the languages these arbiters speak, et cetera. 2) Panels The different Arbiters’ categories (A, B, C and D for International Arbiters and FIDE Arbiters) have always been used upwards: the categories implicitly represent a kind of recognition system of past selections. Since the creation of the system, no colleague has ever been “downgraded”, and the new FIDE Arbiters’ Commission decided not to change that. However, this means that step by step, the number of Arbiters in the higher categories has been growing. In contrast, the total number of slots for senior roles in world events (Chief Arbiter,
Nursultan to host the first leg of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix
Kazakhstan Chess Federation will undertake the organization of the first leg of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix. Its capital, Nursultan, formerly known as Astana, will host the event from September 17-30, 2022. FIDE would also like to thank the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan for their invaluable assistance in holding this event in Nursultan. The main sponsors of the event are the sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, and the Tourism and Sports Industry Support Fund. Established in 2008, Samruk-Kazyna is a business corporation – an investment holding whose mission is to improve the national welfare of the Republic of Kazakhstan by enhancing competitiveness and sustainability, improving corporate governance, and ensuring long-term sustainability for future generations. The Tourism and Sports Industry Support Fund was established in connection with the VII Asian Games held in Kazakhstan in 2010 and adopted a new legal form in 2014-15 when the government approved a new set of laws regulating physical culture and sports and a new charter for the Fund. Its tasks are to support professional and amateur sports, as well as to attract sponsors and donors in order to fund sports projects. FIDE would also like to thank the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan for their invaluable assistance in holding this event in Nursultan. While the exact line-up for Nursultan is yet to be defined, the WGP Series 2022-23 will feature a total of 16 players, and each one of them will participate in three out of four WGP tournaments. The initial list of qualified players includes the reigning World Champion (Ju Wenjun), the four semi-finalists of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2021 (Alexandra Kosteniuk, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Tan Zhongyi and Anna Muzychuk), the four top-finishers at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2021 (Lei Tingjie, Elisabeth Paehtz, Zhu Jiner and Mariya Muzychuk). Three more players are eligible by rating, with the March 2022 ranking list as a reference: these would be Hou Yifan, Kateryna Lagno, and Nana Dzagnidze. That would make Harika Dronavalli the first reserve player if any of the previously listed participants turned down the invitation. Lastly, each of the four WGP tournament organizers has the right to nominate a player of their preference in consultation with the FIDE President. The total prize fund for the event in Kazakhstan will be €80,000, with another €80,000 being distributed among the top 8 finishers in the global Women’s Grand Prix Series standings, according to the cumulative points they score across the four events.
Tech Mahindra onboarded as digital partner for FIDE Chess Olympiad
Tech Mahindra onboarded as the digital partner for the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion, joins hands with Tech Mahindra to advise on next-generation chess tech and engagement Lausanne – June 01, 2022: The International Chess Federation and the All India Chess Federation strengthen their partnership with Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, to provide next-generation digital fan experience by leveraging Fan Nxt.Now. As part of this global tie-up, Tech Mahindra will come on board as a digital partner for the FIDE Chess Olympiad, which will take place in India for the first time. This will be the 44th edition of the FIDE Chess Olympiad, which will be hosted in Chennai from July 28 to August 9 with the Government of Tamil Nadu as host and principal sponsor. In the Olympiad, Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and Indian chess legend, will work with Tech Mahindra and advise on next-generation chess tech and fan engagement. Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, said: “Throughout history, chess has always been a spearhead when it comes to technology. That has been the case with the invention of the printing press, the telegraph, the internet, and artificial intelligence: chess has always been a testing ground for human inventiveness. This agreement between FIDE and Tech Mahindra continues this tradition and will allow the fans to enjoy chess through an interactive platform while giving us innovative ways of promoting the game. We are very excited to be partnering with such an innovative company, with all the possibilities that this collaboration opens for us.” Tech Mahindra will be the first corporate to come on board for the FIDE Chess Olympiad. Further, the organization will also solidify its commitment towards diversity & inclusion and associate with the FIDE Woman’s World Cup and FIDE Woman’s Grand Prix. Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said: “The history of the game of chess goes back to almost 1500 years, and its origins can be traced back to India. It is a matter of great pride for us at Tech Mahindra to support FIDE & AICF to provide next-gen digital experience to connect with global chess fans. This is a major step forward in our commitment to enabling a digitally powered ecosystem that will help us in taking chess to its deserving position globally. With the amalgamation of new-age technologies and digital platform, we believe that this game of strategy based on the art of decision making can be popularised even more and amongst a larger audience.” Bharat Singh Chouhan, Secretary General, All India Chess Federation, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tech Mahindra on board as a digital partner for the historic occasion for chess in India. We are looking forward to working with the team in making the FIDE chess Olympiad a grand success.” Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and Indian chess legend, said, “It is a great moment for Indian chess to stage a historic Olympiad with a great team, and I am looking forward to working with FIDE, AICF, and their digital partner – Tech Mahindra. Their expertise in leveraging technology to give the chess fans a unique experience will be the big highlight of the Olympiad.” As part of the partnership, Tech Mahindra will provide digital technology solutions such as Fan Nxt.Now to redefine the experience for fans across the globe. Fan Nxt.Now will drive hyper-personalized data-driven fan experiences by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) and other cutting-edge technologies to bring fans closer to the game and action in real-time. About AICF AICF is the central administrative body for the game of chess in India. Founded in 1951, the federation is affiliated with Fédération Internationale des Échecs, (FIDE), the world body for chess. With 33 affiliated units, 7 special units and thousands of subsidiary units functioning under these entities spread all over the country to assist the Federation, the All India Chess Federation is very active in furthering its cause of promoting the game of chess. The vision of AICF is to make India the strongest chess-playing country in the world, both in terms of quality and number. About Tech Mahindra Tech Mahindra offers innovative and customer-centric digital experiences, enabling enterprises, associates and society to rise. We are a USD 6 billion organization with 151,000+ professionals across 90 countries, helping 1224 global customers, including Fortune 500 companies. We are focused on leveraging next-generation technologies, including 5G, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and more, to enable end-to-end digital transformation for global customers. Tech Mahindra is the only Indian company in the world to receive the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal for its commitment to creating a sustainable future. We are the fastest growing brand in ‘brand strength’ and amongst the top 7 IT brands globally. With the NXT.NOWTM framework, Tech Mahindra aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’ for our ecosystem and drive collaborative disruption with synergies arising from a robust portfolio of companies. Tech Mahindra aims at delivering tomorrow’s experiences today and believes that the ‘Future is Now’. We are part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to rise. Connect with us on www.techmahindra.com Our Social Media Channels: Media Contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Global Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com About FIDE The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. Constituted as a
June 2022 rating list: Youngsters keep moving up
The top ten places of the June rating list were mainly affected by the Grand Chess Tour Superbet Chess Classic, while the Bundesliga and several tournaments across Europe impacted the lower echelons of the Top-100. The GCT Superbet Chess Classic winner, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (pictured below), picked 10 rating points and returned to the top-10 after a six-month absence. Levon Aronian (+10) and Wesley So (+9) also did an excellent job in this event and reached 5th and 6th positions in the top-10 open, respectively. On the other end of the spectrum is Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who dropped 19 rating points and fell out of the top-10. Photo: Grand Chess Tour, Bryan Adams Biggest gains in TOP-100 (Open and Women) 29 / 42 Vaishali R 2442 (+33) 41 / 66 Socko, Monika 2413 (+29) 50 / 82 Antolak, Julia 2399 (+28) 61 / 85 Niemann, Hans Moke 2678 (+22) 26 / 37 Maghsoodloo, Parham 2716 (+17) 63 / 84 Najer, Evgeniy 2676 (+17) 76 / 97 Moussard, Jules 2668 (+17) 64 / 81 Gukesh D 2675 (+16) 71 / 82 Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 2672 (+13) 29 / 41 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2708 (+12) 51 / 68 Deac, Bogdan-Daniel 2683 (+12) IM Vaishali R of India achieved excellent results in two European tournaments – 8th Fischer Memorial and Bodensee Open – winning the first event and tying for the first place in the second, gained 33 rating points and deservedly won this nomination. Photo: Niki Riga Monica Socko and Julia Antolak from Poland made a mark in the Frauenbundesliga 2021/2022 and the Polish Women’s Championship, netting 29 and 28 rating points, respectively. Their compatriot Radoslaw Wojtaszek successfully defended his national title in the open event and picked up 12 rating points along the way. Two up-and-coming youngsters, Hans Moke Niemann of the USA and Gukesh D from India, continue ascending in the rankings. Following good performances in the TePe Sigeman, 2022 (Niemann) and the Chessable Sunway Formentera (Gukesh), both reached their career-high in the Juniors and Open rating lists. It is worth mentioning that the Indian GM increased his rating by nearly 65 points over the last three months. Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran) and Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan) delivered in the Bundesliga and notched up 16 and 13 rating points, respectively, with the Iranian (pictured below) clearing the 2700-bar for the second time in his career. Photo: Mark Livshitz Like in the previous months, some junior players made huge rating jumps. Kudos to Michalina Rudzinska (+79), Miaoyi Lu (+42), Thalia Cervantes Landeiro (+42), Jose Gabriel Cardoso (+40), Jana Schneider (+35), Leannet Mariah Bosch Valls (+35), and Jennifer Yu (+33).
