Winners crowned at FIDE World School R&B Championships
The 2024 FIDE World School Rapid and Blitz Championships concluded in Tashkent. Held in the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan, the event attracted over 250 young prodigies from all around the world, competing in rapid (15 minutes + 10 seconds increment) and blitz (3 minutes + 2 seconds increment) formats. Spanning a week, the championship hosted tournaments for age groups from U9 to U20. Uzbekistani and Kazakhstani youngsters triumphed in the championship, securing seven gold medals each. The 9-round Swiss rapid events were fiercely contested battles, with four ending with a tie for first place (the champions emerged thanks to better tiebreaks). Rapid Championship winners: Open U20: IM Maksim Tsaruk (FID) Girls U20: WFM Aliaksandra Tarasenka (FID) Open U17: FM Bakhrom Bakhrillaev (UZB) Girls U17: Zilola Aktamova (UZB) Open U15: Alikhan Daulet (KAZ) Girls U15: WFM Zarina Nurgaliyeva (KAZ) Open U13: Egor Korelskiy (FID) Girls U13: Ailin Zarkym (KAZ) Open U11: Alimzhan Zhauynbay (KAZ) Girls U11: Kristina Zavivaeva (FID) Open U9: Arlan Mirzhanov (KAZ) Girls U9: Sriiyukthaa Marksim Karki Abirami (IND) Complete standings Rapid Championships (all groups) The blitz championships were equally exciting, with many thrilling games played across twelve 9-round Swiss tournaments. Kudos to Aliaksandra Tarasenka (FIDE), Bakhrom Bakhrillaev (Uzbekistan) and Kristina Zavivaeva (FIDE), who repeated their success in rapid part and clinched double gold. Blitz Championship winners: Open U20: GM Denis Lazavik (FID) Girls U20: WFM Aliaksandra Tarasenka (FID) Open U17: FM Bakhrom Bakhrillaev (UZB) Girls U17: WFM Ayaulym Kaldarova (KAZ) Open U15: FM Akbarali Abdukhakimov (UZB) Girls U15: Madinabonu Khalilova (UZB) Open U13: Aldiyar Zhauynbay (KAZ) Girls U13: Rukiya Olimova (UZB) Open U11: CM Oriyat Obidjonov (UZB) Girls U11: Kristina Zavivaeva (FID) Open U9: Aayansh Guntaka (USA) Girls U9: Husnorakhon Khusnitdinova (UZB) Complete standings Blitz Championships (all groups) Photos: Uzbekistan Chess Federation
EDU Commission announces its 18th “Preparation of Teachers” course
Dear Chess Friends, We bring another exceptional opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and get certified as FIDE School Instructors! When: August 23-25, 2024 Where: Online, conducted in English Presenters: Anzel Laubscher and Boris Bruhn, esteemed commission members Target audience: Teachers, chess educators, both novice and seasoned players with fundamental chess knowledge, and individuals with a passion for working with children. Bonus: Unlock exclusive, lifelong access to premium OPENING MASTER chess databases upon successful completion. Read the detailed course description here. Reserve your spot now by registering here. Registration closes on August 19, with only 20 spots available! Note: Titles are conferred during the subsequent FIDE Council meeting and will be reflected on FIDE profiles approximately four weeks later. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at edu.courses@fide.
