Clarifications on FIDE Circuit Regulations and qualification for Candidates 2024
1. Qualification procedure for the (open) Candidates 2024.The following order of priority shall apply for two remaining spots: qualification via FIDE Circuit goes first, then qualification by rating goes, not taking into account all those players who gained the right to participate earlier via other paths. 2. Allocation of FIDE Circuit points in the Sinquefield Cup.According to the FIDE Circuit Regulations, the players who finish in the top half of the final standings receive Circuit points. After GM Duda’s withdrawal, with only nine remaining participants, the 5th final place is not in the top half anymore and, therefore, shall not receive any FIDE Circuit points. 3. Qualification for the Candidates 2024 by rating.A player shall participate in at least four FIDE Circuit tournaments with a standard time control. These tournaments shall meet all the requirements of the FIDE Circuit Regulations, particularly both general (1.1) and country restrictions (3.2). clauses. Thus, out of the four above-mentioned tournaments, not more than two (one of which is a national championship) can be played in the same country. If this rule is not respected, the player is not eligible for qualification.
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 7 Recap
Fabiano Caruana won a crucial game against Wesley So to not only equalize in the tournament standings, but actually clinch victory in the overall 2023 Grand Chess Tour. Meanwhile, Leinier Dominguez defeated Rapport to win his second game in a row, leaving himself with a great chance of earning the 2024 FIDE Candidates qualification spot by rating. With two rounds left to play, the Sinquefield Cup, along with the two qualifying spots available (FIDE Circuit, January 2024 FIDE Rating) are both very much up for grabs. ROUND 7 CARUANA-SO | 1-0, 25 moves A 4.e3 Nimzo seemed to catch So off-guard as he erred in the opening with 10…b6, allowing Caruana to seize the initiative with 11.Qf3! From there Caruana played a perfect attacking game, culminating with a brilliant flurry of tactics against So’s uncastled king. With the win, Caruana mathematically secured victory in the 2023 Grand Chess Tour, earning a bonus $100,000 first place prize. Caruana-So: After 18.Bxf7+!, White’s pieces started crashing through. 18…Kxf7 is met with 19.Qc7+ followed by Rd6 to win back White’s sacrificed piece. Two straight wins for Caruana, who clinched tour victory after today’s round. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes DOMINGUEZ-RAPPORT | 1-0, 35 moves An Advance Caro left Rapport doing well out of the opening, as he even declined a repetition around move 20 in order to play for a win. However this decision ended up backfiring, as in mutual time-pressure Rapport opened up his own kingside with 24…f6, allowing Dominguez to soon launch a strong attack. Dominguez then managed to flood into Black’s position with his pieces, quickly forcing resignation in view of heavy material losses. Dominguez-Rapport: After 29.g6!, Dominguez followed up with Ng5-f7, Qh5, and even Nd6!, creating huge problems for Black. Dominguez is now only 0.4 rating points behind So on the live FIDE rating list, with a very clear chance of qualifying to next year’s candidates. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes NEPOMNIACHTCHI-FIROUZJA | ½-½, 43 moves A fascinating game arising from the 4.e3 Slav, where it seemed that both players were well-prepared for some time, as they ended up in a sharp rook vs. two minor pieces endgame. Under some pressure, Firouzja started to spend lots of time, but managed to hold the ending without allowing any chances. Nepomniachtchi tested Firouzja’s prep, but ultimately couldn’t get anywhere. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes ARONIAN-GIRI | ½-½, 30 moves Playing the Petroff, Giri showed good preparation to equalize out of the opening, where he achieved a middlegame with opposite colored bishops. Aronian tried but was unable to pose any serious problems, after which Giri generated some counterplay with his h-pawn on the kingside. Aronian then decided it was time to repeat, a result that seemed to suit both players. VACHIER-LAGRAVE – FREE DAY The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 29, with live coverage starting at 1:15 PM CST. Catch all the action live with grandmaster commentators Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, and Jovanka Houska on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels! Written by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Official website:grandchesstour.org/2023-grand-chess-tour/2023-sinquefield-cup/
Empowering queens of the chessboard: National Female Team Development Seminar
