Global Chess League: Chess legends face off
The second day of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League witnessed the debut of Magnus Carlsen, the strongest chess player in the world. Carlsen played his first game against Ian Nepomniachtchi, a two-time challenger for the world crown. SG Alpine Warriors – Balan Alaskan Knights (9-7) The first to face each other were the teams of SG Alpine Warriors and Balan Alaskan Knights. The match saw the two strongest players of the event making their first appearance in the Global Chess League – the current world champion in rapid and blitz and the top-rated player in the world, Magnus Carlsen, and the two-time world champion candidate, Ian Nepomniachtchi. The game was largely calm ending in a draw relatively quickly, which was not the case for the rest of the games. Balan Alaskan Knights gained a significant advantage as Teimour Radjabov won as black, earning them four crucial points. Fortunately for the SG Alpine Warriors, they made a comeback with two victories, securing six points. After draws on two other boards the result was 8-6 for SG Alpine Warriors. Everything was hanging on the last game between Indian chess hope Gukesh D who was up against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the 2021 rapid world champion. Abdusattorov made a strong push from the early stages, but Gukesh managed to hold his ground, ensuring his team’s victory with a final score of 9-7. “I had a small edge but it was largely even through. I wanted to play a more interesting game but this one went the way it did,” said Carlsen who also noted that he is excited to be taking part in this event which is more dynamic and different to most others in chess. Chingari Gulf Titans – Triveni Continental Kings (7-8) In match four the Chingari Gulf Titans played as white against Triveni Continental Kings. Both started with a defeat on the first day and were looking for their first victory. It started well for the Titans whose players obtained better positions and grabbed the initiative in the match. In the duel of the prodigies, Nihal Sarin scored an impressive victory against Jonas Buhl Bjere, setting the Titans off to a good start. However, following a mistake in a tense game, Daniil Dubov allowed Wei Yi to score as black, making a comeback for the Triveni Continental Kings. As the four other games ended in a draw – including between heavyweights Jan-Krzystof Duda and Levon Aronian, this meant that Wei Yi’s victory was crucial to secure them an overall edge of 8:7 in the match. The second half of the second day of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League witnessed the great Vishy Anand face off against Magnus Carlsen when SG Alpine Warriors went up against Ganges Grandmasters. The SG Alpine Warriors were playing their second match of the day, winning the coin toss, they opted to play with the white pieces. Ganges Grandmasters – SG Alpine Warriors (11-6) All eyes were on board one where – for the first time in years – Magnus Carlsen was up against Vishy Anand, the man he beat in 2013 to claim the title of world champion for the first time. Carlsen seized the initiative early in the game and soon won a pawn. The former world champion Vishy Anand was in a tough sport – defending an inferior position, he gradually fell into time trouble. After an exchange of heavy pieces, Carlsen ended up in a significantly better endgame and step-by-step converted his advantage. In the end, Anand had to resign to his old foe. In the post-game interview, Carlsen and Anand shared their thoughts and impressions on the game and what it means to play one another. “There’s always a special touch when we play”, said Anand. “It was good to play Vishy, but right now, I am more concerned about my team”, Carlsen added. And he was right. Luckily for the Ganges Grandmasters, they bounced back. Carlsen’s attention proved well-placed as the Ganges Grandmasters made a remarkable comeback, securing victories on boards two and five. Richard Rapport convincingly defeated GM Gukesh, while Bela Khotenashvili triumphed over Elisabeth Paehtz. With the remaining three games ending in draws, despite their loss on board one, the Ganges Grandmasters crushed the SG Alpine Warriors by a final score of 11 to 6. Balan Alaskan Knights – Triveni Continental Kings (14-5) Both sides went in hard and the games were tough. Following a slip of the wrist as early as move eighth, Nino Batsiashvili ended up in a worse position against one of the top Indian female players in the world, Harika Dronavalli. However, while Batsiashvili was managing to hang on, her teammates Tan Zhongyi and Raunak Sadhwani scored victories, giving their team a huge eight-point lead early on. With top-icon players Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Ian Nepomniachtchi drawing, the pressure was on Grischuk and Vidit to save the day for upGrad Mumba Masters. As is often the case for Grischuk, he ended up in time trouble early. Despite