Magnus Carlsen leads WR Chess to World Blitz team crown
With a dominant performance in the tournament, last year’s World Rapid winners claimed another title, this time in the Blitz, coming out on top among 40 teams featuring top players from around the globe. In the finals, WR Chess defeated the Indian squad MGD1, who took the silver This year’s event saw the debut of The World Blitz Team Championship alongside the World Rapid. In the 2023 edition in Dusseldorf, only the rapid championship was held. The intense one-day event saw 40 teams compete for the World Blitz Championship and a prize fund of 100,000 Euros. The Blitz Championship had two parts – the pool stage and the knockout stage. Only 16 teams out of 40 advanced to the playoffs: the top three in each pool and the best team among all teams that finished in 4th place in the pools. With the time control of three minutes plus a two-second increment per move, the players had to think and move quickly. The scoring mirrored the rapid format, with two matchpoints for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. WR Chess got off to a good start. In Pool A, they dominated all their competitors, including GMHans.com, led by Hans Niemann. There was little uncertainty for WR in the knockout stages. First, they faced an easy challenge against Mongolia’s Hunnu Air, defeating them both times with 4.5:1.5. Then, in the quarter-finals, they had their second encounter of the day with GMHans.com. While Magnus Carlsen did not play, WR took the first match with a narrow victory but came back much more confident in the second, entering the semi-finals with a 5.5:0.5 victory. In the semi-finals, WR was up against a team they had a score to settle with: Chessy, who knocked them out of the lead on the first day of the World Rapid. Magnus Carlsen avenged his loss in the rapid against Richard Rapport, defeating him convincingly in the first knockout match. In the rematch, Chessy had a chance to stage a comeback: Anna Muzychuk had a significantly better position against Alexandra Kosteniuk but misplayed and lost. The match was tied, which meant WR Chess moved on to the finals, where they played MGD1. The Indian squad of MGD1 came to Astana with the similar lineup they had in the World Rapid Team in 2023. In Dusseldorf, they won bronze in the World Rapid, but in this year’s event, they finished fifth. The Blitz Championship was their big chance. They had a great run in the pool stage, winning all their matches. In the knockouts, they started with a strong performance against the local team of Astana-2. The first big challenge for them came in the quarter-finals against the Ashdod Chess Club from Israel. Not even their compatriot, Nihal Sarin, who played the first board for Ashdod, could do much to stop MGD1, who had the most convincing results of all the teams in the quarter-finals. The first serious challenge for MGD1 came from World Rapid winners Al-Ain, who got to the semis by eliminating the Decade China team in the tiebreaks. Both matches ended in tense 3:3 draws, which meant that the finalist was decided in the third round. MGD1 came out strong from the beginning of the round, creating better positions on all boards. In the end, they reached the finals in style by defeating Al-Ain 5.5:0.5 in the playoffs. This meant that WR would face MGD1 in the finals, a match where the 2023 World Rapid winners faced the 2023 World Rapid bronze medalists. The Blitz finals In the first round of the finals, WR’s top player, Magnus Carlsen, played as Black on the top board against India’s No. 1 player, Arjun Erigaisi. Carlsen ended up with an exchange down and a poor position where he could do nothing more but resign. WR also lost on the non-professional board. However, the team then struck back on other boards, scoring 3.5 out of four, winning the match. Things could have easily gone the other way as WR’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda had a lucky escape from a lost position against Narayanan and ended up winning. In the second round of the finals, the WR team was the first to score: Ian Nepomniachtchi had a lucky break as Black against Raunak Sadhwani, who blundered an even endgame. MGD1 made a comeback on the final board. In a wild game on board five, Alexandra Kosteniuk emerged victorious against Harika Dronavalli, giving an edge to WR Chess. But Narayanan won, leveling the score. On board four, Pranav had a winning endgame against Nodirbek Abdusattorov. It all came down to the duel on board one between Carlsen and Erigaisi. All WR needed was a draw. It seemed that the world number one player got into difficulties again, but as the game progressed, he took control of the position. Carlsen didn’t want to draw but to win and finish the tournament in style. Ultimately, that was the case. The round ended in a tie, 3:3, but that was enough for WR to claim the title of World Blitz Team Champions. The best performers