The National Female Team Development Online Seminar was held online on November 26, 2023. This initiative is a part of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess project to help countries who have never sent a female team to an Olympiad field a team for the 2024 Chess Olympiad. Over 20 representatives from federations across the globe attended the seminar via Zoom. The project is headed by Tris-Ann Richards (St. Lucia), Councillor in FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, and Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, along with team members Yilmas Kartal, Paris Klerides, Akua Kosife Esse, Monalisha Khamboo and Herborg Hansen. Anastasia Sorokina stressed the significance of this project and pledged WOM support for the amazing initiative. “Despite the age or occupation, we will always work hard to provide the best possible opportunities and community for women,” she said. The initial stage of the initiative started in September by corresponding with the identified federations. It turned out the main reasons for not sending a female team to a Chess Olympiad were the need for more female players, adequate training and sufficient financing. As a result, the seminar sought to address these issues and provide solutions, opportunities and the necessary resources for the federations to solve the problems. The seminar agenda included discussing strategies for securing funding for female chess teams, identifying potential sponsors and partners, funding models and grant opportunities, as well as strategies for attracting female chess talent and case studies of successful recruitment initiatives. “FIDE aims to further and continuously increase women’s representation in management, projects, and professional sports events. One of the priorities is to support those federations where female chess is underrepresented or even non-existent but where leadership works hard to encourage female athletes. Having a female team from every country that takes part in a Chess Olympiad is an ambitious goal that we aim to reach in partnership with national federations,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Deputy Chair of the management board, in her presentation at the seminar. The presentations were well received, and some federations confirmed that they are ready to work along with WOM to take their first-ever female team to the 2024 Chess Olympiad. The next stage of the project is to provide training, Olympiad preparation and support for the federations that join the initiative. The Women’s Chess Olympiad is an event held by FIDE since 1957 (every two years since 1972). In 1976, the Women’s Chess Olympiad was incorporated into the Chess Olympiad, with women’s and open tournaments running simultaneously ever since. A record-breaking 162 teams, representing 160 nations (799 players), participated in the women’s competition at the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.
FIDE Director for Chess Development visits Eswatini
Former world-champion challenger and FIDE Director for Chess Development Nigel Short’s recent trip to the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) has infused fresh momentum into the prospects of chess in this part of Africa. As a part of his African tour, Nigel Short visited the Kingdom of Eswatini from November 16 to November 20. In his capacity as FIDE Director for Chess Development, Short met government and chess officials to discuss how to better promote the game in the Kingdom. Upon arriving, Short attended a reception at the British High Commission, celebrating the birthday of King Charles III, where he met with the prime minister of Eswatini Russel Mmemo Dlamini, state officials and diplomats. Later that evening, he appeared on national television for a prime-time interview where he spoke about the game and the future of chess. On the second day of the visit, Short met with senior government sports officials. The discussion focused on the implementation of chess in education programs. It was agreed that the government would introduce a pilot program in 20 schools, mainly in rural areas, where chess will be taught as of next year as a part of a Chess in Schools initiative which FIDE has been promoting across the globe. In meetings with the officials of the Eswatini Chess Federation, Short heard about the challenges facing the chess community in the kingdom and discussed how FIDE can help promote the game. During his stay, Short also visited local chess clubs, played a simul, and gave a masterclass on chess at the Trojan Horse Club in Manzini. Nigel Short also met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Sports & Recreational Council (ESRC). The FIDE Director for Chess Development finished his visit with a trip to the Matsapha maximum security prison, where the ECF has an ongoing pilot program, where he attended a tournament for inmates. “I believe that if more resources are invested in the country’s chess development, it could pave the way for greater success and competitiveness. I believe that with the right support and infrastructure, Eswatini could produce some of the best chess players in the region,” said Short in a brief media discussion with the local media. Eswatini Chess Federation (ECF) Secretary General Qiniso Matsebula said that as a federation, they are thrilled to welcome the renowned grandmaster from the UK. Short provided insightful knowledge and advice to chess enthusiasts of the country. “We are honoured to have Grandmaster Nigel Short joining us. His expertise and experience in the world of chess will undoubtedly provide valuable inspiration and knowledge to us,” he said.
FIDE Chessable Academy resumes in January 2024
The FIDE Trainers’ Commission proudly announces the FIDE Chessable Academy resumption on Saturday, January 13, 2024. The FIDE Chessable Academy program is essential to young talent development, providing every federation with equal access to top-level training by outstanding world-class trainers and further motivational activities for the most dedicated youngsters. World-renowned coaches will conduct sessions in four languages in twelve diverse groups over five months. The FIDE Chessable In-person Training Camp is scheduled to take place in Menorca from March 27 to April 2, followed by the third edition of the Menorca International Chess Open. The venue for the second camp will be announced by the end of February, with class attendance being the foremost consideration. For more information and updates, please follow the announcements on the FIDE Trainers’ Commission website. Invitations will be sent to all federations to nominate their players for further registration. FIDE extends its gratitude to Chessable for their generous sponsorship and continued investment of resources and time. Their contribution has played a significant role in our shared success in developing chess talent worldwide. About the FIDE Chessable Academy The FIDE Chessable Academy is a joint training initiative by FIDE and Chessable — the world’s leading chess e-learning platform. Its mission is to help up-and-comers become the best players they can be. In 2022, over 400 promising youngsters from over 80 national federations enjoyed free access to Chessable courses — plus exclusive lessons from the world’s top coaches. Among the academy’s instructors are 5-time World Champion Vishy Anand, 2021 FIDE World Cup Winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda and many other top players.
FIDE introduces ground-breaking Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI) – 2023 Rankings unveiled
FIDE released the inaugural Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI), an innovative instrument designed to measure and compare the level of gender equality in chess federations across the globe. This statistical index introduces a comprehensive scoring system ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 denoting perfect gender equality. The GECI incorporates three indicators of Participation, Performance, and Progress to offer an all-encompassing view of gender parity in chess. The Mongolian women’s team at the 2018 Olympiad in Batumi “The GECI is a step forward in our understanding and promotion of gender equality in chess. We’re moving beyond anecdotes to a more data-driven approach,” says GM David Smerdon (PhD Economics), the lead author of the report. “It’s our aim to provide federations with clear benchmarks to track progress and to set goals in different dimensions of women’s and girls’ chess.” The 2023 GECI report reveals that Mongolia leads the rankings, boasting nearly 40% female participation among active FIDE-listed players, a significant rise above the global average. Following Mongolia are Sri Lanka and Uganda (the hightest-rated African federation), which demonstrate high scores in participation and consistent progress in youth championships. The Ugandan teams at the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai FIDE interviewed a number of leading players and executives in countries that feature prominently in the rankings to better understand the factors behind their success. GM David Smerdon elaborates, “Mongolia’s triumph in the rankings is a testament to their strategies, which emphasize equal opportunity and active promotion of women and girls at every level. It’s an example of what can be achieved with dedication and clear policies.” Insights from the interviews are summarized in a section of the report entitled ‘Stories From The Rankings’, which profiles high-ranking nations and underlines key themes such as women in leadership roles, resource allocation, and the presence of strong female role models. The FIDE Gender Equality in Chess Index seeks to inspire international chess communities to reflect on their practices and policies to promote gender equality actively. The full report is published on the website of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess: wom.fide.com/geci/ It can also be downloaded in PDF format here: https://doi.org/10.14264/9bb291f Citation: Smerdon, D., Meyer, C.B., Reizniece-Ozola, D., Rodrigo Yanguas, M., & Sorokina, A. (2023). Report: 2023 FIDE Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI). FIDE; The University of Queensland. doi:10.14264/9bb291f