managing to hang on, he eventually misplayed and lost. At the same time, Dronavalli finally brought Batsiashvili to defeat – it was clear the Balan Alaskan Knights won the match. Although the winner of the match had already been decided, this was not the end. Vidit Gujrathi of upGrad Mumba Masters achieved a winning position against Teimour Radjabov but found himself in desperate time trouble. Radjabov kept posing problems, fighting back, and Vidit finally slipped. In the end, it was a draw, after 123 moves! Day round-up – June 23, 2023 Match 3 SG Alpine Warriors 9 – 7 Balan Alaskan Knights Queen of the match – Irina Krush King of the match – Teimour Radjabov Match 4 Triveni Continental Kings 8 – 7 Chingari Gulf Titans Queen of the match – Polina Shuvalova King of the match – Wei Yi Match 5 Ganges Grandmasters 11 – 6 SG Alpine Warriors Queen of the match – Bella Khotenashvili King of the match – Richard Rapport Match 6 Balan Alaskan Knights 14 – 5 upGrad Mumba Masters Queen of the match – Harika Dronavalli King of the match – Raunak Sadhwani Text: Milan Dinic Photos: Global Chess
Сhess revolution has started: Global Chess League kicked off with the first two matches
Dubai, June 22, 2023 – The inaugural edition of the Global Chess League, which aims to revolutionise chess, has started in Dubai, with the first two matches taking place. Just before 5.30 PM local time in Dubai, when the first match was due to start, viewers from across the world tuned in to a broadcast to follow the games live on TV. In a first for chess – the game was broadcast live to sports networks on both sides of the Atlantic, from America to Australia. They were all witnessing history in the making as the first two matches of the Global Chess League unfolded on a world stage. For the first time ever, chess employs a well-established football practice of flipping the coin to choose the side. In the case of chess, the flip of a coin was used to decide the colour of the pieces. In another novelty, the entire team was playing with the same colour of pieces, unlike in standard chess events where both teams have an equal number of black and white boards. In the new circumstances, the side playing with white pieces has the initial advantage of the first move, which might prove valuable for the outcome. upGrad Mumba edges behind Triveni Continental The first teams to face each other were Triveni Continental Kings, who were up against upGrad Mumba Masters. After the coin toss, it was decided that Triveni Continental Kings would be playing with white pieces, giving a small but important edge to the team in their first match. Led by Levon Aronian, a super GM who has long been among the world’s best players, the Triveni Continental Kings played a steady match vs upGrad Mumba Masters. Despite the initiative of the first move, the Kings failed to capitalise on their advantage. In a slightly better position and with more time, Levon Aronian misplayed and allowed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (another Icon player of the Global Chess League) to equalise and bring the game to a draw. The team faced another setback when Chinese Grandmaster Yu Yangyi suffered a defeat at the hands of another heavyweight, Alexander Grischuk, giving upGrad Mumba Masters an important advantage as a victory with black pieces counts as four points. Yu Yangyi – Alexander Grischuk Having outplayed his opponent in the Italian Game Alexander chose the simplest and safest way to capitalize on his positional advantage. After 32…Qxh2+ 33. Qxh2 Bxh2 34. Kxh2 Bxf5 35. Bxf5 Rxf5 36. Ng3 Rg5 37. f4 Rg4 38. Nf5 Nxf4 39. Rg1 Rg2+ Black slowly but surely converted his two extra pawns in an endgame 0-1 Despite Yu’s compatriot Wie Yi scoring a victory against India’s Vidit Gujrathi and earning three points, the Kings were still a point short. Unfortunately for them, all three other games ended in a draw. It meant that upGrad Mumba Masters secured eight points while the Triveni Continental Kings ended on seven, thus losing the match, despite the initial white pieces advantage. Apart from the eight points achieved in their games, the winning team was awarded another three points for winning the match. In the post-match press conference, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagerave shared their thoughts about the match and the new concept of organising chess events. “This event is unusual for us as we are in a team with players we know well, but with whom we have never actually been playing as team members, and this event features a completely new concept,” both Levon and Maxime noted. “I feel a lot of responsibility. You are familiar with these players but usually as opponents, not as members of the same team. Also, as the leading player in the team I feel I have to motivate others”, said Levon Aronian. “In our team Sasha Grischuk [one of the most experienced top players in the Global Chess League] made us all feel inspired. He showed us motivation, and that is what is needed