Nodiberk Abdusattorov wins Sharjah Masters 2022
On Sunday, May 29, 2022, the curtain fell on the 5th Sharjah International Chess Championship 2022, organised by the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The Masters event brought together 80 players representing 48 countries competing for the prizes totalling $6000. The second edition of Sharjah Challengers International Chess Championship 2022 was held alongside the Masters and attracted 56 international players. The talented Uzbek GM Nodiberk Abdusattorov (pictured right) won the title of the 5th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship 2022 after scoring 7 points out of 9 games. The champion completed the event unbeaten and picked up 19 rating points. A member of the UAE National Team and the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club, the Golden boy Salem Abdel Rahman netted an equal amount of points but took 2nd place as he had lost the direct encounter. Salem pulled off a tough victory in his last round against his stubborn Romanian rival, GM Daniel-Bogdan Deac. After a series of impressive results, Salem increased his international ranking by 18 points, reaching his career-high, and now is ready to cross the 2700-barrier (his live rating is 2697). GMs Abhijit Gupta of India and Hayk Martirosyan from Armenia tied for the third position, with the former having a slightly better Buchholz. Six players shared the fifth place. Fifteen best finishers received money prizes. Final standings 5th Sharjah Masters: 1 GM Abdusattorov, Nodirbek UZB 2661 7 2 GM Salem, A.R. Saleh UAE 2690 7 3 GM Gupta, Abhijeet IND 2606 6½ 4 GM Martirosyan, Haik M. ARM 2652 6½ 5 GM Deac, Bogdan-Daniel ROU 2671 6 6 GM Gukesh D IND 2659 6 7 GM Niemann, Hans Moke USA 2656 6 8 GM Chigaev Maksim FID 2631 6 9 GM Erigaisi, Arjun IND 2675 6 10 GM Sargissian, Gabriel ARM 2694 6 11 GM Sethuraman S.P. IND 2613 5½ 12 GM Tabatabaei, M. Amin IRI 2650 5½ 13 GM Sargsyan, Shant ARM 2641 5½ 14 GM Sindarov, Javokhir UZB 2609 5½ 15 GM Yilmaz, Mustafa TUR 2631 5½ IM Mohsen Elgabry from Egypt came out on top in the Challengers event with an excellent score of 7½/9. Ibrahim Sultan, a player of the Dubai Chess & Culture Club, finished second, a half-point behind the winner, after making a draw in the last round with John Calvin Klaasen from South Africa. Ahmed Al-Khatib of Iordania scored a very important last-round victory and took third prize. Lile Koridze of Georgia is fourth, Sona Assatryan from Armenia ended up fifth in the final standings. Shakhnoza Sabirova of Uzbekistan closed on the top-six prize winners. During the closing ceremony the winners were honoured by the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Office of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, His Excellency Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Aziz Almualla, President of the Arab Chess Federation and Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club, Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, among other authorities. Official website: shjchessmasters.com/ Photo: Sharjah Masters
Czech Women’s Championship: Nataša Richterova clinches title
WIM Nataša Richterova emerged as the Czech Women’s Championship winner, taking her maiden national title and picking up 34 rating points. The Czech Women’s Championship, a 10-player round-robin, took place from May 21–29, 2022, at the OPERA Hotel in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou. The event was an exciting race among several players taking turns on the top. As the tournament fate would have it, the two leaders, WGM Karolina Pilsova and Nataša Richterova, sitting on 6 points each, clashed in the final ninth round. Nataša came through an inferior position, turned the tables, and scored a much-needed victory, probably the most important in her career, to clinch the title. Karolina had to settle for silver. Olga Sikorova and Anna Lhotska (who lead the field after Round 7) netted 5½ points each and tied for third place. The bronze goes to Olga Sikorova as the winner of their direct encounter. Final standings: 1 WIM Richterová, Nataša 2181 7 2 WGM Pilsová, Karolína 2229 6 3 WGM Sikorová, Olga 2173 5½ 4 Lhotská, Anna 2029 5½ 5 WGM Petrová, Kristýna 2264 5 6 Koubová, Anna Marie 2115 4½ 7 WIM Novosadová, Kristýna 2147 4½ 8 Němcová, Karin 2181 3 9 Zelbová, Lada 1967 3 10 Třasáková, Adéla 1842 1 Official website: chess.cz Photo: official website and Šachový Svaz České Republiky Facebook page
Agrawal and Stefanova qualify for the main event
WGM Vantika Agrawal won the first qualifier of the FIDE Chess.com 2022 Women’s Speed Chess Championship. On her way to the final, she narrowly defeated the winner of the Swiss qualifier IM Gulnar Mammadova in the quarterfinal and then pummeled IM Alina Bivol in the semifinal. In a very close final match, Vantika prevailed over WGM Annamaria Marjanovic after winning a thrilling bullet tiebreaker and qualified for the main event. “I am feeling on top of the world… I am in the middle of my university exams. I thought, should I play or not, it is so hard to qualify. And then I thought, OK, I will play, it is a good practice. It is just an amazing feeling,” said the happy winner in a brief interview after the knockout. Former Women’s World Champion and GM Antoaneta Stefanova punched the second qualifying ticket to the FIDE Chess.com 2022 Women’s Speed Chess Championship main event. In the quarterfinal, she squeaked through the winner of the Swiss tournament IM Karina Ambartsumova, then made short work of Anastasia Avramidu in the semis. Her final match against WIM Mobina Alinasab turned into a neck-to-neck race that came down to the wire. Stefanova pulled off a victory in the decisive 1+1 game and secured her place in the main event. In her short interview after the knockout, Antoaneta talked about numerous hurdles she had to clear on her way to the victory: “Well, it’s a long story. As you can see, I’m in a hotel, and also my internet has been so bad. In the two qualifiers, I lost games from it. I lost two games by forfeit because I disconnected while the pairings were being made. So, by one disconnection, I lost two points immediately. It was crazy! I’m playing the Women’s League as well in Germany, and it has been a very exhausting event.” The WSCC round of 16 begins on Monday, June 13. To follow the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship, watch a live broadcast of the event with expert commentary on Chess.com/TV and Chess.com Twitch Channel. More info and a full schedule of the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship can be found here.
Ding Liren wins Chessable Masters
China’s Ding Liren battled mosquitoes, late-night starts and an inspired fightback from boy wonder Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa to break Indian hearts and win the Chessable Masters. The world #2 had to neutralise an incredible performance from 16-year-old Praggnanandhaa who came back hard after falling behind in the final yesterday. The youngster from Chennai had a nation of chess fans behind him as he took the final to overtime, but it wasn’t to be. Ding, who plays in an unfavourable timezone from his home in Wengzhou, China, finally came out on top in the blitz play-off after his opponent blundered. By then, it was nearly 2:30 AM for Pragg in Chennai, and 5 AM for Ding in China. Ding takes home the $25,000 first prize, $6,250 in bonuses and the pride of winning his first Meltwater Champions Chess Tour title, the fourth leg of the 2022 season. Rameshbabu can be content with $15,000, $6,250 in bonuses, a memorable run and finishing above World Champion Magnus Carlsen, who he beat in the Prelim stage. Asked how he felt after the win, Ding said: “Well, exhausted! Today it was very, very hard to play. It was the last day of the tournament, also it’s nearly 5 AM and after each game I had to take a rest, lay down on the bed to recover a bit!” Throughout the match Ding was bothered by mosquitoes and flies which distracted the 29-year-old from play as he tried to swat them. It led to some amusing scenes for viewers, but can’t have helped! Game 1 started with the Semi-Tarrasch Opening. Both players were in well-known territory before Ding found some pressure with a pin on the d-file. The key moment Grandmaster David Howell picked out was Pragg’s move 24… Kh7 to relieve tension in the position before the first encounter ended in a 41-move draw. The second started as a repeat of the first with a Semi-Tarrasch before Ding deviated with 5… cxd4. The game came to life with a queen exchange that set off a quick tactical sequence. With 31. Rxd5, Ding offered up a clever-looking pawn sacrifice to activate his pieces which Pragg accepted. The engine agreed with Pragg but the youngster quickly found trouble getting his pieces coordinated. Ding let his position slip, however, with two trades and let Pragg stayed a pawn up and got his king active. The teenager is something of an endgame master and wasn’t going to let this chance slip. Pragg forced through the win and was back in the match with a chance of forcing a play-off. For the first time, Ding now needed a win. The third game was intense. Praggnanandhaa was on the back foot for most of it but stayed cool and went for a risky exchange sacrifice that bagged him three pieces for his queen. For a brief moment, Pragg had a glimmer of hope. Ding decided to push his passed pawns with 43. b7 but missed 44… Nb4. It didn’t prove enough of an advantage though as the pawns disappeared and a rare imbalance was left on the board with Ding’s king and queen against Pragg’s king, rook, knight and bishop. Neither player could find a win and, after 106 moves, the game was drawn. In the final game of the mini-match, there was no way through again for Ding and it also ended in a draw. Pragg was level in the final and the tie was going to tiebreaks – two blitz games and then an armageddon game if needed. The tension – if it wasn’t high enough already – rose significantly. In the first game, Pragg showed his prowess in the shorter form but was left bitterly disappointed. At a key point, Ding thought he’d found a tactic, but Pragg had seen further and conjured up the stunning 30.Bxe4 to go a pawn up. In the commentary, Grandmaster David Howell said: “I’m almost speechless. I’m running out of superlatives, running out of praise for Pragg because he just so good right now.” It all went to waste though as Pragg, looking certain to take the lead, made the wrong choice and let Ding off the hook. The game was drawn. Ding got out of jail. The second game was frenetic but one blunder from Pragg, the first of the final, ended it. Pragg resigned, and Ding smiled. What a relief for the Chinese star. For further comments contact: Leon Watson leon@championschesstour.com About the Chessable Masters The eight-day Chessable Masters started on May 19 and coverage will focus on the study of chess openings. A prize pot of up to $150,000 is up for grabs and two qualifying spots for the next Tour Major. For the first stage of the event, all 16 players will compete in a round-robin with the top 8 progressing to a knockout. The final will be staged on May 25 and 26. The Chessable Masters is leg 4 of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. The overall Tour winner in November will be crowned the world’s best online chess player. Action will be broadcast live with commentary from chess24’s studio in Oslo via chess24.com’s YouTube and Twitch channels, also available at chess24.com/tour. Play begins at 18:00 CEST / 16:00 UTC. About the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour The Champions Chess Tour is the leading online chess Tour worldwide determining the world’s best chess player over a full competitive season of online chess. The 2022 season begins in February 2022 and features monthly tournaments culminating in a Final in November 2022. The best chess players in the world are competing in rapid chess. All games take place online on chess24.com with players competing for a total prize pool of over USD 1.5 million. For more information visit championschesstour.com. About Play Magnus Group Play Magnus Group is a global leader in the chess industry focused on providing premier digital experiences for millions of chess players and students. The company offers e-learning and entertainment services via its market leading brands: chess24, Chessable, iChess, New In Chess, Everyman Chess, Silver Knights, Aimchess,
Casablanca Chess Week kicks off on May 30
Casablanca, a port city and the largest commercial hub in Morocco, will become home to a new chess initiative. The inaugural Casablanca Chess Week will take place from May 30 to June 4, 2022, and will showcase chess through several events. The organizers, Casablanca Events & Animation and the Casablanca Stock Exchange, with the help of sponsors and partners, plan to make the festival an annual event. This initiative aims to promote chess among all Casablanca residents, young and old, from any background or level of play. The wide range of activities will help them to discover and rediscover this game with multiple facets and benefits. The opening day on Monday, May 30, will offer a chance to play online against the top Morrocan GM, Hicham Hamdouchi, and attend the “Chess & Economics” Conference. This chess forum features such well-known chess personalities as famous chess journalist Leontxo Garcia (moderator), FIDE Managing Director Dana Reizniece-Ozola, FIDE Deputy President Bachar Kouatly, and Tarik Senhaji, Chief Executive Officer of the Casablanca Stock Exchange. Tuesday will cover the topic of women in chess with a visit to a non-profit organization for young girls and the “Women in Chess” Conference in the second part of the day. In the following days, the focus will be on chess as an educational and social tool. These days will be filled with masterclasses, workshops, and various playing activities, including an exhibition match between grandmasters Loek Van Wely and Hicham Hamdouchi. You can find the whole schedule of the Casablanca Chess Week on the event’s official website: ccw.ma/programme. All the activities of the festival are free. Twitter Facebook Instagram