Azerbaijan Championship: Aydin Suleymanli wins maiden title
Aydin Suleymanli (pictured above with his father) emerged as the winner of the Azerbaijan Championship 2024. The 19-year-old native of Baku prevailed over Mahammad Muradli in the final match to capture his maiden national title. The Azerbaijan Championship 2024, with a total prize fund of USD 18,000, took place from April 11-26, 2024. The tournament featured eight grandmasters and five international masters, with some notable absences from top Azerbaijani players like Mamedyarov, Radjabov, Mamedov, and the defending champion Vasif Durarbayli. Like a year before, the competition consisted of two stages. The first stage was a 9-round Swiss tournament with classical time control. The top four finishers – Mahammad Muradli (7/9), Aydin Suleymanli (6.5/9), Khazar Babazada (5.5/9) and Vugar Rasulov (5.5/9) advanced to the playoffs (two-game matches) to determine the champion. The top seed Muradli and Suleymanli confirmed their statues as the tournament favorites and met in the final. The first game was drawn, whereas in the second one, Aydin Suleymanli scored the decisive victory with a spectacular queen sacrifice. 29. Qxg6! Nd7 (29…hxg6 30. Rh7+) 30. Qh6 Nxf6 31. Rxf6 Rxf6 32. Rxf6 d5 33. cxd5 exd5 and Aydin won on move 41, clinching the title. In the match for bronze, Vugar Rasulov convincingly outplayed Khazar Babazada to complete the podium. During a short closing ceremony, Mahir Mammadov, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and Vice President of FIDE, and Faig Hasanov, First Vice President of ASF, presented awards to the winners. Photos: Azerbaijan Chess Federation Facebook
FIDE World Championship Match 2024 – Call for bids
The FIDE Worlds Chess Championship Match is a pinnacle of the FIDE World Championship Cycle. The 2024 edition will decide who will reign the chess world for the next two years — the reigning world champion, Ding Liren (China), or the youngest challenger in chess history, Gukesh D (India). The World Championship Match 2024 is provisionally scheduled between November 20 and December 15, 2024. FIDE is opening a bidding procedure to host the event. 1.2 The basic provisions are the following: a) Total duration of the event – up to 25 days b) The Regulations shall be approved by July 1, 2024. 2) Minimum total budget of the event – 8,500, 000 (eight million five hundred thousand) USD d) Minimum prize fund – 2,500,000 (two million five hundred thousand) USD. (The prize fund was increased from 2,000,000 USD in 2023). e) FIDE fee – 1, 100 000 (one million one hundred thousand) USD f) Payment for commercial, sponsorship and broadcasting rights will be specified according to bidders’ proposals. g) The Organiser shall respect the rights of the FIDE sponsors and partners, including for the video broadcast. 1.3 The Applicant shall fill in the Bidding Form. The Applicant must indicate the exact breakdown of the budget by item, including proposals for payments to FIDE for the commercial and sponsorship rights, payment for the broadcasting rights and the distribution of sponsorship and broadcasting rights between FIDE and the Organisers. A signed copy shall be submitted as an e-mail message to the FIDE Secretariat to office@fide.com no later than May 31, 2024, by 23:59 Lausanne time. The bid should accompanied by the relevant supporting documents.FIDE has the right to extend this deadline if considered necessary. All the documents shall be submitted in English. 1.4 FIDE reserves the right to enter into additional negotiations with any of the Applicants in order to improve or modify the bid. 1.5 The final decision of FIDE will be based on the totality of all the proposed conditions and interests of chess development.