Important changes in the bidding process for FIDE events
As of December 1, 2023, the FIDE Council has approved significant amendments to the General Regulations for FIDE Competitions (EVE), marking a pivotal shift in the bidding process for official chess events. The key modifications encompass a revamped approach to bidding deadlines, fees, and procedural timelines, aiming to streamline operations and enhance the efficiency of tournament organization. Noteworthy changes include: 1. Overhauled Bidding Procedures: Bid deadlines, fees, and minimum FIDE requirements by bidders have been completely restructured, ensuring a more transparent and streamlined bidding process. FIDE has introduced clear dates by which all stages of bidding must be completed for events up until 2028. The FIDE Council will take a key role in making decisions regarding the bidding process. 2. Timeline Adjustments: Organizers are now required to submit invitations for approval to EVE at least six months prior to an event (previously, it was five months), with final participant registrations due a minimum of 2 months before the competition commences. 3. Increased Registration Fee: The maximum limit for the Registration Fee has been raised to a maximum of 120 euros per person (previously, it was 100), inclusive of essential costs such as airport transfers and accreditation. 4. Revised Policies: Changes in withdrawal or no-show policies have been implemented, with refund coordination by FIDE in extraordinary circumstances affecting a substantial number of participants or a national federation. 5. Enhanced Oversight: The role of the Technical Delegate (FTD) has been elevated, mandating an IO title nomination by EVE and appointment by the FIDE President, serving as the overall observer in EVE competitions. 6. Standardized Communication: Official tournament websites will utilize URLs provided by the FIDE office, and all communication with federations will be conducted through official FIDE email addresses. These amendments are poised to create a more structured and efficient framework for organizing FIDE chess events worldwide, ensuring greater adherence to regulations and fostering a fairer competitive environment. For further details on the revised regulations, please refer to the updated General Regulations for FIDE Competitions (EVE) available on the FIDE website.
Friendly team match Africa vs FIDE held as part of AASC General Assembly
The General Assembly of the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC) was held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 23-26. Alongside the Assembly, which brought together 54 African Sports confederations, the 2nd International Sports Anti-Corruption Conference, International African Sports Exhibition, AASC African Sports Awards and Electoral General Assembly took place. In addition, several chess activities were held as part of the program. Velimir Ivic, who recently became European Team Chess Champion with team Serbia, gave a simul for ten students of Ahmed Adly academy. Another event held during the General Assembly was a friendly match, Africa vs FIDE. The African team included 4-time African Chess Champion GM Ahmed Adly (EGY) and the reigning Women’s African Chess Champion WIM Lina Nassr (ALG). The world team was made up of GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) and WFM Bruna Geske (ALB). The match consisted of two blitz and two hand-and-brain games and saw the African duo emerge as the winners. In March 2024, the Association of African Sports Confederations will organize the 13th African Games in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The 13th edition of the African Games is expected to attract around 5000 elite athletes and coaches from fifty-five African countries, competing in 30 sports disciplines. It will serve as an official qualifier for the XXXIII Olympic Games Paris 2024. Chess will be among the 30 sports included in the event program.