Apart from team medals, individual players were also awarded for their performance in the Rapid. Magnus Carlsen took the gold for best performance on the first board, silver went to Erigaisi while the World Champion Ding Liren from Decade China took the bronze. Apart from board one, WR Chess took the gold for the third board as well (Duda). Decade China took as many as three gold medals – for the second board (Wei Yi), women’s board (Ju Wenjun) and the non-professional board (Pang Bo). Here follows an overview of the 2024 World Blitz Team Chess Championship In the first stage, the teams were split into five pools of roughly equal strength. In each pool, there was a round-robin tournament, with the top three moving to the next stage. All the usual suspects qualified, with some notable third-place surprises such as the young team of Rookies
Dragnev and Newrkla win 2024 Austrian Championship
Valentin Dragnev (Ottakring) and Katharina Newrkla (SK Austria Wien) are the new chess champions of Austria. The 2024 National Championships took place in the Oberbank Donau Forum in Linz from July 27 to August 4. Both competitions were 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control. The Upper Austrian Regional Association organized the championships to mark its 75th anniversary and created optimal playing conditions in the Oberbank Donau Forum. A record prize fund of almost 30,000 Euros provided additional motivation for the participants. In the open event, the fate of the title was decided in Rounds 6 and 7 as Dragnev defeated his main rivals, GMs Felix Blohberger and Dominik Horvath. He took the sole lead and extended it to a full point with another win against Laurenz Borrmann. In the final round, a draw was enough for Dragnev to secure his second national title (netting 7.5/9) and the first prize of 5,000 Euros. In a minor sensation, the young FM David Schernthaner scored 6.5, tied for second place with four players and took the silver, also completing an IM norm. The top seed, Dominik Horvath, Felix Blohberger, Lukas Leisch and Robert Ernst, finished on the same points. The bronze medal went to Horvath based on a better Buchholz. Final standings: 1 GM Dragnev, Valentin 2557 7½ 2 FM Schernthaner, David 2329 6½ 3 GM Horvath, Dominik 2561 6½ 4 GM Blohberger, Felix 2527 6½ 5 IM Leisch, Lukas 2394 6½ 6 FM Ernst, Robert 2292 6½ 7 FM Balint, Peter 2317 6 8 FM Borrmann, Laurenz 2378 6 9 FM Postlmayer, Jakob 2358 6 10 Kienböck, Benjamin 2215 6 Katharina Newrkla from Vienna, who lives in Barcelona, triumphed in the women’s category, securing gold with 5.5 points. Newrkla took the lead in the seventh round with a win in a direct duel against Nikola Mayrhuber and confidently carried her advantage over the finish line with draws against Shengelia and Benjamink Kienböck. In the battle for the podium, Nikola Mayrhuber, Veronika Exler, Jasmin-Denise Schloffer and Nino Kardzadze each scored 5/9. The silver medal goes to Mayrhuber, while Exler claimed bronze. Florian Charaus from Upper Austria won an Oberbank Open held simultaneously with the championship, ahead of the Slovakian Radoslav Flasik and the rating favorite Maximilian Mostbauer (Upper Austria). Written by Gerald Huemer Photos: official website Official website: schach.at/
British Championship: Gawain Jones captures third title
Gawain Jones emerged as the winner of the 2024 British Championship in a dramatic showdown with David Howell. The gripping tiebreaker followed a fiercely contested tournament that saw Jones and Howell share first place. The 2024 British Chess Championships were held at Hull City Hall and the DoubleTree by Hilton in Hull City Centre, with several events running from July 25 to August 4, 2024, across the two city center venues. It was the 110th British Chess Championship, which has run almost unbroken since 1904. The event was supported by the Hull and East Riding Chess Association, Hull City Council, Hull Culture and Leisure, Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, the Chess Trust and the John Robinson Youth Chess Trust. The championship, a nine-round Swiss tournament, that brought together 86 players, was a very tightly contested competition, with Jones and Howell seizing the joint lead only after the penultimate round. After their final-round game ended in a draw, both players finished with an impressive 7/9 score, forcing a playoff to determine the champion. The opponents traded blows in the rapid games (David was close to the title but missed a tactical subtlety in the second encounter), and it all came down to blitz. After drawing the first blitz game with black pieces, Jones gradually outplayed Howell in a roughly equal ending with White and captured his third title. The new champion and the 2023 British champion, Michael Adams (who finished 11th), became the only undefeated players in the tournament. Three players shared third place, with Matthew Wadsworth taking bronze in the tiebreak. Congratulations to 15-year-old IM Shreyas Royal (pictured above) on gaining his final GM norm. Final standings: 1 GM Jones, Gawain Cb 2640 7 2 GM Howell, David Wl 2675 7 3 IM Wadsworth, Matthew 2456 6½ 4 GM Mcshane, Luke J 2617 6½ 5 FM Czopor, Maciej 2361 6½ 6 IM Royal, Shreyas 2487 6 7 IM Ghasi, Ameet K 2495 6 8 GM Conquest, Stuart C 2510 6 9 IM Kanyamarala, Tarun 2337 6 10 IM Bazakutsa, Svyatoslav 2490 6 Complete final standings (all sections) Photos: Dennis Dicen and Melinda Wilde Official website: britishchesschampionships.co.uk/
