From Paris and the world with chess: FIDE celebrates 100 years since its founding
Chess stars and officials gathered in Paris on International Chess Day – July 20 – as the chess world marked the centenary of the founding of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) FIDE officials, including President Arkady Dvorkovich, Deputy Chair of FIDE’s Management Board Dana Reizniece-Ozola (who also heads the FIDE100 celebrations), FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky and FIDE Director for Chess Development Nigel Short, along with former world champions Vishy Anand, Zhu Chen, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and a host of other renowned players and chess officials from France and around the world, met in Paris for the central ceremony celebrating 100 years since the founding of FIDE. On International Chess Day, FIDE also launched its Guinness World Record attempt for the most games played online and over-the-board in 24 hours. Over 109 national federations and major online chess platforms took part, with almost 350 events globally. “This is a memorable day for the entire chess world. Our organization is among the oldest sporting bodies in the world. Over the past 100 years, FIDE has been the central driving force for the development of chess globally, and that remains one of our organization’s key goals. Today, we are not celebrating just the centenary of FIDE. We are also celebrating human strength, creativity, and innovation, which the chess world has been demonstrating since its early days,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE. The celebrations started on the morning of July 20 with a walk to the historic 9th Arrondissement (City Council), the place where FIDE was founded in 1924. The guests – including representatives from nations who participated in the 1924 event – signed a replica of the original Memorandum of FIDE. From there, the guests proceeded to the famous Montmartre Cemetery where, among many well-known people from history, lies the final resting place of the great Alexander Alekhine (world champion between 1927-1935 and 1937-1946) and the founder of FIDE Pierre Vincent. The guests then gathered at the Chateau de Asnieres, an 18th-century palace on the banks of the Seine, for a simul hosted by world champions as well as the official opening of the book “Chess Players, from Charlie Chaplin to the Wu-Tang Clan,” a collection of images of chess players from the last 130 years. The central celebration of the day was the FIDE100 Torch Relay, which has been traveling the world for several months now, celebrating chess and creating a symbolic link between FIDE and the Olympic spirit. The ceremony took place at the Chateau de Asnieres, with the guests and FIDE officials welcoming the torch. “I am delighted that we are having the Torch Relay ceremony in Paris, just a few days before the start of the Olympic Games. Throughout the year we have had celebrations across the globe – from India, to Africa, North and South America, places in Europe and now in Paris. The Torch Relay isn’t over, nor are our celebrations. We plan more events, including the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, and I am looking forward to all of them,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, who has been in charge of organizing the celebrations globally. Photos: Niki Riga
Ten goals for next 100 years of International Chess Federation
On July 20, 1924, the last day of the Summer Olympics in Paris, 15 delegates from all over the world signed the proclamation act of what was originally known as “Fédération Internationale des Échecs” or “FIE” (shortly after the acronym was changed to “FIDE”). Symbolically, precisely a century later, the representatives of the same countries met in the Town Hall of the IX Arrondissement, Paris, where the original act was signed, and outlined FIDE’s goals for the next 100 years. As we celebrate the first centenary of FIDE and its achievements, we – the below signed – also want to put forward the vision for the next 100 years of the International Chess Federation. Our commitment is to advance chess, embracing its educational, cultural, intellectual and lifestyle benefits, ensuring it stands as a beacon of excellence, inclusivity and unity among the people of the world. To this end, we want to put forward Ten Goals For The Next 100 Years Of The International Chess Federation. 1. Global Expansion and Accessibility Chess should continue in its stride to reach every part of the globe – every major city, town, village, house or hut, every distant and remote place, including space. While chess is played by millions around the world, there are vast opportunities to increase the interest in and popularity of the game. In doing so, the chess world must always be guided by the principles of inclusivity, making sure everyone has enough opportunities and resources to learn and enjoy chess. 2. Digital Revolution Chess should leverage technologies and the online revolution to make it more accessible online and more appealing to the coming generations, by emphasizing its practical value in real life. This includes more and better organized online tournaments, virtual coaching, interactive learning tools in as many world languages as possible, as well as creating online communities of chess players. 3. Educational Integration As a useful tool for developing skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, chess should seek to broaden and deepen its ties with educational institutions. Many countries have introduced chess in their educational system, but there are more which need to follow. For those countries where chess is taught as a subject, teaching materials and styles need to be further developed and integrated with the best scientific practices in education. Youth camps and scholastic tournaments and educational programs with Grandmasters should also be included. 