WRB 2023 Day 2: Carlsen, Yu, and Fedoseev lead Open; Bodnaruk shines in Women’s Rapid
The second day of the World Rapid Championships saw intense action, with Carlsen, Yu and Fedoseev emerging as leaders with seven points out of nine in the Open. In the Women’s event, Anastasia Bodnaruk’s stellar performance secured her the sole lead with seven out of eight points. Four rounds were played today in both the Open and the Women’s Rapid. In the Open tournament, Magnus Carlsen maintained his position among the leaders. Despite a strong start with a crucial win against Vidit, the Norwegian had to settle for draws in the remaining three games. He shares the lead with Yu Yangyi and Vladimir Fedoseev, all tallying seven points from nine games. Anastasia Bodnaruk stole the day in the women’s tournament. With a score of 3.5/4 – including victories over the two frontrunners from day one, Zhu Jiner and Salimova – she emerged as the sole leader, with seven points out of eight. Bodnaruk is trailed by two players, India’s Koneru Humpy and China’s Zhai Mo, who are on 6.5/8. The Open The day started well for Carlsen as he scored a critical victory against India’s Vidit Santos Gujrathi. Both sides were evenly matched for the most part, but in a knight endgame, Vidit’s nerves gave way – he blundered one pawn and then another, ending completely lost. After the game, Vidit – visibly shaken – was seen standing over the board for about a minute, wandering aimlessly into the distance. Things didn’t go Carlsen’s way in the remaining three games, where he drew with Erigaisi, Yu and Keymer. While the line played against Yu was sharp, the position was always even. The only real opportunity Carlsen had was in the final game of the day against Germany’s Vincent Keymer. Magnus managed to force an endgame where his white knight was stronger than Keymer’s dark-squared bishop, but – despite being significantly better on time – the Norwegian blundered and allowed Keymer to draw. China’s Yu Yangyi continued steadily – like Carlsen, he also scored 2.5/4, with three draws and one victory (over India’s Bharath). Yu was also lucky today, as he managed to save a lost position to Fedoseev in the ninth (last) round. Vladimir Fedoseev joined the leaders today after having a good run – scoring three consecutive wins (against Narayanan, Gareyev and Erigaisi). In round nine, Fedoseev had a golden opportunity to defeat Yu Yangyi and emerge as the sole leader in the Open. However, he misplayed a winning endgame and allowed the Chinese GM to escape with a draw. With a tight competition brewing, 13 players trail just half a point behind the leading trio in the Open tournament. The list includes very strong players such as Erigaisi, 2018 World Rapid winner Dubov, Vidit, Vachier-Lagrave, Radjabov, and Keymer, as well as Bulgarian Ivan Cheparinov, who continued his good run from day one. Among other heavyweights, Nepomniachtchi, Caruana and Aronian are on six points. Rapport – who had a good start on day one – finished the second day with 2/4 and has 5.5 points altogether. With four more rounds left, the stage is set for an unpredictable and thrilling final day in the Open section. The Women’s Tournament The second day of the Women’s tournament saw leaders changing in the last three rounds. The day started with a direct duel for first place between two frontrunners – Zhu Jiner and Nurgyul Salimova, in which the Chinese emerged victorious. In the following sixth round, China’s Zhai Mo – 29th in the ranking list – stunned her compatriot Zhu Jiner with an impressive victory in the Benko and overtook the lead. It was in this round that the seasoned Indian Koneru Humpy caught up with the top group by defeating Azerbaijan’s Gunay Mammadzada. In round seven, Koneru scored a splendid victory against Zhai Mo, propelling her to joint leadership alongside Zhu Jiner, who triumphed over Estonia’s Narva Mai, and Anastasia Bodnaruk, who also ascended to the top after defeating Nurgyul Salimova. In round eight, Anastasia Bodnaruk was playing with white pieces against Zhu Jiner. In a rare line of the Sicilian, Bodnaruk created a dominating position and won, becoming the sole leader of the tournament. In the same round, Humpy missed a crucial opportunity, letting slip the decisive advantage away against Lei Tingjie. Her victory would have placed her in a tie for first place with Bodnaruk. Instead, she is tied in 2-3rd place with Zhai Mo, with 6.5 points. Winners from day one, Zhu Jiner and Nurgyul Salimova, finished the second day with six points and are in a group of seven players with the same score, which includes Goryachkina, Garifullina, Lei, Lagno and Priyanka. The defending women’s rapid champion, Tan Zhongyi, is on 5.5 and will have to pick up speed if she wants to be in the race for the podium. As we approach the final day of the World Rapid Championships, neither the Open nor the Women’s category has a clear-cut leader. With four rounds left in the Open and three in the Women’s, the outcome remains uncertain, leaving the field wide open for dramatic twists and turns. 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
Action-packed start to World Rapid Championships in Samarkand
Intense battles and surprising results on the first day of the World Rapid championships, with 270 players vying for world titles in the Open and the Women’s tournament. The competition kicked off today with the Rapid tournament, showcasing some 270 players divided into the Open and Women’s sections, all battling for the prestigious title of world champion. Held at the grand Samarkand Congress Center, a spacious venue showcasing oriental architecture, the event is broadcast live on FIDE’s YouTube channel as well as all other top chess streaming platforms. Former world Champion Vishy Anand and WGM and chess journalist Anastasiya Karlovich are providing the live commentary. It is the first time Anand is commenting on the WRB. The tournament followed FIDE tradition with ceremonial first moves made on the top boards in both the Open and Women’s sections. Alisher Sadullayev, President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, made the inaugural move for the Open, while Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE, initiated the Women’s tournament. The Open The Open Rapid tournament, after its initial five rounds, has seen a captivating start. Notably, five exceptional players top the standings with 4.5 points each. Among them are Arjun Erigaisi, the 2022 champion of India, defending Rapid champion Magnus Carlsen, Yu Yangyi of China, Bulgaria’s Ivan Cheparinov and India’s Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. The defending World Rapid (and Blitz) Champion, Magnus Carlsen, began with a draw against significantly lower-rated Nikita Petrov from Montenegro, but he swiftly gained momentum, clinching victories in subsequent rounds, including a striking win over Parham Maghsoodloo, seizing his knight with a king in the top left corner of the board. Speaking for the Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Carlsen said: “My play is so-so, but my score is just great”. Bulgaria’s Ivan Cheparinov emerges as a surprise contender, as he is not ranked in the top 20. Opening strongly with three wins and a draw, Cheparinov ended the day with an impressive combination to score against Richard Rapport (who had shown remarkable form until that point, starting with three relatively quick victories but finishing the day with 3.5 points). However, not all top players started on a high note. Fabiano Caruana faced a mixed bag, securing his first win in round three, but stumbled in a complicated endgame against Pavel Ponkratov in the final round, finishing the day on three points. He is joined by Anish Giri, who also had a poor start, by losing a winning position against Klementy Sychev, who is 200+ points lower rated in Rapid. The performance in the World Rapid and Blitz has special importance for Giri as this is his last chance to qualify for the 2024 Candidates. One of the most exciting games of the first day was played between Conrad Holt from the US and one of the top seeds, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan. Despite getting the upper hand in the middlegame and approaching victory, Mamedyarov (playing as Black) blundered. In a very sharp position with both sides attacking, Black allowed an impressive combination on the board and ended up a piece down. Conrad Holt – Shakhriyar Mamedyarov In this mind-blowing position Shakhriyar could have maintained the balance with 30… Bxd7 31. Nxd7 exd2 32. Nf6+ Qxf6 33. Qxf6 Rxe1+ 34. Rxe1 dxe1=Q+ 35. Bxe1 Bg7 36. Qxc6 Rxb2 =. However he erred with 30…exd2? and after 31. dxe8=Q Qxe8 32. Rxe8 dxc1=Q+ 33. Kf2 Qg1+ 34. Kxg1 Nf3+ 35. Kf2 Nxd4 36. Bxd4 Bg7 37. Re7 Conrad emerged a piece up. 1-0 | 44 moves Vishi Anand called the game a “masterpiece”, adding “it may be a game of the year”. Mamedyarov, at 2.5 points out of five, finds himself in the lower ranks despite being the 12th highest-rated player in the event. With 12 players half a point behind the leaders – including the heavyweights Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Daniil Dubov – there is a lot of space for many surprises and twists, which come suddenly and often in rapid games. The Women’s tournament Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova and Zhu Jiner of China lead the pack with a maximum score of four points. They are closely followed by a group of six unexpected contenders, with India’s Rameshbabu Vaishali as the sole top-20-rated player among them. The first day in the Women’s Rapid saw a slow start from the reigning Rapid Champion, Tan Zhongyi, who scored her first victory only in the final, fourth round of the day, following three draws. The Women’s World Champion in classical chess, Ju Wenjun, as well as her challenger in the Match for the title earlier this year, Lei Tingjie, also underperformed, finishing the day with 2/5 out of 4. Surprisingly, top-rated players and former Women’s World Champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (also the 2021 Women’s World Rapid Champion) and Mariya Muzychuk struggled with a loss at the start, ending with only 1.5 points out of four. The games continue on Wednesday, December 27, from 3 PM local time in Samarkand. The second day of the World Rapid promises a crucial test for contenders, with four rounds in each section. In an event where every move shapes destiny, surprises are likely, and champions rise and fall amidst fierce competition. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anastasia Korolkova and Lennart Ootes 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. For more information regarding the event, including schedules, participant details, and tournament specifics, please visit the official tournament website at https://worldrapidandblitz2023.fide.com/. 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
Uzbekistan’s chess renaissance: 2023 World Rapid and Blitz Championships officially opened in Samarkand
Set against the backdrop of the historical city where some of the world’s oldest chess pieces were discovered, the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships were opened in Samarkand in a grand ceremony. Gathered in the architectural marvel of the Silk Road Samarkand hotel complex, the world’s chess elite geared up for the highly anticipated World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, which will take place from December 26th to December 30th in the historically rich city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The opening ceremony, held today at the Conference hall of the hotel “Silk Road by Minyoun,” unveiled a spectacular convergence of art, culture, and history. The hour-long event commemorated the history of chess, the significance of the World Rapid and Blitz competitions, Uzbekistan’s rising prominence in the chess world, and the rich heritage of Samarkand. The ceremony started with a video chronicling the recent history of the World Rapid and Blitz tournament and highlighting the key moments from previous events. The next part was all about the money: a group of performers dressed in black and white – resembling chess pieces – got up to the stage, carrying a chest which, as it turned out, had one million dollars in cash in it. It wasn’t clear if the money was real or face, but the high presence of security guards sparked questions from the audience. In another part of the ceremony, attention was drawn to Uzbekistan’s ongoing Third Renaissance – representing a third wave of cultural, intellectual, and national reform the nation has embarked on. It was revealed that a part of that project involves chess and that the government is channelling resources into educational initiatives and state-of-the-art facilities. A testament to this commitment is the establishment of one of the world’s most expansive chess centers dedicated to learning. In the press conference earlier in the day, Magnus Carlsen underscored this by saying that when asked in Kazakhstan last year what the best way to develop chess is, he responded, “I just said, look at what Uzbekistan is doing”. Mr. Adkham Ikramov, Minister of Youth Policy and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, conveyed his excitement, stating, “Uzbekistan is very pleased to be hosting such an important event in Samarkand, an ancient but modern city. The interest in the media, both from the region and abroad, is huge, and we are thankful for that. Each day for the past four months, we worked hard on this event, and we hope the next six days will be fruitful and successful”. Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for hosting the event and emphasized FIDE’s objective to organize more global chess events, providing enthusiasts worldwide the chance to witness their heroes in action. “Dear friends, in the next five days, new pages of chess history will be written. Many of the world’s finest players have come together to fight for the crowns in Rapid and Blitz chess. There will be excitement and tension, happy and sad moments, but above all – sportsmanship must prevail. To the players, the organizers and everyone involved in this event – I wish you the best of luck,” said Dvorkovich. One of the main sponsors of the event is Kaspersky, the international cybersecurity company. In a statement released ahead of the event, Sandro Cisco, Head of Global Partnerships and Sponsorships at Kaspersky, said the following: “Just as chess grandmasters carefully plan their moves, cybersecurity experts employ carefully considered strategies to stay one step ahead of their cyber adversaries. At Kaspersky, we believe that understanding these parallels provides valuable insights into the complex world of cybersecurity. In keeping with the principles of strategic thinking, adaptability, and risk management, we extend our heartfelt greetings to all participating chess players, wishing them masterful moves, impregnable defences, and resolute determination. May the championship be a showcase of brilliance and unwavering skill!” The drawing of lots The final part of the ceremony was reserved for the traditional drawing of the lots to determine which pieces the top seed players would play with in the Rapid and the Blitz. It transformed into a theatrical enactment where top seed Magnus Carlsen, Ju Wenjun and Lei Tingjie took part, which ended with them being dressed in traditional Uzbek robes in the colours of the pieces they will start the tournament with! The drawing of lots determined the following: Rapid: Open – Magnus Carlsen, as the top seed, starts as White Women’s – Ju Wenjun, as the top seed, starts as White Blitz: Open – Magnus Carlsen, as the top seed, starts as White Women’s – Lei Tingjie, as the top seed, starts as Black Round 1 pairings of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2023: Open Women Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anastasia Korolkova About the event The tournament will witness an impressive lineup of renowned players, both current and former champions. In the Open section, the lineup includes the current World Rapid and Blitz Champion and world number one, Magnus Carlsen, former world champion challengers and top players Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana, as well as Levon Aronian and others. In the Women’s section, the current world champion Ju Wenjun will compete, as well as former world champions – Alexandra Kosteniuk, Mariya Muzychuk, Tan Zhongyi, Antoaneta Stefanova and others. With a total prize fund of one million US dollars at stake, with $700,000 for the Open and $300,000 for the Women’s tournaments, this championship represents a pinnacle in the chess world. The first competition to take place is the World Rapid, played over three days between December 26th and December 28th. The event will be followed by a two-day World Blitz tournament on the December 29th and 30th. With an impressive lineup of players and a large prize fund, the 2023 World Rapid and Blitz promises thrilling excitement and fierce competition amongst the top chess grandmasters from around the globe. For more information regarding the event, including schedules, participant details, and tournament specifics, please visit the official tournament website
FIDE Council approves changes in tournament registration procedure
The FIDE Council reviewed the tournament registration procedure and approved some changes, effective immediately (see FIDE RATING REGULATIONS). These changes primarily concern the tournaments, with at least one of the participants having a rating of 2700+. 0.2 The tournaments to be rated shall be pre-registered by the federation in whose territory it is held, and they will be responsible for the submission of results and rating fees. Council may additionally designate these rights and responsibilities to Affiliated Organisations that are representing an autonomous territory which is contained within no more than one Federation. The tournament and its playing schedule must be registered: 0.2.1 Not later than 30 days before the tournament starts, if one of the players in the tournament is rated in excess of 2700, or a female player rated in excess of 2500. 0.2.2 Otherwise, three days before the tournament starts. The QC Chairman may refuse to register a tournament. Exceptions to permit tournaments to be rated even though it is registered later than the prescribed notice period may be granted: 0.2.3 Tournaments in category 0.2.1: With the approval of the President 0.2.4 Tournaments in category 0.2.2: With the approval of the QC Chairman All tournaments played under Hybrid conditions as described in 2.1 must be approved individually by the QC Chairman. In exceptional cases involving tournaments with an average rating in excess of 2700, after consultation with the QC Chairman, the Council or the President may approve tournaments or individual games for rating which have not been submitted for rating by the national federation.
Kazakhstani Championship 2023: Ansat and Balabayeva win maiden titles
IM Aldiyar Ansat and WIM Xeniya Balabayeva are the new champions of Kazakhstan. Both won their first national titles. The 2023 Kazakhstani Championship took place in Astana from December 13-24. The open event, a 14-player round-robin, turned into an extremely tight competition. Suffice it to say that as many as five participants scored 8/13 and tied for first place, with neither player completing the event unbeaten. According to the Championship Regulations, GMs Denis Makhnev, Alisher Suleymenov, IMs Arystanbek Urazayev, Aldiyar Ansat, and FM Abilmansur Abdilkhair played a rapid tie-breaker to determine the winner and medalists. On paper, the two GMs, Makhnev and Suleimenov, had a better shot at the title, but the young IM Aldiyar Ansat defied all the odds. After winning his first two games, he held his ground against GMs and secured the national title. Arystanbek Urazaev (Aktobe) and Denis Makhnev (Pavlodar) took silver and bronze respectively. Final standings open (after 13 rounds): 1 GM Makhnev, Denis 2486 8 2 GM Suleymenov, Alisher 2513 8 3 IM Urazayev, Arystanbek 2472 8 4 IM Ansat, Aldiyar 2434 8 5 FM Abdilkhair, Abilmansur 2255 8 6 FM Sapenov, Daniyal 2350 7½ 7 IM Nogerbek, Kazybek 2483 7½ 8 IM Zhalmakhanov, Ramazan 2493 7 9 IM Isanzhulov, Arystan 2407 7 10 Utegaliyev, Azamat 2416 6½ 11 IM Agmanov, Zhandos 2460 5½ 12 GM Kazhgaleyev, Murtas 2490 5 13 Amirali, Abzal 2136 3½ 14 Tkachyov, Adil 2078 1½ WIM Xeniya Balabayeva (pictured below) dominated the women’s event, a 10-player round-robin, winning direct encounters with her main rivals and scoring an impressive 7.5/9. Coming into the final round, Xseniya needed just a draw to win gold, and she confidently accomplished the task, clinching the title. The top-seed Alua Nurmanova finished a full point behind the champion and earned silver. As many as three participants tied for third place on 5/9, with Madina Davletbayeva claiming bronze thanks to a superior Sonneborn-Berger. Final standings women: 1 WIM Balabayeva, Xeniya 2244 7½ 2 WIM Nurmanova, Alua 2326 6½ 3 WGM Davletbayeva, Madina 2216 5 4 FM Kurmangaliyeva, Liya 2261 5 5 WIM Sultanbek, Zeinep 2008 5 6 Kaldarova, Ayaulym 2015 4½ 7 WIM Serikbay, Assel 2186 4 8 WIM Kairbekova, Amina 2235 4 9 Popandopulo, Kristina 1865 2½ 10 WCM Kim, Kristina 1933 1 Official website: kazchess.kz/ Photos: Kazakhstan Chess Facebook Page
2023 3rd FIDE Council Meeting: List of decisions
2023 3rd FIDE Council Online Meeting 14 December 2023 List of decisions CM3-2023/01 To note President’s report. CM3-2023/02 To approve Treasurer’s report. CM3-2023/03 To recommend to the General Assembly to approve the FIDE budget for the year 2024 and provisional FIDE budget for the year 2025. CM3-2023/04 To recommend the Update of the Financial Rules regarding the tournaments’ fees for the ratification by the General Assembly. CM3-2023/05 To approve the proposal regarding cancelation of the fees for over-the-board Rapid and Blitz tournaments held in 2024-2026. CM3-2023/06 To recommend to the General Assembly to approve the Constitutional Commission’s report. CM3-2023/07 To request the Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Federation information that would allow their compliance with Article 11 of FIDE Charter and if necessary to send relevant requests to the national authorities. In case of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Federation’s failure to provide the requested information the FIDE Council to decide on the necessary remedy actions (e.g., appointing a reverse delegate). CM3-2023/08 To recommend the Vanuatu Chess Federation for the ratification by the FIDE General Assembly. CM3-2023/09 To recommend to the General Assembly the expulsion of the Bulgarian Chess Federation 1928 from FIDE. CM3-2023/10 To recommend the application of the Bulgarian Sports Chess Federation for the ratification by the FIDE General Assembly. CM3-2023/11 To recommend to the General Assembly not to ratify the ISCU application as FIDE Affiliated Organisation. CM3-2023/12 To task FIDE Legal Director A. Martynov to represent FIDE at the General Assembly regarding the South African Chess Federation issue. CM3-2023/13 To recommend to the General Assembly to reject the appeal by Chess SA regarding the elections’ result in the South African Chess Federation. CM3-2023/14 To approve that with regards to the request of the Kosovo* Chess Federation, a round of consultations on the possible removal of the asterisk (the footnote reference) be held with the Chess Federations of countries that officially do not recognise Kosovo*, reporting the feedback to the next FIDE Council meeting. To inform the Serbian and Kosovo* Chess Federations that the discussions on this matter shall be continued. CM3-2023/15 To suggest to the General Assembly the voting procedure in respect of the Federations’ proposals regarding the Article 18.12 of the FIDE Charter. CM3-2023/16 To note the proposal of the Lesotho Chess Federation regarding Article 17.6 of the FIDE Charter. CM3-2023/17 To recommend the bid of Abu Dhabi for the vote for the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2028 at the General Assembly. CM3-2023/18 To recommend the bid of Genoa for the vote for the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2028 at the General Assembly. CM3-2023/19 To approve the Resolution regarding participation of team refugees in the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024. CM3-2023/20 To note the Global Strategy Commission’s report. CM3-2023/21 To note the Arbiters’ Commission’s report. CM3-2023/22 To approve the recommendations of the Arbiters’ Commission on