Al-Ain ACMG UAE become the new World Rapid Team Champions
Dubov’s redemption in the final round secured Al-Ain’s World Rapid Team victory. Decade China, led by World Champion Ding Liren, took second place, while last year’s winners, WR Chess, secured the bronze After three days and 12 rounds, featuring many of the world’s top players, Al-Ain ACMG UAE emerged victorious with 21 matchpoints out of a possible 23, drawing three and winning nine matches. In the final round, Al-Ain faced a surprisingly tough challenge against the significantly lower-rated Theme International Trading. The result was 2.5:2.5 on boards two to six, leaving Daniil Dubov to win on board one to secure the championship. Despite a poor overall performance in the event, winning just one game out of 11 played, Dubov triumphed when it mattered most, clinching first place for Al-Ain. The key drivers for the UAE team included Parham Maghsoodloo (9 points out of 12 games), Vladislav Artemiev (8.5/12), and Dmitry Andreikin (9/10). Apart from the crown, the team also won the first prize of 100,000 Euros. Decade China finished second, the only other team to remain unbeaten, with eight victories and four draws, totaling 20 matchpoints, just one behind Al-Ain. Led by World Champion Ding Liren, the team featured top Chinese players, but the standout was their non-professional player, 26-year-old Pang Bo. Officially rated 1400, Pang won all 11 games he played (he did not play in round one). Pang confirmed in an interview for FIDE that he had played chess since childhood but that his tournaments had not been officially recorded. WR Chess, last year’s champions, took third place with 19 matchpoints. Despite having world number one Magnus Carlsen on board one, along with two-time world champion challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi and other top players, luck was not on their side. After suffering two consecutive defeats in rounds four and five, they fought back and won every remaining match, except a draw with Decade China in round eight, but could not catch up with the top two teams. Chessy finished fourth with 18 matchpoints. Captained by GM Emil Sutovsky and featuring stars like Rapport, Van Foreest, and Vidit, they started strong, knocking WR Chess out of first place in the final round on day one. However, they faltered on the second day with two draws, one win but then lost in round eight. Chessy pressed hard on the final day, but a loss to GMHans.com in round 10 dashed their hopes for first place. Team MGD1 from India, last year’s bronze winners, secured fifth place with 17 matchpoints. Led by India’s top-rated player Arjun Erigaisi, they remained close to the top but never truly contended for first place. On the final day, they drew three matches before a victory against the team of FIDE secured their fifth-place finish. One of the event’s biggest surprises was GMHans.com. Led by the charismatic Hans Niemann, the team, assembled at the last minute and composed of friends, performed well and knocked Chessy out of the top position. In the final round, they narrowly lost to WR Chess, finishing ninth. A closer look at the final day of the 2024 World Rapid Team Championship Round 9 Last year’s bronze medallists, MGD1, finished day two on a high note: they knocked Chessy out of the leadership position and ended the day among the top four, with 12 matchpoints. In round nine, they aimed to dethrone the day two leaders, Al-Ain who were on 14 matchpoints. The first game to finish was on the non-professional board, where Sahir Mihir miraculously saved a lost position to clinch an important half-point for MGD1. This result proved crucial for the outcome of the match. With two more draws, the match could go either way. Dubov was in trouble with the white pieces against Erigaisi on the top board, but Al-Ain’s Parham Maghsoodloo and Dmitry Andreikin were better in their games. Maghsoodloo drew, while Andreikin broke Baskaran to put Al-Ain in the lead. However, Dubov eventually lost to Erigaisi in the endgame, allowing MGD1 to escape defeat. Luckily for Al-Ain, Decade China drew their match with Kazchess, which meant the UAE team maintained first place after the round. World Champion Ding Liren, playing as White, drew in a sharp 18-move game against Mamedyarov, who sacrificed a bishop for two pawns and the initiative but ended worse. Decade China