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 5 Recap
Having broken the previously perfect draw streak in the 2023 Sinquefield Cup, GM Wesley So’s victory in Round 4 forced other combatants to test the limits of their fighting spirit and determination, and determination we definitely got. With two games lasting past the 5-hour mark, it was finally GM Levon Aronian who joined GM Wesley So as the only two players with a victory. Luckily for the participants, tomorrow will be a rest day, a much-needed break for the players to recuperate and come back with renewed vigor. Note that while GM Levon Aronian and GM Wesley So both have won a game, GM Wesley So has yet to have his bye round and thus is currently 0.5 points ahead but has played 1 extra game. ROUND 5 DOMINGUEZ-SO | ½-½, 81 moves So, the current tournament leader, exclaimed yesterday that “it would be nice for Alireza to lose a couple of games even though I think he’s a good guy; it would increase my chances to qualify to the Candidates!” Fortunately for him he got his wish today, but his own battle was not without its struggles. Dominguez opted for the Berlin Endgame, which So clearly came prepared for, blitzing out his first 20 moves or so confidently. Yet Dominguez, despite a huge time deficit, maintained a nagging edge, and with the help of a few inaccurate moves from So, found himself with serious chances as he nursed an extra pawn. So held strong, and when Dominguez inexplicably exchanged more pawns than needed, Wesley showed his defensive technique with conviction. Dominguez sprinkled in a few practical tricks, but to no avail as he finally relinquished a draw on move 81. Dominguez-So: So found the excellent resource 31…Be6, after which Dominguez confoundingly took on g4; instead 32.h4 would have left the h5 pawn as a target and given Dominguez better winning chances Dominguez has had his fair share of opportunities; will he capitalize on his chances soon? | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes ARONIAN-FIROUZJA | 1-0, 66 moves In a battle between generations, Aronian took full advantage of his rest day last round as his unrelenting pressure eventually broke down Firouzja. Less explored choices from both sides gave us a fresh position in which Aronian kept an edge. Both players exchanged inaccuracies and while Aronian missed a clear chance on move 26, he kept up the speed as Firouzja was down heavily on the clock. Aronian-Firouzja: Aronian strangely chose 26.Rac1, when 26.Qxb6 would’ve netted him a clean pawn and a winning position Still Firouzja fought well with Aronian failing to punish him fully, but just as he was almost out of the woods, Firouzja erred on move 40 with 1 second left on his clock. Aronian-Firouzja: Firouzja let his clock run down to 1 second before choosing 40…Rc4? which allowed 41.Nb4! Aronian used the mistake to transition into a very favorable rook endgame, and while our “silicon friend” pointed out that the result may have changed a few times, Levon posed problems that Firouzja was not able to answer. Firouzja’s loss drastically impacted his chances for qualification for the 2024 Candidates Tournament, since GM Wesley So now leapfrogs him on the live rating list. Firouzja’s recent slide is worrying for his fans, but likely welcomed by his Candidates qualification rivals such as GM Wesley So and GM Anish Giri | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes For Aronian, this victory will put wind in his sails as he hopes to win the Sinquefield Cup for the 3rd time in his career. 2024 Candidates qualification is probably out of his reach, but tournament victory is definitely not. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes RAPPORT-GIRI | ½-½, 23 moves After yesterday’s loss, Rapport seemed like he showed up to the game with little preparation, a tactic that famously worked out for him, ironically against GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, in the 2022 Candidates after his 7th round loss the day before versus GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. He chose a simplistic treatment of the Italian, 5.Nc3, but curiously spent time a few moves later before refraining from the typical idea of Be3, inviting the exchange of bishops to open the f-file for the white rook. Instead he decided to re-route his knight to g3, but in the process allowed Black to liberate himself with d6-d5. The players reached an approximately level position, and they settled on an early repetition to split the point. VACHIER-LAGRAVE-NEPOMNIACHTICHI | ½-½, 38 moves Vachier-Lagrave has proven to be a tough pairing for Nepomniachtchi in the past, as