4. Cultural Promotion Chess has a rich history which has also led to the development of a distinguished subculture, attracting people from all walks of life and of all ages. The life, experiences and identities that are created around the chessboard serve as a cultural melting pot and a source for ideas and identities. As such, the cultural promotion of chess should be developed further and the game should seek to connect more with arts and sciences. 5. Innovation and Technology Chess was the first sport and the ultimate testing field where human and machine intelligence squared off. The rapid progress of development and use of Artificial Intelligence in work and daily life is already having a large impact on the world and is likely to produce profound changes in the way we live our lives. Chess has already experienced this through the rise of the chess engines but AI brings new possibilities which the chess world should explore and seek to adapt to its needs – from AI-driven platforms providing personalized coaching and insights to players, to interactive learning, virtual-reality experiences, community building, to anti-cheating detection. 6. Inclusivity and Diversity While the chess world has largely been in step with championing gender and identity equality and respect, this topic needs to always be at the forefront of any agenda or policy in the chess world. From getting more women to play chess and stay in the game professionally, to events for people with disabilities – chess must be a game for all, regardless of their age, abilities and background. 7. Environmental Responsibility Chess events and chess players should contribute towards being responsible for the environment by promoting and practising environmentally friendly practices and values. FIDE activities – including tournaments and events – should be environmentally friendly, seek to highlight the importance of protecting the environment and aim to lower the carbon footprint. 8. Global Awareness Use the popularity of chess and interest in the game to raise awareness of important global social and environmental issues and challenges such as climate change and encourage the chess community to take an active role in addressing these issues. 9. Strengthening of Governance and Ethics As a growing international organization, FIDE should always seek to uphold the highest standards of governance, transparency and ethical behavior. This includes developing and maintaining a high standard of anti-cheating measures but also includes actively advocating ethical values and behavior. 10. Social Impact In recent years, FIDE has spearheaded social initiatives aimed at helping and empowering those in need – from the Chess for Refugees program to Chess in Prison and projects focusing on mental health, among others. FIDE and the chess world should seek to actively develop, support and engage in similar projects which benefit society, at any level. The chess world should use its voice and reach to drive change for the better in society. Commitment to the Future As we celebrate the past, we look towards the future with hope and faith that chess can be a force for good in the world and a source of inspiration for people across the globe. FIDE PresidentArkady Dvorkovich President of the Argentina Chess FederationMario Petrucci President of the Royal Belgian Chess FederationLaurent Wery President of the Chess Federation of CanadaVlado Drkulec Delegate and International Director of English Chess FederationMalcolm Pein Delegate of the Royal Dutch Chess FederationVincent Geeraets Representative of the Finnish Chess FederationJouni Lehtivaara President of the French Chess FederationEloi Relange President of the Hungarian Chess FederationZoltan Polyanszky-Tamasi President of the Italian Chess FederationLuigi Maggi President of the Polish Chess FederationRadoslaw Jedynak President of the Romanian Chess FederationVlad
Happy International Chess Day!
Today, on International Chess Day, we celebrate a century since the establishment of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs – FIDE, which took place here, in Paris, in 1924. During the past 100 years, FIDE has sought to safeguard, develop, and promote chess. From standardizing the game rules and tournament regulations to introducing the rating system, awarding titles, and organizing new events and competitions, FIDE has always been at the forefront of the chess world. As we look towards the future, we should reflect on the remarkable journey of chess over the past 100 years, celebrated globally this year with the FIDE100 project. We honor the famous players and coaches and the remarkable individuals who helped build FIDE and unite the chess world. Thanks to their efforts, chess is now played by millions of people worldwide – from enthusiasts to professionals, both online and over the board, all sharing a passion for the game. The achievements of the past century inspire us to aim higher and push harder to ensure that chess continues to thrive for generations to come. May the next 100 years of FIDE bring more success for chess and even more chess to the world. Let us always remember and live by our motto: Gens Una Sumus – We Are One Family. And finally – to celebrate International Chess Day, today we are organizing the Guinness World Records attempt – for most games played online and over the board in 24 hours. I hope you will join us and enjoy! FIDE PresidentArkady Dvorkovich You can find the video of this congratulatory speech on the FIDE YouTube Channel.