had a chance to win the match, but Ju Wenjun dropped a better position against Assaubayeva and went on to lose. Pang Bo continued to be the best asset for the Chinese team, securing his eighth consecutive victory on the non-professional board. Chessy made a strong comeback, defeating the formidable Ashdod team 3:2, while WR Chess had a comfortable 4:2 victory over Kings of Chess from Krakow. Round 10 The biggest upset of the round saw Chessy suffer a stunning loss to GMHans.com, diminishing their chances of winning the title. Chessy’s captain Emil Sutovsky gave Richard Rapport a break, placing Jorden van Foreest on the top board against Hans Niemann. Things started well for Chessy, with Vidit winning against Tabatabaei after the Iranian’s seemingly innocent pawn advance on move 11 directly landed him in trouble. Chessy’s Erdogmus also secured a victory against Salomova. However, the tables turned dramatically towards the end of the match, as Chessy collapsed on the remaining boards, handing victory to GMHans.com. With this defeat, Chessy moved to fourth place. Tournament leaders Al-Ain triumphed over Astana-1 with a 5:1 score, solidifying their lead. Daniil Dubov drew again, extending his winless streak to 10 rounds. One of the round’s highlights was GM Dmitry Andreikin (2644) of Al-Ain versus IM Meruert Kamalidenova (2316). Kamalidenova, playing Black, surprised Andreikin in a sharp tactical battle. Despite a winning position, Kamalidenova missed a crucial chance, allowing Andreikin to secure the victory. Decade China also won, defeating the strong Uzbek team Royal Chess with 5:1. Ding Liren broke his chain of draws, scoring a win as Black against Sindarov. This secured them second place in the standings. WR Chess had a tough struggle against Kazchess.
Al-Ain emerge as new leaders in day two of World Rapid Team Championship
Day two of the World Rapid Team Championship in Kazakhstan concluded with a new leader: Al-Ain from UAE, who now have 14 matchpoints, one more than Decade China in second place. They are followed by day one leaders, Chessy, and the Indian team MGD1, both with 12 matchpoints The second day featured the toughest matchups as the top-rated teams faced off against each other. Chessy, who finished day one in first place, started with two drawn matches. After a victory over Kazchess in round seven, they suffered a defeat in the final round of the day against Team MGD1. Two other teams emerged as the day’s favorites, trading top positions between rounds: Al-Ain and Decade China. The UAE team, Al-Ain, began the day impressively by defeating the defending champions WR Chess 4:2, marking WR Chess’s second consecutive defeat in the tournament. After a round six draw with Chessy, Al-Ain defeated Royal Chess 4.5:1.5 and edged out Kings of Chess from Krakow 3.5:2.5 in the final match, ending the day as sole leaders with 14 matchpoints. Decade China drew with Chessy in round five before stunning MGD1 with a 4:2 victory in round six. They continued strongly by crushing Ashdod Chess Club 4.5:1.5 in round seven. However, in the final eighth round of the day, Decade China drew with title defenders WR Chess, causing them to slip from the leading position. The final round of the day featured the most anticipated game of the entire event: a duel between world number one Magnus Carlsen and defending World Champion Ding Liren. Carlsen, playing with the white pieces, gained an early advantage and, despite resistance from Ding and time pressure, secured a victory. This was the first defeat for Ding in the tournament. While Carlsen’s win ensured that WR Chess did not lose the crucial match, the team failed to achieve the breakthrough needed to return to the top, making it increasingly unlikely they will defend their World Championship title. Standings after Day 2 Complete standings after Day 2 Despite the top world GMs playing in the tournament, one amateur player has drawn a lot of attention: 1400-rated Pang Bo who plays for the Decade China team, has won all eight games in the tournament, having a perfect score so far. The conclusion of the tournament unfolds on Sunday, with the final four rounds set to determine the ultimate champions. A closer look at the second day of the 2024 World Rapid Team Championship Round 5 The sole leaders from day one, Chessy, who clinched first place after a spectacular 5-1 victory in round four against defending champions WR Chess, faced newcomers Decade China. The all-Chinese squad, led by World Champion Ding Liren, finished the first day just a point behind Chessy. Despite losing a pawn in the opening as Black, Ding Liren managed to hold Richard Rapport to a draw on board one. The day did not start well for Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, who blundered against Anna Muzychuk and lost, giving Chessy an early lead. Team China bounced back quickly with a victory on the non-professional board. Alexey Sarana beat