their head-to-head record in classical before this game, disregarding draws, was 7 wins for Vachier versus just 1 win for Nepo. However Nepomniachtchi brought fresh preparation to the board, transposing to the Arkhangelsk Defense except with the rare placement of the bishop on a7 instead of b6. Deep thought from Vachier-Lagrave was not enough to deter him from choosing the surprising 8.dxe5, which promised an endgame with no problems for Black. Vachier even revealed in his post-game interview that at some point he was afraid he was getting outplayed, but in reality the equality was never far from grasp. A repetition on move 39 confirmed peace on the board and a welcomed rest day for the weary competitors. Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 27, with live coverage starting at 1:15 PM CST. Catch all the action live with grandmaster commentators Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, and Jovanka Houska on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels! Written by WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova Official website:grandchesstour.org/2023-grand-chess-tour/2023-sinquefield-cup/
World Youth Champions crowned in Montesilvano, Italy
After eleven exciting rounds, the World Youth Championship under 14, 16 and 18 in the open and girls categories concluded in Montesilvano, Italy. Honorary guests Ottavio De Martinis, Major of Montesilvano, Lukasz Turlej, FIDE Secretary General, and Luigi Maggi, the President of the Italian Chess Federation, awarded newly crowned world champions and top-finishers. IM Aleksey Grebnev (FIDE, 2500) clinched the title in the U18 Open section with a round to spare, scoring 9.5/11. Grebnev lost his last game against top seed GM Volodar Murzin (FIDE, 2625), who took the silver medal with 9 points. IM Aldiyar Ansat came third with 8.5 points. WFM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (AZE, 2152) outplayed Luong Hoang Tu Linh (VIE, 1887) in a sharp Sicilian battle to claim gold, in the Girls U18 category with eight wins and three draws. WGM Rochelle Wu (USA, 2228) also won her last game against WCM Nguyen Hong Nhung (VIE, 1975) and got the silver medal. WIM Yelyzaveta Hrebenshchykova (UKR, 2292) was third with 8.5 points. The Open U16 tournament turned out to be the most dramatic. Two Polish players and good friends, IMs Jakub Seeman (2417) and Jan Klimkowski (2520) came to the final rounds as the joint leaders on 8.5/10. Seeman had better tiebreaks and needed to win to secure a gold medal. Seeman gained an advantage in a sharp Sicilian variation, later converted it with a powerful queen sacrifice and became the world champion in the U16 category. Klimkowski held a worse ending in a nerve-wracking game against FM Rajat Makkar (FRA, 2452) and took the silver medal with 9 points. FM Leonardo Costa (GER, 2492) also netted 9 points but had to settle for bronze due to inferior tiebreaks. Chuqiao Wang (CHN, 2215) was undefeated in the girls U16 category. She delivered a very strong performance of 9 wins and two draws (10/11) and became the champion in the Girls U16 competition. WFM Alexandra Shvedova (FIDE, 2170) finished a full point behind Wang and earned silver. WIM Alua Nurmanova (KAZ, 2367) and Tejaswini G (IND, 1956) tied for third place, with the former taking bronze thanks to a better Buchholz. FM Pawel Sowinski (POL, 2347) lifted the trophy in the Open U14, scoring 9/11. Sowinski and FM Magnus Ermitsch (GER, 2206) were neck and neck coming into the final round. Sowinski secured first place with a draw, as Ermitsch lost his last game against FM Nicolas Perossa (ITA, 2330). As a result, Ermitsch, Perossa and David Akhmedov (FIDE, 2240) tied for second place with 8.5 points. The Buchholz tiebreaker favoured Ermitsch and Perossa, who took silver and bronze, respectively. WFM Afruza Khamdamova (UZB, 2199) displayed an unwavering fighting spirit in every game to claim the title in the Girls U14 category with an impressive score of 10/11. Khamdamova forfeited her first-round game due to flight cancellation but went on to reel off ten consecutive victories. WFM Elnaz Kaliakhmet (KAZ,1933) finished one point behind the champions and got silver. The bronze medal goes to WIM Iris Mou (USA, 2086), who netted 8.5/11. Poland won the gold medal for overall results at the FIDE World Youth Championship 2023 with two gold and one silver medal. Uzbekistan and China shared second place. Final standings Open U18 Final standings Open U16 Final standings Open U14 Final standings Girls U18 Final standings Girls U16 Final standings Girls U14 Photos: Przemek Nikiel Official website: worldyouth2023.com/