Seminars, Classification upgrades, Amendments to the lecturer list, FA norms and titles CM3-2023/23 To note the Qualification Commission’s report. CM3-2023/24 To approve the recommendations of the Qualification Commission on titles. CM3-2023/25 To approve the Qualification Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the FIDE Rating Regulations, that will come into effect from March 1st 2024. Table of changes. CM3-2023/26 To approve the Qualification Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the FIDE Title Regulations. Table of changes. CM3-2023/27 To approve the proposal Qualification Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the table for direct titles. Table of changes. CM3-2023/28 To confirm the Qualification Commission’s decision to award the GM norm to IM N. Salimova (BUL) for her result in the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023. CM3-2023/29 To support the Qualification Commission’s decision in respect of its decision not to rate Camp Tournament 2023. CM3-2023/30 To approve the resolution regarding the rating of Mr. Igors Rausis. CM3-2023/31 To approve the Qualification Commission’s request to approve the proposal of the Spanish Chess Federation to convert their National ratings to FIDE ratings for their FIDE unrated players which will result in eliminating of their National rating and rating all their events for FIDE ratings. CM3-2023/32 To approve the recommendations of the Trainers’ Commission on titles and Academies. CM3-2023/33 To approve the Trainers’ Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the Article 2.6. of the Regulations. Table of changes. CM3-2023/34 To approve the Trainers’ Commission’s proposal to add Article 2.3e of the Regulations for FIDE Endorsed Academies. CM3-2023/35 To approve the Trainers’ Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the FIDE Training Seminar participants’ information form. CM3-2023/36 To note the Chess in Education Commission’s report. CM3-2023/37 To approve the Chess in Education Commission’s recommendations for School Instructor titles. CM3-2023/38 To approve the Chess in Education Commission’s proposal to establish the Regulations for FIDE Chess Schools Award, the FIDE pilot project. CM3-2023/39 To approve the Chess in Education Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the Regulations for Accreditation in Chess in Education. Table of changes. CM3-2023/40 Not to accept the AIDEF’s request to translate the documents for Trainers’ Commission’s seminars into French. CM3-2023/41 To approve the Events Commission’s recommendations on titles. CM3-2023/42 To note the Technical Commission’s report. CM3-2023/43 To approve the Technical Commission’s proposal regarding the update of the Play-off and Tie-break Regulations. Table of changes. CM3-2023/44 To note the Women’s Chess Commission’s report. CM3-2023/45 To note the Rules Commission’s report. CM3-2023/46 To note the Planning and Development Commission’s report. CM3-2023/47 To note the Multi-sports Committee’s report. CM3-2023/48 To approve the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission’s report. CM3-2023/49 To note continental reports. CM3-2023/50 To recommend to the General Assembly not to approve the proposal of the Norway Chess Federation in respect of the Transgender Registration Regulations. CM3-2023/51 To reject the proposal of the Jamaica Chess Federation to allow groups of ‘small’ nations to be able to join as a team for the Chess Olympiad. CM3-2023/52 To provide the Jamaica Chess Federation with the report of the FIDE Women’s Chess Commission’s with the view of getting acquainted with the steps and activities which FIDE is undertaking in terms of gender equity. CM3-2023/53 To recommend the list of FIDE awards for the ratification by the General Assembly. 2023 3rd FIDE Council Meeting List of Decisions (pdf)
FIDE General Assembly: List of decisions
FIDE General Assembly December 17th 2023 Online Decisions GA-2023/01 To permanently expel the Bulgarian Chess Federation 1928 from FIDE. GA-2023/02 To approve the admission of The Bulgarian Sports Chess Federation as a new Member Federation of FIDE. GA-2023/03 To approve the admission of the Tonga Chess Federation as a new Member Federation of FIDE. GA-2023/04 To approve the admission of the Vanuatu Chess Federation as a new Member Federation of FIDE. GA-2023/05 To approve the Constitutional Commission’s report. GA-2023/06 To approve the admission of the New Caledonia Chess Federation as a new Affiliated Organization of FIDE. GA-2023/07 To award the organization of the Chess Olympiad 2028 to the city of Abu Dhabi, UAE. GA-2023/08 To delete Article 18.12. of the FIDE Charter. GA-2023/09 Not to approve Lesotho Chess Federation’s proposal regarding Article 17.6 of the FIDE Charter. GA-2023/10 To approve FIDE Council’s proposal regarding Article 13.7 of the FIDE Charter. GA-2023/11 To approve the Verification Commission’s report. GA-2023/12 To discharge the Treasurer from the responsibilities for the financial year 2022. GA-2023/13 To approve the FIDE Budget for the year 2024 and provisional FIDE Budget for the year 2025. GA-2023/14 To re-appoint Ernst & Young as External Auditor for annual audit of FIDE accounts for 2023. GA-2023/15 To approve the update of the Financial Rules regarding the Bid Fees and Deposit Fees for Organization of FIDE Events and amend Articles 4.2 and 5.2 accordingly. GA-2023/16 To reject the South Africa Chess Federation’s appeal. GA-2023/17 To reject the Norway Chess Federation’s proposal regarding the Transgender Registration Regulations. GA-2023/18 To approve FIDE Awards. FIDE General Assembly Decisions (pdf)