Xu Xiangyu in time trouble, and Jorden van Foreest drew with Yu Yangyi. However, on board two, Chessy’s Haik Martirosyan made a critical blunder in the endgame against Wei Yi, allowing him to promote a pawn and secure a victory. The match ended in a 3:3 draw. Defending champions WR Chess had a rough start on Day 2. Despite having Magnus Carlsen on their team, WR Chess lost 4:2 to Al-Ain. Carlsen made a strong comeback as White against Daniil Dubov, squeezing out a victory in a complicated endgame. However, Ian Nepomniachtchi lost on board two to Iranian star Parham Maghsoodloo, and WR also suffered losses on the women’s board—where Hou Yifan was defeated by Kateryna Lagno—and on the non-professional board. With this victory, Al-Ain tied with Chessy for first place. The Indian team of MGD1 won their match against Kings of Chess from Krakow 5:1, while Ashdod Chess Club edged out a 3,5:2,5 victory against the notably lower-rated but resilient team of Astana-1, ensuring both MGD1 and Ashdod Chess Club ended the day in shared third place, alongside Decade China. One surprising result of the round was Uzbek Olympic gold medallist Nodirbek Yakubboev, rated nearly 2600, suffering a defeat to 2125-rated FM Erzhan Zhakshylykov. Despite this, the Uzbek team Royal Chess won their match against Noval Group from Kyrgyzstan, 3.5:2.5. Round 6 In the next round, it was time for both teams that had previously defeated the defending World Rapid Champions, WR Chess, to face each other and decide who would take the lead halfway through the tournament. The game between Richard Rapport and Daniil Dubov ended quickly, with a draw after just ten moves. Rapport got up to check the other boards before agreeing to split the point with Dubov, who is not having a great tournament. Soon afterwards, Andreikin and Sarana also drew their game. The match ended 3:3, with two more draws and Al-Ain’s Parham Maghsoodloo defeating Jorden van Foreest on board two, while Chessy won on board six in a game where both sides traded completely winning positions several times. Decade China continued strongly, defeating the Indian team of MGD1 4:2. It started with an early gift for the Chinese when Raunak Sadwahani blundered a piece on board three against Wei Yi. Things didn’t go MGD1’s way on board two either, where Narayanan dropped a dominating advantage against Wei Yi and ended up drawing. To compensate, on board five Xu Xiangyu allowed Pranav to save the game, while Harika Dronavalli held out as Black against Ju Wenjun. Ding split a point as White with India’s top-rated player Arjun Erigaisi. On board six, in a duel between two players who by this point had a score of 100%, Pang Bo emerged victorious against Shah Mihir, securing Decade China a comfortable score in the match, propelling them to a shared first place with Chessy and Al-Ain.
FIDE World School Rapid and Blitz Championships 2024 kick off in Tashkent
The 2024 FIDE World School Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships began today in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, kicking off an exciting week of chess for over 250 young players from around the world. The opening ceremony at the International Hotel featured inspiring speeches and electrifying cultural performances. Notably, the 1st Vice President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, Husan Turdialiev, emphasized the vital role of junior chess in developing future leaders. It was followed by the national dances and the laser show. The championship features tournaments in various age groups, ranging from U9 to U20. Young players will compete in both rapid (15 minutes + 10 seconds increment) and blitz (3 minutes + 2 seconds increment) formats over the course of the week. Live broadcasts and continuously updated results are available here: https://lichess.org/broadcast/-/Xk9fngNu https://lichess.org/broadcast/-/NxNWXEtu With a strong start and an impressive line-up of young players, the tournament promises to show exciting performances by future stars of the game. Standings after Round 3 Photos: Uzbekistan Chess Federation
Chessy stuns defending champions WR Chess to lead 2024 WRTC after Day 1
The first day of the event in Astana (Kazakhstan) saw several surprising results, with Chessy scoring a convincing 5-1 victory over WR Chess in round four. On board one for WR Chess, world rapid and blitz champion Magnus Carlsen suffered a stunning defeat as White to Richard Rapport of Chessy in just 22 moves The second edition of the World Rapid Team Championships started in Astana, Kazakhstan, today, with the first four rounds taking place. Five of the world’s top ten players are participating, including Magnus Carlsen, World Champion Ding Liren, and Ian Nepomniachtchi (who met in the same city last year for the World Championship title), alongside a new set of players and teams. After the first day, the team of Chessy—captained by GM Emil Sutovsky—emerged