World Cadet Rapid & Blitz Championship starts in Durres, Albania
The World Rapid & Blitz Cadet Chess Championship 2024, organized by FIDE and the Albanian Chess Federation, kicked off at the Fafa Resort & Spa Hotel in Durres, Albania, with an opening ceremony. The President of Albania, Mr Bajram Begaj, announced the event officially opened and made the first symbolic move in the game between Amina Hoti (Albania) and Gunesh Bayramova (Turkmenistan) in Girls U-8 section. Hundreds of talented youngsters aged 6 to 12 gathered at the prestigious venue where team “Offerspill” headed by Magnus Carlsen triumphed in the European Club Chess Championship just six months ago. The event running from April 25-29, brought together 375 participants from 43 countries. This is the highest number of participating countries since the inaugural event back in 2017. Competing over three intense days, these young chess talents, aged 6 to 12, from all around the world will vie for the coveted titles of World Champions in Rapid and Blitz, in the U8, U10, and U12 categories. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Albania Bajram Begaj, FIDE Technical delegate, Honorary Chair and Chief Events lnspection, Ozgur Solakoglu, Renis Mullaj, the Vice MAJOR of Durres, Fidel YLLI, President of the Albanian Olympic Committee, Erald Dervishi, President of the Albanian Chess Federation, President of the Balkan Chess Federation, who welcomed the participants and wished them success. On the first day, five rounds of the Rapid Championship were played. On the second day, we will see the final six rounds of this competition. On the third day, the participants will play 11 rounds of Blitz. Text and photos: Anastasia Karlovich Official website: official website: worldcadetrb2024.fide.com/
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024-2025 Qualifiers
The strongest women chess players in the world qualified for the next edition of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix The Women’s Grand Prix is a series of tournaments launched by FIDE in 2009 to promote women’s chess. FIDE is pleased to announce the list of players who have secured their place in the 2024-2025 WGP Series. All 14 qualified players have earned their spot in the Women’s Grand Prix thanks to fulfilling the qualifying conditions. The remaining six players to take part will be nominated by the organizers of each of the six tournaments. Among the players participating in the event, there are as many as three women’s World Champions in classical time control – Tan Zhongyi (2017-2018), Alexandra Kosteniuk (2008-2010) and Mariya Muzychuk (2015-2016). Joining them are former Rapid World Champions Humpy Koneru, Kateryna Lagno and Anna Muzychuk. The reigning champion, Ju Wenjun, will not take part in the series. She was replaced by Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, vice-champion of both Women’s World Rapid and Women’s World Blitz Championships 2018, who was the next in line to qualify by rating according to the April 2024 FIDE Rating List. Qualified players N Player Qualification Path 1 Ju Wenjun* (China) FIDE Women’s World Championship Match 2023 participants 2 Lei Tingjie (China) 3 Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 2022-23 4 Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE) FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023 5 Nurgyul Salimova (Bulgaria) 6 Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) 7 Tan Zhongyi (China) 8 Vaishali R (India) FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2023 9 Batkhuyag Munguntuul (Mongolia) 10 Humpy Koneru (India) Standard Rating in the April 2024 FIDE Rating List 11 Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine) 12 Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia) 13 Harika Dronavalli (India) 14 Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland) *replaced by Sarasadat Khademalsharieh In October 2023, FIDE announced the overhaul of the WGP regulations. Compared to the previous series, the upcoming WGP Series features several improvements: The number of tournaments has increased from four to six. The number of participants has grown from 16 to 20. The prize money for participants has been increased. Emil Sutovsky, the CEO of FIDE, congratulated the players who have qualified for the competition and emphasized the importance of the WGP for women’s chess. “One of the key focus areas for FIDE is women’s chess. We want more women to play, and we want them to have more events, better events, and better conditions. Our best female players deserve it – and it will also serve as an incentive for the new generation”. “The Women’s Grand Prix is one of the most important events for us in promoting women’s chess, and we are very much looking forward to the 2024-2025 edition, as we expect more interest from both the public and the sponsors. Women’s chess is improving, but we need to, want to and will do more,” Sutovsky added. The regulations for the Women’s Grand Prix series can be found here.
FIDE Council meeting 2024 8, 13 April List of Decisions published
FIDE Council meeting 2024 8, 13 April List of Decisions CM1-2024/01 To note President’s report. CM1-2024/02To approve Treasurer’s report and support the suggested 2024 expenditure ceilings. CM1-2024/03To note the Global Strategy Commission’s report. CM1-2024/04To note the Arbiters’ Commission’s report. CM1-2024/05To approve the recommendations of the Arbiters’ Commission on Seminars, Classification upgrades, Amendments to the lecturer list, FA norms and titles. CM1-2024/06To note the Qualification Commission’s report. CM1-2024/07To approve recommendations of the Qualification Commission on titles. CM1-2024/8To approve the Qualification Commission’s decision not to rate the First Saturday Nadassy 2024 February. CM1-2024/9To approve the Qualification Commission’s proposal to introduce aTournament investigation guidelines and the form. CM1-2024/10To approve the recommendations of the Trainers’ Commission on titles and Academies. CM1-2024/11To approve the recommendations of the Events Commission on titles. CM1-2024/12To note that the Prahova County Chess Association has withdrawn from organising the FIDE World Schools Team Championships 2024 CM1-2024/13To decide on the venues regarding the FIDE WorldCadet U8, U10, U12 Championships 2024 and FIDE World Senior Championship 2024 by the end of April 2024. CM1-2024/14To note the Fair Play Commission’s report. CM1-2024/15To approve the recommendations of the Fair Play Commission on titles. CM1-2024/16To refer the proposals of the Fair Play Commission related toFIDE Fair Play Definitions, FPL Title Regulations, FPL Appointment Regulations, FPL Financial Regulations, Fair Play protection measures and Fair Play Regulationsto the relevant FIDE Commissions’ review and comments and to examine final updated versions of the proposals. CM1-2024/17To note the FPL Commission’s appeal against the FIDE Arbiters Disciplinary Subcommittee (DSC) decision regarding Mr.Biagioli and request the President to communicate to Mr.Biagioli, the FPL Commission and the ARB Commission the opinion of the Council. CM1-2024/18To note the Technical Commission’s report. CM1-2024/19To recognise Chess Online Pairing Programme (COPP)as a FIDE Endorsed product. CM1-2024/20To approve the Technical Commission’s proposal regarding Basic Rules for Swiss System.Table of changes. CM1-2024/21To approve the Technical Commission’s proposal regarding FIDE (Dutch) System.Table of changes. CM1-2024/22To approve the Technical Commission’s proposal regarding References for General Handling Rules for Swiss Tournaments, Dubov System, Burstein System, other FIDE-approved pairings systems, FIDE-approved accelerated systems. CM1-2024/23To note the Rules Commission’s report. CM1-2024/24To note the Commission’s for Women’s Chess report. CM1-2024/25To note the Chess in Multi Sports Games Committee’s report. CM1-2024/26To note the Planning and Development Commission’s report. CM1-2024/27To note the Chess in Education Commission’s report. CM1-2024/28To approve the recommendations of the Chess in Education Commission on titles. CM1-2024/29To note Continental Presidents’ reports. CM1-2024/30To appoint FIDE Executive Director Mr. V. Bologan as a FIDE Council’s representative for discussions with the relevant authorities of the country and Chess Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr.Bologan shall come back to the Council with specific proposals on how to improve the situation related to the Chess Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina by June 3, 2024. CM1-2024/31To note the FIDE100 Awards structure and timeline. CM1-2024/32To confirm Ms. Elena Donaldson-Akhmilovskaya, Ms. Nana Alexandria, Ms. Zhu Chen, Mr.Efim Geller, Mr. Robert Hübner, Mr. Vladimir Kramnik, Ms. Irina Levitina, Mr.Fredrik Olafsson, Mr. Oscar Panno, and Mr.Lev Polugaevsky, as FIDE inductees to the World Chess Hall of Fame for the year 2024. CM1-2024/33 To hold the 2024 2ndFIDE Council meeting in July 2024.
EWCC 2024: Three in the lead at midpoint
The European Women’s Chess Championship 2024 is halfway through. With five rounds to go, three players are sharing the lead on 4.5/5: IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE, 2377), IM Marta Garcia Martin (ESP, 2349) and 15-year-old WCM Bozhena Piddubna (UKR, 2005). The Round 4 top board encounter between Ulviyya Fatliyava Marta Garcia Martin ended in a draw after precise play by the opponents. This draw allowed 15-year-old Ukrainian WCM Bozhena Piddubna to joined Fataliyeva and Garcia Martin in the lead after defeating eight-time Spanish Champion IM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (ESP, 2383). Getting closer to the time trouble, Vega blundered a piece and resigned a few moves later. Rated only 2005, Ukrainian talent Bozhena Piddubna has the impressive performance of 2697, and has already earned over 150 rating points! A group of 17 players follow the top trio sitting on 4/5: IM Lela Javakhishvili (GEO, 2447), WIM Martyna Wikar (POL, 2214), IM Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA, 2381), IM Mai Narva (EST, 2401), IM Klaudia Kulon (POL, 2348), WIM Alicja Sliwicka (POL, 2315), IM Irina Bulmaga (ROU, 2394), GM Anna Ushenina (UKR, 2418), WGM Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE, 2402), WGM Olga Babiy (UKR, 2306), WGM Beloslava Krasteva (BUL, 2220), IM Marina Brunello (ITA, 2353), WGM Mitra Hejazipour (FRA, 2376), IM Sophie Milliet (FRA, 2392), IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL, 2393), WIM Sofiia Hryzlova (SUI, 2251) and IM Olga Zimina (ITA, 2299). All results, pairings and rankings can be found here. In Round 6 that starts on April 25 at 3 PM local time, Ulviyya Fataliyeva takes on Bozhena Piddubna while Marta Garcia Martin faces Lela Javakhishvili. You can follow the games with live commentaries by GM Alojzije Jankovic and Dragana Nikolovska on the ECU YouTube channel. Rich photo gallery with photos by ECU and Jim Laga can be found on the European Open and Women’s Individual Chess Championships Facebook page. Text and photos: ECU Official website: ewcc2024.eu/
Changes to Regulations of transferring to FIDE flag for Refugees
In an effort to further improve the position of chess players who are refugees, asylum seekers or stateless persons, FIDE has amended the regulations regarding transfer rules for playing under the FIDE flag. As of 1st May 2024, refugees and persons with similar status will have an easier way to switch to playing under the FIDE flag. This applies to players who are refugees but are unable to obtain a FIDE ID in the country where they are now permanently residing. Before being transferred to play under the FIDE Flag, players covered by the regulations should initially request in writing a transfer to the Federation of their current pace of residence. If that request is denied, a player may request a transfer to play under the FIDE flag. Importantly, FIDE players with refugee status who transfer will be exempt from paying the annual fee of 100 Euros. FIDE flag players will be eligible to participate in all official FIDE tournaments, subject to qualification criteria. “We want to make it easier for refugees and displaced people to play chess and participate in events. That is why we looked into easing the regulations for switching to the FIDE flag. We understand that refugees in foreign countries may face challenges obtaining documents due to various regulations. We hope that, at least when it comes to chess, we can make that easier and open a path for them to participate in tournaments and play the game they love,” emphasized Aleksandr Martynov, FIDE’s Legal Director.
Registration for 45th Chess Olympiad is now open
The 45th Chess Olympiad, organized by the International Chess Federation, the Hungarian Chess Federation and the National Event Management Agency, will take place from September 10-23 in Budapest, one of chess strongholds. Approximately 190 countries are expected to participate in the event hosted by the BOK Sports and Conference Centre. Registration for the 45th Chess Olympiad is open for national federations from April 18 to July 10. 937 men and 800 women, in 188 and 162 teams respectively, participated in the previous 44th Chess Olympiad, in Chennai, India. To promote gender equality, the Hungarian Federation, national federations and FIDE strive to increase women’s team participation. The Budapest Chess Olympiad is supported by the Government of Hungary. Dr. Ádám Schmidt, State Secretary for Sport, said about the event: “Hungary has had a lot of great chess players. I am delighted that we can welcome the greatest players in the world in the autumn. In sports governance, it is our aim to ensure that international sports events held in Hungary have a long-term positive impact on sports in Hungary. I hope that Hungarian chess can benefit from the attention sparked by the Chess Olympiad, and we can reach even broader audiences with this special sport.” Besides the competition, cultural and educational programs, including introductory chess sessions for children, will be available to the public. The FIDE Congress and celebrations for FIDE’s 100th anniversary will also take place in Budapest during the 45th Chess Olympiad. “The Chess Olympiad represents the pinnacle of team chess events, an honor granted only to the best chess players. The opening of the registration process for teams marks the beginning of the final phase of preparation for this great event, as the drumbeats of excitement begin to sound louder. We hope the players and federations are ready, and we trust that the organizers will provide them with all the support they need. With this year’s Chess Olympiad scheduled to take place in one of the chess capitals of the world, Budapest, we are confident that it will be a memorable experience for all participants! It is with great excitement and anticipation that we look forward to September, when the chess world will gather in Hungary – the country which has given and continues to give so much to chess,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE. The 45th Chess Olympiad will be held in the BOK Sports and Conference Centre, a state-of-the-art sports hall that has hosted many prestigious events, including the 2019 Hungarian Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2019 World Fencing Championships and the 2022 European Wrestling Championships. This momentous chess event with international appeal expects 2,000 players from 190 countries. Participants and guests can explore Budapest during the two weeks of the competition, boosting tourism. “There is no greater honor for a sport than to host its most prestigious competition in its own country. I see that the Chess Olympiad movement is strengthening unity in our sport, and it is our goal that everyone who wants to be a part of this joyful, global event can find their role and place, either in the organization and implementation of the Olympiad or in a lead-up event or a satellite programme. The preparations for the Chess Olympiad have electrified the chess community, and the top players are getting ready; as the host country, we can have two men’s and two women’s teams instead of 1 each, and we will also have a U25 team – we hope this will be a truly memorable experience for these young players,” Dr Zoltán Polyánszky, President of the Hungarian Chess Federation said about the 45th Chess Olympiad. Organized by the National Event Management Agency with federation cooperation, this global competition guarantees high quality. CEO of the organization, Dr Mátyás Falvai, said: “Chess has a long tradition in Hungary. Almost 100 years ago, the Hungarian team won the first and the second official Chess Olympiad. This inspires us not just to provide everything for a well-organized competition but also to show the keen interest Hungarians have in chess as a sport.” The 2024 Chess Olympiad will honor Hungarian chess heritage, welcoming players worldwide to compete in this strategic and intellectual game. The Hungarian public will have a unique opportunity to learn about chess and witness star players in action.