Pawel Sowinski triumphs in Slovakia Chess Open
Slovakia Chess Open 2024 concluded in Piestany. Held with financial support from the FIDE Aid Package, the chess festival featured two tournaments Open A and Open B running from July 09-17. Both competitions, 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control, attracted about 200 players representing 19 national federations. The Open A tournament saw a minor sensation as the 17th seed, 14-year-old FM Pawel Sowinski of Poland (pictured below, right), navigated a strong field to score an impressive 7/9. The second seed, Tomas Laurusas, also netted 7/9 but finished runner-up due to the inferior Buchholz tiebreaker. Both finished the event unbeaten, picking up 25 and 8 rating points, respectively. A large group of players tied for the third position with another youngster, Ilamparthi A R of India, completing the podium. Final standings Open A 1 FM Sowinski, Pawel POL 2433 7 2 GM Laurusas, Tomas LTU 2563 7 3 IM Ilamparthi, A R IND 2434 6½ 4 GM Shyam, Sundar M. IND 2493 6½ 5 GM Demchenko, Anton SLO 2609 6½ 6 GM Aczel, Gergely HUN 2498 6½ 7 IM Moksh, Amit Doshi IND 2368 6½ 8 IM Haring, Filip SVK 2497 6½ 9 IM Aradhya, Garg IND 2418 6 10 IM Hrbek, Stepan CZE 2402 6 Complete final standings Open A Complete finals standings Open B Photos: Slovakia Chess Open Facebook Official website: slovakiachessopen.sk/piestany_2024/
FIDE Celebrates Centenary with FIDE100 Awards
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) proudly announces a series of awards to honor those who have made exceptional contributions to the world of chess in the past 100 years The aim of the FIDE100 awards is to recognize individuals and organizations who have significantly impacted the development and promotion of chess globally over the past century. The FIDE 100 Awards are aimed at different members of the chess community – players, arbiters, organizers, photographers, journalists, project leaders, authors, educators and others. By recognizing these contributions, FIDE wants to continue to support excellence and promote the cultural and intellectual values of chess worldwide. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said: “As we celebrate our centennial, we wanted to give recognition to those who have made chess what it is today and what it represents for the future. We hope that these awards will inspire future generations to take up chess and bring the game to new heights.” The awards are given in 19 categories. Each category has a specified nomination and voting criteria. Where applicable, nomination submissions can be made on the official website. The deadline for nominations is August 15, midnight, CET. The awards will be presented in the following categories: Best Male Player Best Female Player Best Male Arbiter Best Female Arbiter FIDE Trainers’ 100 Years Award (male) FIDE Trainers’ 100 Years Award (female) Best Male Team Best Female Team Best Social Media Influencer Best Chess Journalist The Most Memorable FIDE Chess Tournament The Most Memorable Private Chess Tournament FIDE Book – 100 Years Best Photographer Best Educator Chess Social Impact Advocate for Women in Chess Inclusivity Presidential Award Each category has specific qualification criteria, nomination procedures, and selection processes. While some recipients will be chosen by a distinguished panel of chess grandmasters, historians, and educators, others will be determined through public voting. Self-nominations or nominations by national federations are open in several categories. They are: Best Chess Journalist 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-best-chess-journalist/ Best Photographer 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-best-photographer/ Best Educator 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-best-educator/ Chess Social Impact 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-chess-social-impact/ Advocate for Women in Chess 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-advocate-for-women-in-chess/ Besides, the best male and female players of all time will be chosen by a public vote. Voting for your favorite player is open via the following links: Best Male Player 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-best-male-player/ Best Female Player 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024-best-female-player/ The winners of the FIDE 100 Awards will be announced during the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024. For more information about the FIDE100 Awards and to submit nominations, please visit 100.fide.com/fide-awards-2024/.
FIDE World Championships 2026: Call for bids
FIDE Events Commission announces “Call for Bids FIDE World Championships 2026” and invites FIDE member federations to participate. The bid deadline is September 15, 2024, 15:00 CET. There are eight competitions on the list: World Youth U14, U16, U18 Championships World Junior U20 Chess Championships World Cadet & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships World Schools Team Chess Championships World Senior Chess Championships (50+, 65+ Individual) World Senior Team Chess Championships (50+, 65+) World Amateur Chess Championships World Disabled Chess Championships Dear bidders, you can find more details about the procedure including the Bid, Bid Form, Bid Form Annex, and Deposit Fees, HERE.
Belgian Championship: Daniel Dardha wins fourth title
GM Daniel Dardha emerged victorious in the 2024 Belgian Championship, capturing his fourth national title. The 2024 Belgian Championship, which included an invitational 10-player round-robin (expert tournament) and an open tournament, took place in the large refectory of the Sint-Gummarus College in Liege from July 06-13. The 18-year-old Dardha confirmed his status as a pre-tournament favorite to win the expert event, but it was a very close race with IM Stefan Beukema that came down to the wire. Going into the final round, Dardha and Beukema shared the lead with 6.5/8 each. Stefan made a quick draw with IM Steven Geirnaert, while Daniel jumped on this opportunity and defeated IM Alexander Alienkin with black pieces to clinch the title. The champion and the runner-up became the only unbeaten players in the event. Mher Hovhannisyan and Sim Maerevoet scored 5.5/9 and tied for third place, with the former completing the podium thanks to better tiebreak. Final standings: 1 GM Dardha, Daniel 2629 7½ 2 IM Beukema, Stefan 2411 7 3 GM Hovhannisyan, Mher 2405 5½ 4 IM Maerevoet, Sim 2436 5½ 5 IM Alienkin, Aleksander 2331 5 6 IM Geirnaert, Steven 2438 4 7 GM Dgebuadze, Alexandre 2442 4 8 FM De Waele, Warre 2365 3 9 Ruzhansky, Elias 2242 2 10 FM Dreelinck, Jacob 2310 1½ Photos: official website Official website: bk.schaakliga-antwerpen.be/en/main-event/
2024 SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia: Caruana rules supreme
Fabiano Caruana clinched the 2024 SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia title with a dominant performance, securing victory with five rounds to spare. Going into the blitz segment with a comfortable lead, Fabiano continued his hot run and matched Magnus Carlsen’s record by scoring 27 points. The American GM took the top position in the GCT overall standings, overtaking Alireza Firouzja. With Caruana dominating the field, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Alireza Firouzja battled for second place and ended up scoring 23 points and earning a $25,000 prize each. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Levon Aronian had good moments throughout the event, but their inconsistent performances in the blitz segment did not allow them to climb higher. Gukesh D, Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi, and Ivan Saric finished at the bottom. Up next, the 2024 U.S. Juniors & Senior Championships from July 16–26. All three tournaments are by invitation-only to showcase America’s past and upcoming chess phenoms. The expert commentary team of GM’s Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze will call the action live and provide game analysis daily online starting at 1:20 p.m. CT on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels. Photos: Lennart Ootes Official website: grandchesstour.org/
Warmerdam and Keetman win Dutch Championship
Max Warmerdam and Maaike Keetman are the new Dutch chess champions. The Dutch Chess Championships took place from July 6-13, 2024, at the Galgewaard football stadium in Utrecht. Both the open and women’s sections were 16-player knockout tournaments running simultaneously. Each match consisted of two classical games, with 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes to the end of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1, followed by a tiebreak in cases of a tie. Unfortunately, the defending champion Anish Giri and the last year runner-up Jorden van Foreest opted not to participate in the open event. Still the field was a good