as the sole leader, having won all four matches and securing eight match points. They are followed by the Decade China Team and Al-Ain ACMG UAE, who each have seven match points. WR Chess Team, who won the inaugural World Rapid Championship in Düsseldorf in 2023, trails the leaders by two match points. They lost the final match of the day to Chessy in a direct duel for first place. WR Chess is in a pack of seven teams with three victories and one defeat out of the first four rounds: Team MGD1, Knights Of Chess, Ashdod Chess Club, Kazchess, GMHans.com, and Astana-1. Complete standings after Round 4 In an interview on the first day of the event, World Champion Ding Liren said he was “very happy to be back in Astana,” calling the city a “lucky place” for him: “The last time I was here, I won the world championship match, so this is a lucky place for me.” Following doubts about his recent performances, Ding said he is here to prove others wrong: “I came here to win some points and recover confidence.” He scored 3.5 out of four games on the first day of the tournament. A Closer Look at the First Four Rounds of the 2024 World Rapid Team Championship Round 1 Each match in round one ended with a winner. The favorites and defending champions, WR Chess, started with a perfect score against the Kyrgyz Chess Academy. Ian Nepomniachtchi won a miniature against GM Semetei Tologon Tegin in the first game of the tournament. The new team, Decade China, the second-favorites by rating, scored 5.5 out of six. One of the surprises of the first round was Daniil Dubov’s defeat with the white pieces by GM Boris Grachev. In the Catalan, Dubov had a piece for three pawns but made several mistakes, allowing his opponent to dominate and win. Despite their top player losing, the Al-Ain ACMG team from UAE, the third top team by rating, won their match against the GMs Kazakhstan squad with a score of 4-2. Another surprising result was Hans Niemann losing as White to Meylis Annaberdiyev after blundering in a tactical endgame despite having more time on the clock. Round 2The second round brought early drama as some of the top teams clashed. Just a few minutes into the start, there was a major upset: Richard Rapport, playing for Chessy, defeated chess legend Nigel Short, representing the FIDE Management Board team. In the Ruy Lopez, Short blundered and lost his queen. Chessy went on to win the match 4.5-1.5, while FIDE’s Al-Mudahka staged a surprise by defeating the 200-points higher-rated GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi with the black pieces, who blundered in a better position. Another early upset saw the young team of Rookies, with an average team rating of 2271, defeating the Ashdod Chess Club 4-2. All the heavyweights in the Ashdod team, including Sarin, Eljanov, and Volokitin, lost their games. One of the most exciting matches of the round was WR Chess narrowly edging out Royal Chess, a team of top players from Olympic Champions Uzbekistan. It started badly for WR, with early trouble for Vadim Rosenstein and Vincent Keymer. However, Praggnanandhaa and Alexandra Kosteniuk made a comeback to equalize. Abdusattorov – playing against the team made up of his Uzbek compatriots – then won on board two, and Nepomniachtchi managed to secure a draw on board one, resulting in a crucial 3.5-2.5 victory for WR Chess. Decade China scored a 6-0 victory over Astana. On board one, Denis Makhnyov sacrificed a piece against World Champion Ding Liren but couldn’t make any progress and ended up losing. Al-Ain ACMG from UAE defeated Teniz Kazakhstan 5-1. Dubov was in trouble again and on the brink of losing but managed to save the game in a knight endgame. Round 3Round three finally saw Magnus Carlsen play his first game in the match between 2023 World Rapid winners WR and third-placed Team MGD1. Playing as Black on the first board for WR, Carlsen opted for the solid Berlin Defense against India’s top-rated player, Arjun Erigaisi. Carlsen gradually outplayed his opponent, winning a pawn and forcing a winning pawn endgame. Ian Nepomniachtchi, now on board two for WR, survived a scare from Narayanan but won after his opponent got into severe time trouble. Harika Dronavalli of MGD1 scored against former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan in a dramatic, time-troubled game. Mihir Shah of MGD1 defeated Rozenstein on the last board, while Sadwahani drew with Duda, resulting in a final score of 3.5-2.5 for WR. Decade China continued confidently, defeating GMHans.com 4-2. A big surprise in the match was Yue Wang’s loss as White to the 200-points lower-rated Andrew Hong. On board two, strong Iranian GM Amin Tabatabaei had a dominating position against Chinese player Wei Yi but misplayed and lost, handing an important point to Decade China to secure the match. Despite Vidit losing again, Chessy continued strong in this round, defeating the Knights of Chess from Krakow 4-2. Al-Ain ACMG defeated the Rookies 5-1, while Kazchess scored a clean sweep against the team of Egypt, propelling them to second place among the leaders who won all matches. Following a surprise defeat in round two,