FIDE Candidates 2024: And it’s a wrap!
The FIDE Candidates Tournament, which captivated audiences for three weeks, is in the books. The Closing Ceremony was held at 1 Hotel Toronto, the residence of the players for almost a month. The ceremony was hosted by the tournament’s Chief Arbiter, Aris Marghetis, and charming Charlize Van Zyl, a familiar face from the FIDE broadcasts, where she conducted interviews, narrated recaps, and captured the event’s essence for viewers worldwide. The ceremony began with the national anthems of the host country, Canada, and the International Chess Federation. Aris and Charlize then shared some tournament statistics, highlighting the online viewership that reached millions and the full house at the venue, evidenced by the sold-out tickets. A video recap brought memories of the intense 14-day competition before Vlad Drkulec, President of the Chess Federation of Canada, graced the stage and delivered an inspiring speech. “It was quite an eventful competition. I would like to thank all the people who made it possible: the sponsors, the Scheinberg family and FIDE for putting this event in Canada. We are very thankful as it will help us to continue growing at a phenomenal rate. It is the most exciting thing that has been in Canada for a century or even more. We would also like to thank the members of Parliament who contributed to getting all the visas just in time, and also the army of volunteers who made this successful event. We thank all the players for coming to Canada and putting up a spectacular show for the world,” he said. Emil Sutovsky, the CEO of FIDE, expressed his gratitude on stage, thanking the Scheinberg family, the main sponsor of the event, chess fans, volunteers and all those who took part in the organization of this celebration of chess. “It is a really special moment for me… In January 2023, we announced that the event would go to Toronto. From that moment on, we started to prepare. It was a long, bumpy journey at times, but we are very proud that we managed to pull this event together, and I would like to thank everyone involved. Of course, the Scheinberg family for their continuous support. As you know, they support one major chess event that FIDE hosts every year. The 1 Hotel. It is a really special place, and we all enjoyed being here. I hope we will be here again… I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers. They were numerous. Wherever you were in this competition, you felt this warm attitude. Volunteers played an important role in creating this unique atmosphere; thank you very much.” The award ceremony then began. The champions, Gukesh D and Tan Zhongyi, were honored with unique trophies crafted from reclaimed Toronto wood, symbolizing their achievement and the enduring connection with the city they’ll carry home. The rendering of the national anthems of India and China honored the winners’ home countries. The ceremony drew to a close, leaving guests to savor the gala dinner that ensued. With a mix of celebration and a touch of melancholy, the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 and FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024 were officially declared closed, marking the end of a remarkable chapter of the World Chess Championship Cycle.
Update on FIDE Resolution on suspending membership of Egyptian Chess Federation
Following the FIDE Resolution of March 6, 2024, on suspending the membership of the Egyptian Chess Federation (ECF), FIDE is pleased to report a significant progress. FIDE received a partial payment towards resolving the debt that led to the suspension. In this regard, FIDE extends its gratitude to the Egyptian National Olympic Committee and personally to Dr Ashraf Sobhy, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Egypt, Eng. Yasser Edris, President of the Egyptian National Olympic Committee, and Eng. Sharif El Erian, Secretary General of the Egyptian National Olympic Committee. Also, FIDE thanks for their hard work and cooperation Interim Committee which leads Egyptian Chess Federation now: GM Ahmed Adly, (Chairman), WIM Dr. Eman Elansary (member), IA Mohamed Abdelaal (member). It is assumed that the repayment schedule for the remaining debt will be signed by the parties no later than May 31, 2024. Despite this, FIDE will begin partial payments to all affected federations in the next two weeks, that will be proportional to total amount of the funds received from the Egypt Federation. All refunds will be made based on the FIDE Regulations in force at the time of the 2023 World Championship. The procedure for imposing strict sanctions on those responsible for this situation, primarily on the former President of the Federation, Mr. Hesham Elgendy, continues and will be fully implemented. Taking into account this updated situation and the efforts made, FIDE decided to fully restore the rights of the federation, including the rights to organize tournaments, the right of players to perform under the Egyptian flag etc and recognise the Interim Committee as legitimate Federation’s Representative.