New FIDE Rating and Title Regulations come into effect
The new FIDE Rating and Title Regulations were approved by the FIDE Council meeting on December 14, 2023. Early in 2023, the Qualifications Commission (QC) initiated a review of the FIDE rating regulations, inviting federations, officials and the public to contribute their thoughts and suggestions. The review was prompted by feedback from professional players and FIDE officials, highlighting a rating deflation resulting from prior changes in the rating system. A dedicated working group, comprising Aleksandr Moiseenko (GM), Pavel Tregubov (General Strategy Commission), Nick Faulks (QC), Vladimir Kukaev (Ratings Office) and Sabrina de San Vicente (QC), worked together with mathematician Jeff Sonas on reforming the existing rating system. Sonas is a professional database consultant and owner of Sonas Consulting, who has consulted FIDE’s Qualifications Commission on issues regarding the Elo rating system since 2009. The proposed concept was shared with the public in July of 2023, seeking feedback and suggestions for improving FIDE ratings. Over 150 comments were received, all of which have been analyzed and reviewed by Jeff Sonas (see Compression and Calculation Improvements: Supplemental Report by Jeff Sonas). Following a thorough review of the received suggestions and proposals, the QC came forward with a set of new regulations regarding ratings. The recommendations included the following: 1. A one-off change to Standard Ratings for rated players: For players with a standard rating lower than 2000 points, an increase will be applied following the formula (0.40) x (2000 – Rating). Players with a standard rating of 2000 or more will retain their current rating. 2. Changes in the rating floor: An increase in the rating floor from 1000 to 1400. 3. Changes in the initial rating: a. Unrated players achieving a plus score against rated opponents will have their initial rating calculated based on the performance rating derived from their percentage score, not by simply multiplying the plus score by (K/2). The maximum initial rating attainable via this method will not exceed 2200. b. Modification of the initial ratings formula for unrated players to include two hypothetical opponents rated 1800, with the result of these two games considered as a draw. 4. The 400-points rule: A difference in rating of more than 400 points shall be counted for rating purposes as though it were a difference of 400 points, with no restrictions on how many times it can be applied during a single tournament, thus restoring it to the pre-2022 state. The QC proposal recommended applying these same changes to both Standard and Rapid & Blitz Ratings Regulations. The proposals were deliberated and approved by the FIDE Council meeting on December 14, 2023. The new FIDE Title Regulations are effective from January 1, 2024. The new FIDE Rating Regulations come into force from March 1, 2024. FIDE Title Regulations FIDE Title Regulations effective from 1 January 2024 Table for Direct Titles effective from 1 January 2024 FIDE rating Regulations FIDE Rating Regulations effective from 1 March 2024 FIDE Rapid and Blitz Rating Regulations effective from 1 March 2024
FIDE100 celebrations start with lecture on Folke Rogard
In 2024, the International Chess Federation will celebrate its 100th anniversary. As part of the celebrations throughout the year 2024, FIDE, chess organisers and national federations are planning numerous activities, including chess festivals, exhibitions, tournaments, and others under the umbrella of #FIDE100. Some are historical, and others focus more on today’s chess and how our game should develop in the future. One of the first was the lecture about the former FIDE president Folke Rogard, which took place at the Rilton Cup 2023-24 at Scandic Continental on December 30. Almost 30 spectators – in addition to some attending on Zoom – listened to Henrik Malm Lindberg and Arne Johansson, who spoke about the life and achievements of Folke Rogard. Rogard (1899-1973) was a celebrity lawyer who took on several high-profile legal cases and often appeared on the front pages of Swedish newspapers. In addition to his professional activities, chess was a passion which he pursued, especially in his student years. After a break from chess during the early years of his career, he made his return in connection with the 1937 Chess Olympiad in Stockholm. Folke Rogard was asked to be responsible for the players’ and leaders’ accommodation and activities outside the tournament. He did this so brilliantly that FIDE wanted to give him international assignments. After World War II, the tension between the US and Soviet superpowers was high, both in the real and chess world, and FIDE realised that it needed a president from a neutral country with diplomatic qualities. The choice fell on Folke Rogard. During the difficult years 1949 – 1970, the so-called “Cold War”, he led the organisation. During the lecture, Malm Lindberg gave a detailed account of all the difficult situations Rogard faced trying to reconcile two superpowers. For the audience, it was like an intricate thriller as they learnt about all the situations Rogard had to deal with. He put a lot of time and effort into getting China in, and perhaps he realised the potential in the country. After two unsuccessful attempts, including an elephant incursion by the Belgian Pierre Dierman, he succeeded in getting the People’s Republic of China to join in the summer of 1966. But around this time, the Cultural Revolution began in China, which had devastating consequences for sports and cultural exchange with the outside world. China became an extremely passive member, and three years later, in 1960, the China Chess Association announced that China was withdrawing from the International Chess Federation. Then, it took six years before China rejoined after the Cultural Revolution was over. FIDE encourages all the organisers and federations to plan their events under the umbrella of #FIDE100. To have your activities included in the program of the FIDE 100-year celebration and to get the #FIDE100 logo kit, please send a brief information about your event (title, place, dates, format, expected number of participants, organiser, draft regulations, and other relevant information) to fide100@fide.com.
FIDE January 2024 rating list: Firouzja and Koneru qualify for Candidates
December was mainly about the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships and the qualification spots for the Candidates, so there have been slight but no significant changes at the top. Fabiano Caruana, who had a great run in 2023, returned to 2800+ following his strong showing at the 2023 GCT Sinquefield Cup. Leinier Dominguez Perez, who also did an excellent job in Saint Louis, made his way into the top 10. Alireza Firouzja lost quite a few rating points in this competition but partly compensated for them by winning the 15eme Open International d’Echecs de Rouen. It allowed Alireza to preserve his sixth position in the rating list and qualify for the Candidates 2024. Humpy Koneru also made her way into the Candidates grabbing the rating spot as Hou Yifan did not play enough games in 2023. Biggest rating gains in top 100 Open and Women Niemann, Hans Moke USA 2692 (+25) Narayanan S L IND 2694 (+17) Aravindh, Chithambaram IND 2662 (+16) Socko, Monika POL 2410 (+14) Eljanov, Pavel UKR 2704 (+13) Sargsyan, Anna ARM 2377 (+13) Adams, Michael ENG 2674 (+13) Wei, Yi CHN 2740 (+11) Erigaisi Arjun IND 2738 (+11) Hans Moke Niemann won this nomination thanks to his stellar performance in the Tournament of Piece 2023, translating into 27.5 rating points. Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan (pictured below) emerged as the winner of a very strong open tournament, Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona), and came close to the 2700 mark. The native of Kerala debuted in the top 50 open. His compatriot Chithambaram Aravindh achieved good results at the above-mentioned Sant Boi de Llobregat and X Chessable Sunway Sitges International Festival and earned 16 points. Arjun Erigaisi tied for first place in the Chennai Masters with Gukesh D and picked 11 points, but in terms of rating, Pavel Eljanov did even better, collecting 13 points and returning to the 2700+ elite group. Monica Socko delivered two good performances in the Poland vs Rest of the World match and Bundesliga that brought her 13 rating points. Ageless Michael Adams shone on his home turf in the London Chess Classic 2023. The English GM won the title and increased his rating by 13 points. The recently concluded World Rapid and Blitz Championship brought about substantial shifts in the Rapid and Blitz rating lists. Vladimir Fedoseev (+13 points), Yu Yangyi (+19), Arjun Erigaisi (+17), Daniel Dardha (+24), Pouya Idani (+29), Ivan Cheparinov (+20), Dmitry Andreikin (+15), Volodar Murzin (+39) and Bharath Subramaniyam (+52) significantly improved their positions in the Rapid Open. Daniil Dubov (+30), Aleksandar Indjic (+38), Daneshvar Bardiya (+44), Aravindh Chithambaram (+37), Volodar Murzin (+50), Alexander Rakhmanov (+55), Denis Makhnev (+54), Alexey Grebnev (+47) and Artem Uskov (+68) became the primary rating beneficiaries of the World Blitz Championship. Anastasia Bodnaruk created a major sensation at the WRB 2023. Being outside of the top 100 Women Rapid before the start, she won the women’s rapid event and earned 45 rating points. The biggest gains in the entire competition belong to young Sahithi Varshini (pictured below; +191 – Women Rapid) and Velpula Sarayu (+264 – Women Blitz). The laurels of the best overperformers by the sum of rapid and blitz tournaments go to Ediz Gurel (rapid +108; blitz +106), Mukhammadali Abdurakhmonov (rapid +94; blitz +142), Timur Yonal (rapid +162; blitz +53), Sergey Sklokin (rapid +176; blitz +58), Xeniya Balabayeva (rapid +139; blitz +108), Leya Garifullina (rapid + 48; blitz +106) Alua Nurmanova (rapid +47; blitz +113) and Rakshitta Ravi (rapid +158; blitz +40). Photos: Anna Shtourman, Anastasia Korolkova, Lennart Ootes, londonchessclassic.com, elllobregat.com/openchess
Kwabena Adu-Poku and Gertrude Banini win Ghanaian Championship 2023
The 2023 Ghana National Chess Championship Finals, two 10-player round-robin tournaments (Open and Ladies sections), were held over five days from December 26-30 at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra. The top 5 highest rated players in both sections, as well as the top 5 finishers in the first Phase (Qualifiers), which was held from December 1 – 3, participated in the competitions. Open Section The top seed and defending champion, CM Kwabena Adu-Poku, put up a great performance, scoring 7/9 and winning his third straight national title. Multiple-time national Champion FM John Hasford finished in second place, half a point behind (6.5/9), and became the only participant to defeat the champion. Clinton Cephas Fomevor clinched the bronze with 5.5 