FIDE Circuit: Caruana is the winner, Gukesh moves to second position
Fabiano Caruana continued his 2023 hot streak at the end of November, and after clinching the 2023 GCT Sinquefield Cup, he became the winner of FIDE Circuit. With just one competition to play, the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship, Fabiano is out of reach of his closest rivals (according to regulations, only five best scores by a particular player count toward the final score). Given that Caruana already qualified for the Candidates in the World Cup, the second place in the FIDE Circuit (which gives a ticket to the Candidates) is worth its weight in gold. Dommaraju Gukesh overtook Anish Giri in the FIDE Circuit standings and moved to second place following his strong showing in the Chennai Grand Masters, where he tied for the top position and collected 20 points. His compatriot Arjun Erigaisi picked up 18 points in this competition, coming to a striking distance to Wesley So (who also increased his tally to 83.4 points after the GCT Sinquefield Cup) and Anish Giri. The race for second place in FIDE Circuit is entering the home stretch with three players – Gukesh, Giri, and Erigaisi – fighting for the spot in the Candidates. The upcoming FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship will decide who out of this trio qualifies for Toronto through FIDE Circuit. Wesley So is not among the participants of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship, but he has a chance to make it to the Candidates by rating. FIDE Circuit Race Top 10 as of December 22, 2023 You can find full current standings on wcc.fide.com/fide_circuit.phtml
World Amateur and World Senior Championships 2024: Call for bids closed
The call for bids for the World Amateur and World Senior Championships 2024 is completed. The deadline was December 21, 2023. On December 1, 2023, the FIDE Events Commission reopened the procedure “Call for Bids FIDE World Amateur Championships 2024 and World Senior Championships 2024”. Three bids were received by the deadline: 2 for the World Amateur Chess Championships (from the Chess Federation of Greece and the US Chess Federation) and 1 for the World Senior Chess Championship 2023 (Portuguese Chess Federation).
Number of FIDE members surpasses 200 with Vanuatu and Tonga joining
With the inclusion of Vanuatu and Tonga at the recent meeting of the General Assembly, the International Chess Federation now counts 201 member federations worldwide The FIDE General Assembly, which took place in the second week of December, decided to approve the applications of two new member federations – Vanuatu and Tonga, bringing the number of members to 201. Also, New Caledonia was included as an Affiliated Member. The Vanuatu Chess Federation was established in 2022 to promote chess on the island. So far, it has had over 400 young people take part in various chess events. “We are aiming to make a chess part of the lives of people living in Port Vila and the islands. We also want to use it as a tool to engage young people out of school or work to help them think differently. We hope that chess will be recognized as a sport in Vanuatu and people will enjoy watching and following it as they do playing it,” VP of the Vanuatu Chess Federation Rik Hinton said in a letter to FIDE. Tonga, another Pacific island nation, inaugurated its chess federation in 2023 with a profound mission: “To promote chess at every echelon of society, leveraging it as a catalyst for social and intellectual development, benefiting all individuals.” GM Nigel Short, FIDE’s Development Director, made visits to both Vanuatu and Tonga in 2022, laying the groundwork for their inclusion in FIDE. Short expressed his joy at the news, stating: “This is a momentous occasion for chess in Vanuatu and Tonga, as well as for FIDE as a whole. Chess transcends boundaries, offering numerous advantages. It is essential that the game is accessible to all, giving a sense of belonging within our global chess community. We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to them within FIDE.” The additions of Vanuatu and Tonga further signify FIDE’s commitment to expanding the reach of chess and developing its growth to all corners of the world.