mix of young and experienced players featuring Jan Timman, Erwin L’Ami, Ivan Sokolov, Sergei Tiviakov and Max Warmerdam. Varmerdam advanced steadily into the final, convincingly defeating Liam Vrolijk, Leandro Slagboom and Benjamin Bok. Sergei Tiviakov’s path to the match for the national title was a hard-fought one, overcoming Erwin L’Ami and Ivan Sokolov in tiebreaks during the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. The first game of the final was the decisive one. Warmerdam prevailed on the black side of the Sicilian Defense and took the lead. The second game became a formality – a short draw was agreed securing the second national title for Max Warmerdam. Without the defending champion and Dutch #1 woman Eline Roebers, five-time national women’s champion WGM Anne Haast and WFM Maaike Keetman cruised through the bracket to the final, needing no tiebreak. In a surprising turn of events, the final was a one-side battle, with the lower-rated Maaike Keetman winning both classical games to capture her maiden title. Photos: Harry Gielen Official website: nk.schaken.nl/
SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia: Caruana wins rapid
Fabiano Caruana scored three straight victories on the final day of rapid and extended his lead over Wesley So to three points, going to the blitz segment of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia. Wesley delivered a solid performance netting 4/6, while Levon Aronian, who drew with So in Round 7, defeated Anish Giri and Gukesh D and climbed to third position. Round 7 In the key game of the round Fabiano Caruana comfortable equalized on the black side of Ragozin against Gukesh D but a single miss turned his position from fine to losing one. Gukesh D – Fabiano Caruana Fabiano just played 32…a5 which was met with 33. a4! White got rid of his a2-weakness and emerged clearly better thanks to his extra pawn in the center. However, the young Indian first threw his advantage away and then completely misplayed an equal position and eventually lost. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave defeated Vidit Gujrathi, while Alireza Firouzja beat the home player Ivan Saric. Round 8 The leader did not get much out of the opening with white against Anish Giri, but the Dutchman’s decision to break through in the center with d6-d5 was refuted by Fabiano in a clinical fashion. Facing Gukesh D, Levon Aronian ventured upon a queen sacrifice frowned upon by chess engines, but it eventually worked out very well for him as his opponent did not demonstrate necessary accuracy. Vidit Gujrathi scored his first victory in the event over one of the leaders Alireza Firouzja after the Frenchman bungled an overwhelming position. Alireza Firouzja – Vidit Gujrathi After 36. Rf6+ Kg5 37. Bf7 Black is hopeless. Instead, Alireza played 36. e6? throwing most of his advantage. His troubles did not end there: 36…Rb3+ 37. Ke2 Rf3, Firouzja made another mistake 38. Rd1? Which proved to be the decisive one after precise 38…Kf6! | 0-1, 48 moves Ivan Saric got a dangerous attack against Wesley So but spoiled it with several mistakes and capitulated on move 42. Round 9 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave went wrong in a topical line of Ruy Lopez against Fabiano Caruana and lost a pawn without compensation. Fabiano committed an inaccuracy at some point but eventually he converted his extra material. Levon Aronian scored his second straight victory after outplaying Anish Giri in a complicated middlegame. Ian Nepomniachtchi bested Vidit after the Indian went for an erroneous rook sacrifice in a much better attacking position. Vidit Gujrathi – Ian Nepomniachtchi After 28. Rh4 a5 29. c4 White has a dangerous pressure. Vidit however played 28. Rxf6?? Apparently missing that after 28…Rxf6 the planned 29. Rxf6, with the idea of 29…gxf6 30 Bxf6 checkmate, fails to 29…Nxd5! As a result White had to play 29. Bxf6, but resigned just three moves later. Day 4 of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia continues Saturday, July 13th, with live commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko, and IM Jovanka Houska, and starting at 8:00 AM CDT. Tune in to the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Twitch & YouTube channels. Photos: Lennart Ootes Official website: grandchesstour.org/