points. IM Francis Anquandah and Bernard Anhwere and rising star Daniel Frempong-Smart tied for fourth place with the first two qualifying for the national chess team (the Golden Knights) thanks to better scores in direct encounters. Final standings Ladies Section It was a fairy tale ending in the ladies’ category as newcomer Gertrude Banini delivered a remarkable performance, netting 8 out of 9 points and emerging National Women’s Champion ahead of Zone 4.2 women’s Champion Maud Benson and 5-time National Women’s Champion WCM Tobi Felix. Zonal champion Maud finished half a point behind the champion to take second place, while the 5-time National champion Tobi clinched bronze with 6.5 points. Final standings The Golden Knights The top 5 players in both the open and ladies’ sections earn a spot on the Ghana National Chess Team (The Golden Knights) and get to represent Ghana at the 45th World Chess Olympiad and the 13th African Games. By Maxwell Kwasi Kporxah, Ghana Chess Association
FIDE Circuit: Gukesh qualifies for Candidates 2024
Dommaraju Gukesh qualified for the FIDE Candidates 2024 through FIDE Circuit. The 17-year-old native of Chennai preserved the second position in the standings after his main competitors, Anish Giri and Arjun Erigaisi did not manage to improve their score in the last point-heavy event of the year, the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Fabiano Caruana secured his landslide victory in the FIDE Circuit in early December, but the American GM punched his ticket to the Candidates 2024 back in the summer after taking third place in the FIDE World Cup. Born on May 29, 2006, Gikesh will be the second-youngest participant of Candidates, behind only Robert Fischer, who took part in the 1959 Candidates aged 16. Gikesh joined his compatriots Praggnanandhaa R (a World Cup finalist) and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (the winner of FIDE Grand Swiss), who qualified for the Candidates 2024 earlier this year. For the first time in history, three Indian players will compete in the Candidates. You can find the complete FIDE Circuit standings on wcc.fide.com/fide_circuit.phtml Photo: Stev Bonhage
Kenyan Championship 2023: Joseph Methu and Sasha Mongeli win titles
Joseph Methu and Sasha Mongeli emerged as the winners of the Kenya Championship, which just concluded at City Hall, Nairobi. A five-day hotly contested event attracted the finest players in the country, battling for the top prize on offer, a car. There are also cash prizes to 25 winners of various categories, including PWD. Methu, a scientist by profession, completed the tournament undefeated, scoring an impressive 8.5/9 points. Methu has been one of the top national players and, for some time, was the highest-rated player. However, the national champion title eluded him until his star rose this year. Elvis Likoko of Equity Bank came second ahead of defending champion Gohil Méhul of Nairobi Chess Club, all tied up with 8 points. Methu has an impressive record dating back to 2015, when he became the national rapid champion. He also won the Kenya Open National Tournament in 2018 A member of the KCB Chess Club since November 2014, Methu represented the club in Egypt during an inter-club championship held in 2017. The first Kenyan IM, he qualified for the national team three times to participate in the World Olympiad in 2016 in Baku, Azerbaijan, 2018 in Batumi and 2023 in Chennai, India. “When I started chess, I was crushed year in and year out. Only three players in Kenya recognized my potential: Mehul (a very dynamic player and possibly of IM strength), FM Steve(my training partner) and a very good friend, Andiwoh. I would like to thank these three guys for their help, plus my hard work. I train really hard, especially tactical-wise,” said Methu. Final standings Open In the ladies’ section, WFM Sasha Mongeli regained her title, winning all nine games. She finished a full point ahead of defending champion Joyce Nyaruai of KCB. Madelta Glenda of Equity Bank closed the podium with 6.5 points. Sasha, who plays for Nakuru Chess Club, was the champion in 2021 and is currently the highest-rated female player in Kenya. Final standings Women
2023 World Blitz Chess Champions: Magnus Carlsen and Valentina Gunina
The 2023 World Blitz Chess Championships concluded in a thrilling climax, with Magnus Carlsen capturing his seventh World Blitz title, marking his 17th World Crown. In the Women’s tournament, Valentina Gunina was unstoppable as she claimed her second Blitz title. Carlsen finished the Open Blitz with 16 points scored in 21 games. Daniil Dubov came in second, just half a point behind Carlsen. Vladislav Artemiev – the leader of day one and led for most of the second day of the Blitz – finished third on 15 points. Valentina Gunina dominated the Women’s Blitz tournament, netting 14 points out of 17 games. The former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk won second place (13.5), while China’s Zhu Jiner was third (12.5). In the press conference after the games, the fatigue was evident for both winners. “Honestly, I just feel very tired at the moment,” Carlsen said, adding that “the feeling of happiness will come later”. Valentina Gunina – who could not hold her emotions back after she won her last game in the Blitz – agreed with Carlsen. This triumph marks a double-double for Carlsen, mirroring his feat in the previous edition of the WRB in 2022 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he also claimed victory in both categories. “I am very satisfied with the performance and especially the results,” Carlsen added. The awards ceremony was held at the prestigious Silk Road Samarkand hotel complex. Magnus Carlsen, visibly fatigued from an intense five-day competition comprising 34 gruelling games, got up to the stage, his trademark devilish smile on display, and received both championship cups—his record fifth victory in the World Rapid and a historic seventh triumph in the Blitz. The event was closed with the famous hit by The Queen, “We Are The Champions”, performed by a children’s quire. Here follows a closer look at how the final day of the World Blitz Chess Championships unfolded. The Open Blitz The day started with round 13, which proved to be ominous for the defending Champion, Magnus Carlsen, as he lost to Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Playing the Sicilian, Carlsen allowed his opponent to win a pawn. The Norwegian tried to complicate things by pushing his knight towards White’s ranks, but the 2021 World Blitz Champion, MVL, responded with a timely exchange sacrifice to enter a comfortable, dominating position and cruised to victory, advancing on the queenside. This would be Carlsen’s only defeat in the Blitz. But Carlsen then made a strong comeback, winning six games in a row. Despite winning the tournament, Carlsen emerged as the leader only in round 18. Until then, the leader was Vladislav Artemiev, who dominated from day one. Artemiev made just one slip in the whole tournament – on the second day, in round 18, losing to Serbian GM Aleksandar Indjic (who is a surprise of the tournament, defeating top GMs and finishing in ninth place, ahead of Duda, Rapport, Caruana, Yu and many other well-known players!). However, that loss allowed Carlsen to take the lead, and Artemiev just couldn’t catch up, making one victory and two draws in the final rounds. Daniil Dubov, who finished in second place, with just half a point behind Carlsen, must be wondering: was his “dance with the knights” in the game against Nepomniachtchi on day one (which was ruled by the arbiters as prearranged) worth the half a point that was deducted, as he only needed (that) half a point to share first place and go into tiebreaks with Carlsen? Despite this incident from day one, Dubov continued strongly on day two and deservedly won second place. The final standings of the Open World Blitz can be found HERE. The Women’s Blitz The Women’s Blitz saw two leading players follow one another step in step after every round of day two until the very end. Yesterday’s tournament leader, Valentina Gunina, started the day 1.5 points ahead of the rest. She continued her dominant play and maintained the top position until the end of the tournament, losing just one game – to Zhu Jiner, who finished third. In the critical game of round 16, Gunina defeated the Women’s World Champion in classical chess, Ju Wenjun and entered the final round as the sole leader, with half a point of advantage. In round 17, Gunina was playing as White against Anna Muzychuk, the two-time Women’s World Blitz champion. In the Gruenfeld, Gunina emerged better from the opening and commanded the position throughout, finishing with a victory which also secured her first place. This is the second Blitz crown for Gunina, who first won it in 2012. In every round, Gunina was closely followed by former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. With three draws and five victories on the second day, Kosteniuk finished in second place with 13.5 points. She did her best to catch up with the leader. However, the advantage Gunina had (including the victory over Kosteniuk in their direct duel on day one) turned out to be too far to reach. China’s Zhu Jiner finished third, with 12.5 points, winning seven out of eight games on the second day of the Blitz. The 2021 and 2022 Women’s World Blitz Champion, Bibisara Assaubayeva, finished in sixth place, leading the group of nine players with 11 points. The final standings of the Women’s World Blitz can be found HERE. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anastasia Korolkova, Lennart Ootes, Maria Emelianova About the event The World Rapid and Blitz is one of the most exciting and most watched chess events in the world, attracting the strongest Grandmasters. The prize fund for this year was one million US dollars, with $700,000 for the Open and $300,000 for the Women’s tournaments. The event took place from December 25 to December 30 at the Samarkand Congress Center. OFFICIAL PARTNERS: Freedom Shapagat Corporate Fund Freedom Holding Corp. promotes responsible business and contributes notably to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by channeling its sponsorship and philanthropic activities through “Freedom Shapagat” Corporate Fund. The Fund advocates for social opportunity, supports research
World Blitz Championship 2023 starts in Samarkand
The World Blitz Chess Championship kicked off with steam in Samarkand, with 12 rounds played in the Open and nine rounds in the Women’s tournament. Daniil Dubov and Ian Nepomniachtchi were penalized for a prearranged draw in round eleven After 12 rounds in the Open, six players are in the lead, with Vladislav Artemiev topping first place. With eight victories and one draw, Valentina Gunina is the sole leader in the Women’s Blitz, a point and a half ahead of a group of five players sharing 2-6th place. There was a delay in publishing the results of round 12 and pairings for round 13 for the Open tournament, following a dispute over a game between Grandmasters Daniil Dubov and Ian Nepomniachtchi from round 11. The disputed game between Dubov and Nepomniachtchi and FIDE’s decision In round 11, Daniil Dubov was playing as White against Ian Nepomniachtchi. The game in question lasted 13 moves: 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.Nd4 Nd5 3.Nb3 Nb6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Ne4 Ne5 6.Ng5 Ng4 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.Ng1 Ng8 9.Nc5 Nc4 10.Na4 Na5 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Nb1 Nb8, and they agreed on a draw in the following position: The arbiters analyzed the moves, and, after round 12, the Chief Arbiter of the tournament, Ivan Syrovy, made the decision to reduce the points both players scored in the game. Reasoning his decision, Chief Arbiter Syrovy said: “In my eyes both players are responsible for it, I consider they prearranged the result of the game. My opinion is based on the moves they played”. Grandmasters Ian Nepomniachtchi and Daniil Dubov objected to the decision, prompting a referral to the Appeals Committee. A video which was published on Twitter appears to suggest the two grandmasters discussing the prearranged draw. Late in the evening of December 29th to 30th, local time in Samarkand, the Appeals Committee unanimously voted (3/3) to reject Ian Nepomniachtchi’s appeal and uphold the decision made by the arbiter, Ivan Syrovy. The full document can be found HERE. Before the above case, there was an appeal after the sixth round by American Andrew Hong who lost to Yu Yangyi from China. Hong lost on time but claimed that the clock was not working properly when he pressed it. The Appeals Committee examined the clock and did not find any evidence of malfunctioning. The Committee ruled that GM Hong “did try to push the clock, but failed to do it properly and [the] clock’s position remained unchanged” and his appeal was rejected. This appeal delayed round seven for an hour. Here follows a report from the first day of the Blitz. The Open Blitz The first day of the Blitz in the Open tournament saw Vladislav Artemiev emerge as the main contender for the top place. He became the sole leader after defeating R Pragnanandhaa in round six. Round seven saw Artemiev having a tranquil draw with Magnus Carlsen, who trailed by half a point due to a draw in round two against the 300-points-lower-rated Jakhongir Vakhidov from Uzbekistan. A quick draw with Dubov followed in round eight. Subsequently, in round nine, Artemiev engaged in a gruelling battle against Ian Nepomniachtchi, resulting in yet another split point. At this juncture, Carlsen and Dubov caught up with Artemiev, all three sharing the lead with 7.5 points each. Then tragedy struck – Artemiev erred in the opening as Black against Sarin and was forced to defend a bad position, which he ultimately lost. In round 11, however, he made a comeback against Sjugirov to emerge as first among the tournament leaders again. In round twelve, Artemiev decided to slow down and made a quick draw with Erigaisi. Artemiev currently leads a group of seven players, including Dubov, defending Blitz Champion Carlsen, Nepomniachtchi, Vachier-Lagrave, and Indians Sarin and Erigaisi. It’s worth noting that if Dubov and Nepomniachtchi have half a point deducted each, per the Chief Arbiter’s decision, they will not be among the players sharing the top spot. Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen registered six draws and seven wins on the first day. In round 12, he faced Ian Nepomniachtchi, whom he defeated twice in the match for the World Champion title. Despite an intense game with both sides transitioning to an endgame while in time trouble, a crucial imprecision by Carlsen provided Nepomniachtchi with a significant opportunity, which he missed, resulting in an immediate draw. Anish Giri, aiming to secure a place in the 2024 Candidates, started strongly in the Blitz after a slow start in the Rapid. With five points after six rounds, he was among the second tier of players, trailing the leader by just one point. However, from round nine onwards, Giri encountered setbacks. His loss as White to Dubov in round nine due to a misplay in the middlegame significantly weakened his position. Although he had an advantage against Pragnanandhaa in round 10, he allowed it to slip into a draw. Rounds 11 and 12 ended in draws with Murzin and a loss to Aleksandr Shimanov, respectively, marking Giri’s second loss of the day with the white pieces. The Women’s Blitz Valentina Gunina, a one-time gold and two-time silver medalist in the World Blitz, made an impressive start in the Women’s tournament. Leading with 8.5/9 after day one, she replicated her previous performance from the Almaty 2022 World Blitz by securing the top spot on day one yet again. Gunina started with a remarkable streak of seven consecutive victories (including against the reigning Women’s Blitz Champion, Bibisara Assaubayeva) and became the sole leader from round six. Her first draw came in round eight with India’s Harika Dronavalli. At this stage, Anastasia Bodnaruk, fresh off her Women’s Rapid win, ascended to second place, trailing by just half a point with 7/8. Challenged in the final round of the day, Gunina clinched a decisive victory against Bodnaruk with the black pieces, finishing the day with 8.5/9, a point and a half ahead of her closest competition. Reflecting on her performance at the end of the first day, Gunina remarked: “I feel tired, but I
Fifth World Rapid Championship title for Magnus Carlsen
World #1 Magnus Carlsen has again made history by defending his title in the World Rapid. This is the fifth Rapid title for Carlsen, who also holds five world championship titles in Classical chess and six world titles in Blitz chess. Anastasia Bodnaruk has become the new Women’s World Rapid Champion With 10 points out of 13 games (with seven wins, six draws and no defeats), Magnus Carlsen emerged on top in a fierce competition of 150 strong players. His outstanding performance earned him not just the championship title but also the first prize of $60,000. From the tournament’s outset, Carlsen established his position as a frontrunner. By round ten, he emerged as the sole leader, maintaining a half-point advantage over all competitors. He ultimately claimed the title with a draw in the final round, facing off against R Praggnanandhaa, one of India’s highly regarded talents. “It feels great. I thought the key moment was the first game [today] against Fedoseev… he was the only one who could catch me. “Sometimes I was playing my games a little bit too safe, but I don’t think I was really in trouble [in this tournament]”. Asked if he sometimes feels as living the movie Groundhog Day, given the number of times he has won world championships in various categories, Carlsen replied – “I’m happy with that comparison… Hopefully, it will be Groundhog Day next time as well”. Carlsen named Vladimir Fedoseev, whom he defeated in round ten while playing with the black pieces, as his most formidable opponent in the championship. Vladimir Fedoseev – who was trailing the Norwegian by half a point and had a chance in the final round to catch up – decided not to risk it and had a quick draw with Dmitry Andreikin. This tactical decision made things easier for Carlsen as it meant he just needed half a point to win the crown. The final ranking in the Open Rapid can be found HERE. Anastasia Bodnaruk is the new Women’s Rapid Champion This is the first rapid title for Bodnaruk, who defeated India’s Humpy Koneru by 2.5:1.5 in a tiebreaker match to secure first place and a prize of $40,000. “It’s hard to say how I’m feeling, but I’m very happy to have won this match,” Bodnaruk said in her immediate reaction. Bodnaruk started dominating the event on the second day when she emerged as the sole leader. On day three, she continued to maintain her lead, but with three draws in the final three rounds, she allowed two more players to share the top with her. With 8.5/11 Anastasia Bodnaruk, Lei Tingjie and Humpy Koneru (who was the winner of the 2019 Women’s World Rapid) were sharing 1st to third place. Thanks to better tiebreaks, Bodnaruk and Koneru went to the playoffs while Lei Tingjie finished third. In the Blitz tiebreak (with three minutes and a two-second bonification per move), Bodnaruk and Koneru had a fierce battle. The Indian player emerged victorious in the first game, winning as Black. She then lost the second game in the match after spoiling a much better position. According to regulations, if the two-game match is drawn, a single game shall be played with a time control of three minutes for each player and two seconds increment per move. If that game also ends in a draw, the players will continue to play, switching colours in each game, until one side wins. The third game ended in a dramatic draw. After a 10-minute break, it was time for the fourth and final game: Koneru had a solid position but ended in time trouble. In a rush, she misplayed her moves and ended up losing – handing over the victory to Anastasia Bodnaruk. The final ranking in the Women’s Rapid can be found HERE. Next in line is the World Blitz Championship which will take place on December 29 and December 30, at the same venue. Magnus Carlsen is defending the title in the Blitz, while Bibisara Assaubayeva is defending her title in the Women’s tournament. The first round of the Blitz Championships starts tomorrow, Friday, at 3PM local time in Samarkand. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anastasia Korolkova, Lennart Ootes, Maria Emelianova About the event: The World Rapid and Blitz is one of the most exciting and most watched chess events in the world, attracting the strongest Grandmasters. The prize fund totals one million US dollars, with $700,000 for the Open and $300,000 for the Women’s tournaments. The event is taking place from December 25 to December 30, at the Samarkand Congress Center. OFFICIAL PARTNERS: Freedom Shapagat Corporate Fund Freedom Holding Corp. promotes responsible business and contributes notably to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by channeling its sponsorship and philanthropic activities through “Freedom Shapagat” Corporate Fund. The Fund advocates for social opportunity, supports research and science, builds the capacity for positive impact, creates educational opportunities, and fosters cultural initiatives and sports.One of the Fund’s significant projects of responsible investment encouraging diversity, stability, and sustainability is the support of the International Sports Federation FIDE in organizing the World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2023 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The five-day tournament brings together the best chess players in the world who will compete for the title of Rapid and Blitz world champion. Participation of Kazakhstan players in this prestigious championship will allow to integrate our youth into the international chess community, to continue chess popularization efforts, and to support the growth of intellectual nation. Official website: freedomholdingcorp.com/ Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and specialized security solutions and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters
FIDE President meets with Uzbekistan sport authorities
A meeting between the Minister of Youth Policy and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan Adkham Ikramov, the first deputy minister, head of the Youth Affairs Agency, chairman of the Chess Federation Alisher Sadullayev and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, advisor to the FIDE President Berik Balgabaev was held on December 28, 2023 in the building of the Ministry of Youth Policy and Sports of Uzbekistan. During this productive conversation, the participants emphasized the extensive work on developing and promoting chess that is being carried out nowadays. The participants praised the state chess policy in Uzbekistan and the high level of the Rapid and Blitz World Championship currently underway in Samarkand. During the meeting, the parties agreed on deepening chess cooperation and accelerating work in this field and discussed future plans.