when in a new surrounding, playing a new event”, said Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Both agreed that this new concept brings “excitement” and “novelty” to chess, which will improve the way the game is seen. “Both Levon and I are strong advocates for bringing the media and the public more into chess, and events like this help a lot”, said Maxime Vachier Lagrave. Ganges Grandmasters secure a huge victory over Chingari Gulf Titans The second match of the day was between Ganges Grandmasters and Chingari Gulf Titans. The Ganges Grandmasters were lucky to make their debut at the GCL playing with the white pieces. The Ganges team has seasoned and experienced world players such as the legendary Indian GM and five-time world champion Vishy Anand as well as the former women’s world champion Hou Yifan. The team also has Richard Rapport, one of the most creative chess players of the younger generation, who played a crucial role in Ding Liren’s path to securing the world chess crown (acting as his second and advising him during the match for the world title). The advantage of playing with white pieces and experience came in handy as Vishy Anand beat Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the winner of the World Cup 2021. Vishy Anand – Jan-Krzysztof Duda Black’s king is left alone and Vishy immediately jumps on the opportunity to launch a deadly attack. 36. g5! fxg5 37. Qxe5 Qa6 38. f4 gxf4 39. Nd5 Bxd5 40. Rg1+ and Jan-Krzysztof resigned facing imminent checkmate 1-0 Vishy’s early victory gave an important boost to the Ganges team. Hou Yifan was the second to score, defeating another former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, in a thrilling game. Those two victories were the only decisive outcomes of the match, as the other four games ended in a draw. In the end, the Ganges Grandmasters won with ten game points, while the Titans ended on four. With an added three match points following their victory, the Ganges Grandmasters have had an excellent start and have capitalised hugely on their advantage of playing with white pieces. Vishy Anand was clearly happy after the match and
National preparations for FIDE World Schools Team Championship go big around the Globe
The inaugural edition of the FIDE World Schools Team Championship will take place in Aktau, Kazakhstan from August 3-8, 2023. With just a little more than a month left, national federations are forming their teams and evaluating the results of the first stage of this global event, the national scholastic championships. One of the perks of being quick to register is that the first 50 National Federations can nominate one of their teams for an “invited team” status and receive free accommodation and travel grants. But first and foremost, it is vital to form a formidable lineup! Many countries included the FIDE flagship event in the existing system of their national school competitions. For example, in Austria, the scholastic championship is held in four categories – Oberstufe, Unterstufe, Volksschule, and Mädchen, and the team winner of Oberstufe (Under 18) is eager to take part in the World Championship. Germany, Bulgaria, Kenya, and other federations chose this path, too. Many of them, like Belgium or Barbados, already held their national championships earlier in the year. In Greece, 116 teams and 1300+ children participated in the national championships! Now, the winners got a fantastic opportunity to defend their colors at the international level. Belgian school championship On the other side of the Atlantic, 19 teams from all over Canada participated in a dedicated hybrid qualifier for the Finals. In another part of the world, Bhutan also organized a special National Team Championship at the beginning of June to find out who’s going to Kazakhstan. The new FIDE event inspired some federations, like Cyprus or Pakistan, to hold their first-ever national school team chess championships. 1st Pakistan School Chess Championship Some federations, like Ecuador or England, are still to hold their national qualifiers at the end of June and July. It is inspiring to see the quick and enthusiastic response from the chess federations all over the Globe, showcasing how massive the scholastic chess movement is and promising a fantastic World Championship in August. Zimbabwe School Chess Championship, district level
GCL makes its grand debut: “A brand new revolution in an ancient sport”
The inaugural edition of the Global Chess League officially opened in Dubai in a ceremony which saw tech entrepreneurs, big sports names and chess fans celebrate the launching of a project which will showcase the game in a completely different light Dubai, known for its innovative spirit, has become home to another pioneering project, this time in the world of chess. Following the match for the title of World Champion in 2021 between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, the city has again embraced chess, but this time, it seems, on a much grander scale. The ceremony marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for chess, as the Global Chess League aims to revolutionize the game and expand its reach globally. India’s tech giant Tech Mahindra partnered with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to launch the first chess franchise, the Global Chess League, which promises to make the game more accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of play. Among the VIPs at the event were HE Saeed Mohammed Hareb (Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council), Anand Mahindra (Chairman of the Mahindra Group), Arkady Dvorkovich (President of the International Chess Federation, FIDE) famous Australian cricketer Steve Waugh, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza as well as CP Gurnani (Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tech Mahindra). They were joined by Parag Shah, Director – Global Chess League and Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group, and Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson of the Global Chess League Board. It all started with a tweet Speaking at the ceremony, the visionary behind the Global Chess League, Anand Mahindra (Chairman of the Mahindra Group), shared the story about how the event was born. “In 2020, I was watching the Chess Olympiad online. I got hooked on it because of the commentary of some young chess enthusiasts who also happen to be comedians. I tweeted about this, complimenting them. One of them replied to my tweet and threw me a challenge – if you like this, why don’t you create a chess league as you did in other sports? So, I started this. A few days later [FIDE President] Arkady Dvorkovich got in touch saying he saw my tweet, and here we are today”, Anand Mahindra said. “Some of the best ideas in the world happen from a series of happy coincidences”, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group said. He emphasized the league’s commitment to advancing chess and fostering its growth worldwide. We are making “a brand new revolution in an ancient sport”, Mahindra concluded. “The Champions League of Chess” The President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich thanked Tech Mahindra and the Indian companies taking part for putting the Global Chess League together, creating a partnership “built on trust”. “We started this journey a long time ago, and the story Anand Mahindra told about how this whole thing started is true. This project brings a fresh look at chess and more technology – something we sometimes forget when organizing traditional events”, the President of FIDE said. Dvorkovich highlighted the important role the Global Chess League will play in expanding the game of chess and furthering its global reach. “We want to make a Champions League of chess, and I hope we succeed in it”, said Dvorkovich. An eye on chess in every part of the world One of the key aspects of the Global Chess League is the aim to use new technologies to provide better and more understandable access to chess to a broader (non-chess) audience. Tech Mahindra’s MD & CEO, CP Gurnani shared his company’s plan to leverage technology and digital transformation to enhance the chess experience for fans worldwide. “When I went to look at the venue, I had tears in my eyes. Not because of the journey we took, but how the sport will now look. I saw dozens of cameras in the playing venue and some of them belong to global sports broadcasters from all around the world. That gave me a huge confidence that at the launch of the Global Chess League we are witnessing a movement which will translate into big numbers and transform the game”. CP Gurnani’s speech emphasized the league’s commitment to embracing innovation and placing fans at the heart of the project across the globe. The guests were then shown a video – The Big Move – taking them on a journey through history, transition and the future of chess. The video was accompanied by an act featuring dancers whose performance symbolized the evolution of the game and its integration into contemporary society. Chess in every sport Cricket is a big game in India and the Gulf area, so it was no surprise that the audience erupted with applause when Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh appeared on stage. He was joined by Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. The two took part in a discussion about the connection between chess and cricket. “The more I think about it, the more I see that, in a lot of ways, cricket is very similar to chess. A lot of strategy, thinking ahead, planning”, Steve Waugh said. “I was a team captain, and the camera was most often on me. I didn’t always want my emotions to be seen. There is a lot of bluffing involved in cricket, and I guess there is some of that in chess in a way – you need to portray confidence even when you feel you’re vulnerable”, said Waugh. Talking about the connection between chess and tennis, Sonia Mirza noted that “in tennis, we make small decisions every second, and those decisions are based on what the opponent might do”. “There is a similarity to chess in every sport – in every competition, you need to think ahead and plan how to react to your opponent’s move”, Mirza noted. She also reflected on playing the tennis doubles (where Mirza successfully competed with another tennis legend, Martina Hingis) – “in critical moments, you have to take ownership. The appearance of the Waugh and Mirza highlighted one of Global Chess League’s core messages –
The Olympic Esports Series Chess Event Finals to start on June 23 in Singapore
The Olympic Esports Series (OES) is a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the International Olympic Committee in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers. International Chess Federation and Chess.com are proud to bring chess to the Series. It marks a new stage in the cooperation with the International Olympic Committee since FIDE was recognised as an international sports federation by the IOC in 1999. The Olympic Esports Series 2023 Chess Event started on Chess.com on April 1 with open qualifiers. Whopping 42,000 players from 219 countries participated in qualifying events, which culminated in 16-player Preliminaries on May 4-5. Eight players prevailed and, together with two wild cards, are headed to Singapore for the Olympic Esports Series Finals! GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan GM Oleksandr Bortnyk GM Alexey Sarana GM Bassem Amin GM Maksim Chigaev GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov GM Goh Wei Ming Kevin GM Tin Jingyao (Singapore wildcard) IM Irene Kharisma Sukandar (female wildcard) The Finals take place June 23-24 in Singapore. There will be two stages. For the Pool Stage on day one, the ten players will be divided into two pools of 5, played as a Round Robin tournament. The winner and the runner-up of each Pool will qualify for the Knockout Stage on day two. After the semis, there will be matches for Gold (the loser gets Silver) and Bronze trophies. Each match will be played as the best-of-4 games with the time control of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. In case of a tie, an Armageddon game will decide the winner. Mark your calendars for this exciting event and watch it live on Chess.com. ©2023 International Olympic Committee/IOC – All rights reserved. The “Olympic Esports Series” is a property of the IOC and may not be copied, republished, stored in a retrieval system or otherwise reproduced or transmitted, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means whatsoever, without the prior written consent of the IOC. Unauthorized copying, adaptation, rental, lending, distribution, extraction, re-sale, arcade use, charging for use, broadcast, public performance and internet, cable or any telecommunications transmission, access or use of this product or any trademark or copyright work that forms part of this product are prohibited.
Armenia wins European Pair Blitz Chess Championship
The Armenian team emerged victorious at the European Pair Blitz Chess Championship, which took place in Kraków on Monday. The Polish team of Oliwia Kiołbasa and Jan-Krzysztof Duda placed fourth. The Championship was an accompanying competition to the 2023 European Games and one of the biggest chess events of the year in Poland. The Armenian pair, women’s tournament winner Elina Danielian and the open event runner-up Shant Sargsyan finished ahead of the teams from the Netherlands (Elina Roebers and Benjamin Bok) and Azerbaijan (Gunay Mammadzada and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov). The Polish duo tied for fourth place with Romania. They were followed in the standings by Spain, Israel and Ukraine. Poland’s number one player Jan-Krzysztof Duda scored an impressive 5.5/7 in the qualifying round but lost in both the semifinal and the final, finishing fourth in the open category. His compatriot Oliwia Kiołbasa came seventh in the women’s tournament. “I cannot be happy with myself, as it evidently was not my day. It is a shame; I certainly expected more. I am glad so many fans came to the Kraków Opera House to support us. I am very grateful, and it was nice of them,” Kiołbasa said. Indeed, the tournament was a real success, as hundreds of chess enthusiasts filled the audience in the Kraków Opera House. Many of them were young aspiring chess players, who came to observe the champions. “It is a great moment, not just for Polish chess, but for the game on the European and global scale, for the tournament to be associated with the European Games. We believe chess will one day become part of the Olympic family; since we have no doubt that chess is a sport and a very beautiful one. I am happy the event is taking place in Poland, as Polish chess is a part of the global elite. Poland loves the game; it is evident, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda is one of the faces of the 2023 European Games. Poland is a great chess nation, with competitors at a very high level,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, the Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management board and the first vice-president of the European Chess Union. Both these bodies greatly contributed to the organization of the Championship in Kraków. Łukasz Turlej, FIDE Secretary General, believes that holding the European Pair Blitz Championships as an accompanying event to the European Games is an excellent opportunity for the game. “It is a big deal for chess, not just in Poland, but also globally, since the Games in Kraków is the biggest sport events in the world this year. The chess championship held in conjunction with the Games and starting them off is a great distinction and an opportunity. It is special for a chess player to be one of the ambassadors of the Games. Jan-Krzysztof Duda is highly regarded in Kraków. Here he is very popular, which is a source of great joy for the entire chess community,” Turlej stated. The tournament’s sponsors included Superbet, the Superbet Foundation and Mokate, all of which are strongly involved in promoting the royal game in Poland. At the official opening Janusz Kozioł, plenipotentiary of the mayor of Kraków for the development of physical culture and deputy CEO of the 2023 European Games, stated that Kraków wishes to present itself as a good host of major chess events. “It is no secret I am on good terms with the president of the European governing body and secretary general of the global federation, and we are convinced it is necessary to take the next steps, organizing more major chess tournaments. It is much easier to make these decisions when you have a leader like Jan-Krzysztof Duda. That makes these decisions understandable to all,” Kozioł said. Kamila Kałużna-Turcza, head of the Małopolska Chess Association and the main organizer of the Championship echoed this sentiment: “The entire team has come a long way before we could meet in the Kraków Opera House. I am very satisfied looking at the end result. The European Pair Blitz Championship is the next step towards Kraków’s hosting more important chess tournaments. Yes, together with the city of Kraków and our friends from the Silesian Chess Association, we have plans. In 2024 we would like to host the World Team Championships,” Kałużna-Turcza stated. Photo: Walusza Fotografia
Richard Rapport and Jan-Krzysztof Duda advance to Armageddon Series Grand Finale
Richard Rapport and Jan-Krzysztof Duda are the final participants of the Armageddon Series Grand Finale, having won the Europe & Africa Qualifier. Berlin, Germany, June 18, 2023 — GM Richard Rapport emerged victorious in the Armageddon Championship Series, dominating the world’s top players and winning the Europe & Africa qualifier. This victory secured his spot in the Grand Finale in September, where he will be joined by the tournament’s runner-up, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Alongside a formidable lineup of finalists, including Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Gukesh D, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Humpy Koneru, they will compete for the coveted prize of €200,000. The World Chess Armageddon Championship Series 2023 takes place March 5-September 20, 2023, in many different regions across the world. The Armageddon Regionals and Armageddon Women’s Week run from March to June, while the Armageddon Championship Series Grand Finale will be played from September 13 to 20, 2023. The competition has captivated chess enthusiasts worldwide, embarking on an exhilarating journey as the Armageddon Championship Series is live-streamed on over 18 online and TV platforms. Official website: chessarena.com/armageddon
Frederik Svane wins Teplice Open 2023
GM Frederik Svane emerged as the winner of the Teplice Open, the event dating back to 1922 that has been held yearly since 2006. The 2023 edition, a 9-round Swiss tournament supported by the FIDE Aid Package, took place from June 10-18, 2023, in the second-largest Czech spa town Teplice. The event brought together 218 players from 33 federations. The seventh seed Frederik Svane got off to a flying start winning five straight games, but his main rivals – the rating favourite Shant Sargsyan, Evgeny Romanov and his older brother Rasmus Svane – trailed by just a half-point. Romanov caught up with Svane soon, and the leaders clashed in Round 7. Frederik pulled off a crucial victory with the white pieces, regained the lead and kept it to the end. Frederik Svane (pictured below) finished with two draws and came clear first with 7.5/9, while as many as five players tied for the second on 7/9. Thanks to superior Buchholz, Shant Sargsyan and Evgeny Romanov took second and third places, respectively. Final standings: 1 GM Svane Frederik GER 2603 7½ 2 GM Sargsyan Shant ARM 2640 7 3 GM Romanov Evgeny NOR 2555 7 4 GM Svane Rasmus GER 2616 7 5 IM Ioannidis Evgenios GRE 2471 7 6 IM Sokolovsky Yahli ISR 2464 7 7 GM Krysa Leandro ARG 2541 6½ 8 IM Teclaf Pawel POL 2576 6½ 9 GM Safarli Eltaj AZE 2609 6½ 10 IM Sorensen Hampus SWE 2453 6½ Complete results WFM Deodhar Vrushali Umesh, WIM Fiona Sieber and Valentina Verbin (pictured below from left to right) became the best female players of the Teplice Open 2023. Photos: official website Official website: tepliceopen.com/
European Pair Blitz Championship 2023 kicks off in Krakow
Chess to take over Kraków on Monday, 19 June. Excitement ahead in the Kraków Opera House! On 19 June 2023 in the Kraków Opera House, the European Pair Blitz Championships will take place. The competition is an accompanying event to the 2023 European Games and is one of the top chess events in Poland this year. The event was inaugurated with a special press conference. The European Pair Blitz Championships will bring to the capital of Małopolska top male and female chess players from eight European federations – including, of course, Poland, as well as Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Israel, Romania, Spain, Armenia and the Netherlands. On the men’s side, Poland will be represented by Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Poland’s number one player, World Cup winner and World Blitz Championships runner-up, while his partner will be the European Championships runner-up Oliwia Kiołbasa. From left to right: Janusz Kozioł, Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Jacek Majchrowski, Kamila Kałużna-Turcza, and Łukasz Turlej. – First of all, I would like to thank Janusz Kozioł, the Polish government, the minister of sports and the organising committee – stated Zurab Azmaiparashvili, president of the European Chess Union, at the press conference. I am happy chess will be part of the European Games for the first time. It is also the first time we will be playing in pairs. We are attempting to build a model for our sport that will enable it to appear at the Olympic Games. During the event in Kraków, top players from eight countries will be competing, providing great excitement. Another exciting aspect is presenting chess in the Kraków Opera House. As for the Chess Olympiad, I can confidently support Kraków as a potential event host in 2028. – It was always our goal for sports such as chess to get a foothold in Kraków and to find a place in the minds of the Poles – stated Janusz Kozioł, plenipotentiary of the mayor of Kraków for the development of physical culture and deputy CEO of the 2023 European Games. – It is thanks to Jan-Krzysztof Duda that we fell in love with the game, but we would like to get as many people as possible interested. We plan to organise top-class chess competitions in Poland. Yesterday the Kraków mayor Jacek Majchrowski met with the president of the European Chess Union Zurab Azmaiparashvili, and it was confirmed the city was ready to organise a competition as big as the Chess Olympiad. We are happy for chess to be part of the European Games, especially in a place like the Kraków Opera House. From today, we start lobbying for Kraków and Katowice to host the Chess Olympiad – he added. The time limit in the Championships will be three minutes per game for each player, plus two seconds per move. Men and women will play separately in a round-robin format. Łukasz Turlej and Shohreh Bayat – Let me start by stating our country will be represented by Jan-Krzysztof Duda and European Championships runner-up Oliwia Kiołbasa – said Łukasz Turlej, Secretary General of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). – The other teams will be extremely strong as well, as many players from top nations will be coming. The starting list, as well as the formula, will allow for a packed audience in the Kraków Opera House, and the excitement is building up for Monday. – It will be a highly interesting formula – stated Shohreh Bayat, chief referee of the Championships. – It is unusual, as we start with round-robin games, separately for the women and the open category. Subsequently, based on the results of the qualifications, we will proceed to the next stage, the play-off round, deciding the medals. They will be given out in three categories: open, women and overall team classification (man and woman from each country). We are playing blitz, which makes the competition spectacular and very fast. Kamila Kałużna-Turcza – There are many benefits to our participation in the European Games – stated Kamila Kałużna-Turcza, head of the Małopolska Chess Association. – We are well prepared as organisers and we would like to prove it is no accident we became a part of the Olympic family. It is a small step towards becoming an Olympic sport and it gives us joy to start in Kraków with a new formula, with top-class players. We are going to show our sport can be spectacular to watch, popular and exciting. We are kicking off on Monday, 19 June, at 1:45 PM, with the first round starting at 2 PM. The final round is planned for 7:45 PM, with the conclusion of the competition at 8:15 PM.
FIDE World Cup 2023: Information for players
Dear players, Please find below important and useful information related to the event. Airport Once you collect your luggage at Baku airport, please approach the volunteers at the FIDE World Cup information desk – they will accompany you to your vehicle. Please note that transfers from the airport will be provided only to those participants who stay in the official hotels. Registration Registration of the participants of the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup is done via the registration system: worldcup.fide.com/registration. Registration deadline is June 30, 12 p.m. Lausanne time. Venue: The venue for the event will be the Baku Marriott Hotel Boulevard (address: Khagani Rustamov Street, 4C Khatai District, Baku 1010, Azerbaijan) Transfers: The following free-of-charge transportation will be provided to those participants who stay in the official hotels of the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup: – upon arrival: from Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) to the hotel of stay – July 29: to/from the opening ceremony and the technical meeting – on playing days: to the playing venue Accommodation: Accommodation costs for players staying at Official Hotels MIGHT be paid to hotels by the Organizing Committee and deducted from the players’ prize money OR PAID by the participants directly to the hotel. All extra costs (room service, early check-in/late check-out, mini bar, laundry etc.) shall be settled with hotels by the players during check-out. In accordance with legislation of Azerbaijan, all payments to the hotels shall be made in Azerbaijan Manat (all major payment cards are accepted). The Organizing Committee secured a limited number of rooms at discount prices at the following official hotels in Baku for accommodation of players during the FIDE World Cup. Single (USD) Double (USD) Hotel B&B FB B&B FB Boulevard Marriott Hotel***** (Playing venue) 95 145 110 205 Park İnn/Radisson**** 90 135 105 200 İbis Hotel*** 50 85 75 110 Note: *VAT (18%) and 1.3 AZN municipality taxes are included The hotel rates include all applicable taxes and charges, including Municipality Tax 1.3 AZN (approximately equal to USD 0.77 per person per night). The mentioned hotel rates are approximate, as they may vary slightly due to currency fluctuations. Early accommodation Boulevard Marriott Hotel Kindly note that check-in time is 15:00. Early check-in is available between 7:00 and 11:00 and costs 50% of the room rate. Early check-in after 11:00 can be granted complimentary upon availability. Photo: booking.com Park Inn/Radisson Kindly note that check-in time is 12:00. Early check-in is available between 10:00 and 12:00 and costs 50% of the room rate. Photo: hrs.com Ibis Hotel Kindly note that check-in time is 15:00. Early check-in is available between 8:00 and 14:00 and requires 50% room rate application. Photo: all.accor.com/ Visas: Citizens of Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Türkiye and Qatar do not need visas to enter Azerbaijan. Citizens of 93 countries are eligible for E-visas to Azerbaijan: https://evisa.gov.az/en/countries If your country is among them, you can apply to obtain your e-visa here: https://evisa.gov.az/en/ If you are neither a citizen of the country with a visa-free regime for visiting Azerbaijan nor eligible for an E-visa, you will be contacted by the organizer upon submitting your registration form and providing a copy of the passport (JPEG or PDF format). Communication with players: А special communication channel will be created in the Telegram app during the World Cup (organizational announcements only). Players will be added there a few days before the start of the tournament. Only Organizers will have the option of sending messages there. Please make sure in advance that this mobile app is installed on your device and your account is connected to the telephone number provided to organizers. You can also reach the organizing committee of the FIDE World Cup and FIDE Women’s World Cup via the official mailbox worldcup@fide.com. Opening Ceremony & Technical Meeting The opening ceremony and technical meeting will take place on July 29. Transfers to/from both events will be provided from all official hotels of the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup. We wish you a safe flight and look forward to seeing you soon in Baku! Official website: worldcup2023.fide.com/