Julius Baer SCWC returns on August 12
Watch 16 Top Players Compete in One of the Strongest Events in Women’s Chess NEW YORK, AUGUST 1 — Chess.com is excited to announce the 2024 edition of the Julius Baer Women’s Speed Chess Championship (WSCC). This year’s event will feature an expanded field of 16 of the strongest women chess players in the world, including the current Women’s World Champion, all competing for a $75,000 prize fund. The Julius Baer WSCC is Chess.com’s premier chess event for women. The event starts on August 12, with titled women from across the globe participating in four Play-in events. The winner of each Play-in will qualify for the coveted Main Event, which kicks off on August 22 and runs through September 5. “The 2024 Julius Baer Women’s Speed Chess Championship showcases the incredible talent and competitive spirit of women in chess,” said Erik Allebest, CEO of Chess.com. “Julius Baer’s continued support has been instrumental in making this championship a reality, and we appreciate their leadership in helping to ensure that chess is for everyone.” Among the confirmed players for the Main Event is four-time World Champion GM Ju Wenjun. Ju is the second-highest rated woman in the world across all time controls and one of the favorites to win it all. The chess community can also look forward to watching GM Kateryna Lagno. The three-time women’s World Blitz Champion will be looking to repeat her 2021 Women’s Speed Chess Championship performance, when she defeated the former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan to win the event. Also confirmed to play is the star from India, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Her meteoric rise has led her to the 2023 Candidates Tournament, and recent victories propelled her to the top 10 of women’s worldwide. Can momentum help her win her first Women’s Speed Chess Championship title? “We are delighted to continue supporting the Women’s Speed Chess Championship, empowering women, and contributing to a more diverse, equitable, and vibrant chess scene,” said Antje Hembd, Head Global Brand Partnerships & Sponsoring at Julius Baer. “Women, like in the chess world, are still underrepresented in senior management in our industry. This is why our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and our focus on fostering a caring and inclusive environment is integral to our corporate strategy and culture at Julius Baer.” The Main Event features the format fans know and love, with the players competing across three different time controls: 5+1, 3+1, and 1+1. The match will be broadcast on Chess.com/TV as well as Chess.com’s YouTube and Twitch channels. This is the second consecutive year that Swiss private bank Julius Baer has presented the WSCC, continuing their strong support of women’s chess. Julius Baer was also a founding partner of Chess.com’s premier event, the Champions Chess Tour, presenting the Julius Baer Generation Cup since 2020. Tune in for the usual (and unusual) brilliancies, drama, and swindles that the Speed Chess Championship series provides. About Julius Baer Julius Baer is the leading Swiss wealth management group and a premium brand in this global sector, with a focus on servicing and advising sophisticated private clients. At the end of June 2024, assets under management amounted to CHF 474 billion. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., the renowned Swiss private bank with origins dating back to 1890, is the principal operating company of Julius Baer Group Ltd., whose shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: BAER) and are included in the Swiss Leader Index (SLI), comprising the 30 largest and most liquid Swiss stocks. Julius Baer is present in around 25 countries and 60 locations. Headquartered in Zurich, we have offices in key locations including Bangkok, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Mumbai, Santiago de Chile, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo. Our client-centric approach, our objective advice based on the Julius Baer open product platform, our solid financial base and our entrepreneurial management culture make us the international reference in wealth management. For more information, visit our website at www.juliusbaer.com. About Chess.com Chess.com is the world’s largest chess site with a community of more than 150 million members from around the world playing more than 10 million games every day. Chess.com organizes and broadcasts the world’s biggest chess events featuring multi-million-dollar prize funds captivating millions of viewers. Chess.com is the 114th ranked site on the internet. In June 2023, Chess.com was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies.