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/
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 4 Recap
After a much-needed Thanksgiving break, the players returned to the board today with seemingly renewed energy. Fans crowded the entrance to the World Chess Hall of Fame, patiently waiting for pictures and signatures, and the players gladly obliged. The exciting atmosphere provided the perfect conditions for the end of the tournament’s drawing streak, and yes, we finally got it! When the smoke cleared, it was GM Wesley So who emerged with the full point, catapulting himself into sole lead and bolstering his campaign for a spot in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. GM Levon Aronian received a bye today due to the withdrawal of GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda. ROUND 4 GIRI-VACHIER-LAGRAVE | ½-½, 38 moves Contrary to his dynamic style, Vachier-Lagrave chose the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, but seemed unfamiliar with Giri’s 7.Re1, a trendy approach against the QGA. With Vachier-Lagrave walking right into his preparation, Giri achieved a comfortable endgame edge. But several miscues and miscalculations left him on the edge of the cliff until Vachier-Lagrave missed his chance on move 31. Giri-Vachier-Lagrave: 24.f4? from Giri reached the position above, missing Vachier’s 24…Nf5!. Black saves the piece after 25. g4 Nfd4 26.f5 Ne5! and the e6 bishop is taboo due to the fork on e2 Giri-Vachier-Lagrave: The greedy 31…Rxb2 spoiled the win; instead, 31…Bd5 would have broken down the White defenses with threats like f5 and Ne2+ on the horizon. Giri grabbed his chance with the rejoinder 32.f5+, and the two combatants signed a peace treaty right before time control. Both players look thrilled about the game! Vachier seems to pointing to the f5 square, a key battleground in this game. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes NEPOMNIACHTCHI-CARUANA | ½-½, 63 moves Two participants already confirmed for the 2024 Candidates faced off in likely their last game before the Candidates tournament which will be held in Toronto in April 2024. Nepomniachtchi took a less-explored approach in the Nimzo with 5.Bd2 followed by 6.a3, resulting in an IQP (isolated queen’s pawn) middlegame. Nepomniachtchi correctly changed the character of the position by giving up two pieces for a rook and two pawns, but accurate defense from Caruana kept him within the drawing margins. The game petered out to a rook and two pawns vs rook and one pawn endgame, which Caruana held with ease. SO-RAPPORT | 1-0, 36 moves Rapport, true to his unconventional self, surprised everyone with his choice of the King’s Indian, an opening known for its risky nature, especially at the top level. He seemed to be provoking So into hyper aggression that could be punished, but So conducted the game in a calm, controlled manner. With So maintaining a solid and pesky edge, Rapport decided to lash out with an exchange sacrifice in hopes of catching So’s king in the crossfire. However with cold and correct calculation, So rebuffed the attack and scored the first win of the 2023 Sinquefield Cup. So-Rapport: 20…Rxc4 from Rapport was a bit too extravagant as the material prevailed. 20…Bb5 would’ve kept the position within drawing margins. So is our first leader! | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes FIROUZJA-DOMINGUEZ | ½-½, 46 moves Firouzja decided to go with the London against Dominguez, a player known for his deep theoretical knowledge, perhaps with the idea of getting a fresh battleground without machine intervention. Yet Dominguez still was in book, getting a comfortable position out of the opening with chances for both sides. With such a complicated and tense position, the players exchanged inaccuracies and mistakes, with the advantage switching hands and the clock ticking down for both. In time pressure, Firouzja incorrectly allowed a trade of queens, but Dominguez promptly returned the favor by mistakenly allowing Firouzja to trade a pair of rooks. The resulting endgame proved to have minimal weaknesses for both sides, and the two players settled on a draw on move 47. Anish checks the London on the board intently! | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 25, 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/
Workshop on broadcasting tournaments using VAR took place in Montesilvano
On November 23, at the World Youth Championship 2023 in Montesilvano, Italy, a workshop for arbiters and federation representatives on how to make chess broadcasts using VAR (video assistant referee) in tournaments was held. VAR (Video assistant referee) is a set of technological solutions to help referees at sports competitions. In many sports, various technologies are already used to help referees make decisions. The VAR system allows arbiters to track controversial moments in the game. However, the final decision remains with the human arbiter. In other words, VAR systems provide additional information but do not make decisions for people. Representatives of Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Denmark, Cyprus, India, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Monaco, UAE, and other countries attended the workshop. They learned how to use the idChess platform and to implement VAR technologies at tournaments. “I learnt about idChess last year. I see that a platform has a lot of useful features; it recognizes the game very well. I’ll definitely recommend it,” said IA& IO Arild Rimestad from the Danish Chess Federation. “I was already familiar with this technology and had seen it at many tournaments. The broadcasting platform is very convenient and easy to use. As an arbiter, I welcome the use of VAR at all tournaments very much,” said Bauyrzhan Khamzin, a FIDE arbiter from Kazakhstan. For all federations, tournament organizers, and coaches idChess grants free access to the tournament organizer account at live.idChess.com. The account allows you to create and manage tournaments, save game data in PGN format, instantly upload pairings, and many more. To gain access to a personal account, leave a request. If you were unable to participate in the workshop, join the idChess webinar November 30: “How to easily broadcast tournament games and use VAR to resolve controversies in the game”. To participate, please fill out the form. Photos: Przemek Nikiel
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 3 Recap
Breaking news was delivered shortly before the start of the third round of the Sinquefield Cup, as GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda withdrew from the tournament due to health issues. This meant that GM Leinier Dominguez essentially received a rest day, as the rest of the field continued to battle it out. But once again, after the dust settled, the draw curse is still alive with all draws yet again in Round 3. Additionally, due to Duda’s withdrawal from the event, players will now play 8 games and GM Anish Giri’s draw in the first round against Duda will be voided. ROUND 3 RAPPORT-FIROUZJA | ½-½, 35 moves This game got off to a promising start, as Rapport chose 5.Nc3 against the Petroff, deviating from his choice in Round 1. Firouzja surprised everyone with 9…Nb6, opting away from the normal placement of the black knight on f6. Fire came on the board as the players contested a fresh position, with the ever-creative Rapport coming up with 13.c4!?, a move “not in the top 10 moves” of commentator GM Peter Svidler, and Firouzja responding 2 moves later with 15…Bxb2+. Just when the game seemed to reach its climax and Black’s position hanging in the balance, Rapport bailed out to a level endgame and the players split the point. Rapport-Firouzja: Complications strewn all over the board, and Rapport liquidated with 18.Bc7; 18.Be5! then Qg3 or 18.Qg3! first then Be5 would’ve given White the upper hand. Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes GIRI-SO | ½-½, 39 moves Two potential 2024 Candidates faced off with hopes of gaining an edge in the race for a Candidates spot, but no harm, no foul. Known for his solid style, So met Giri’s 1.e4 with the Berlin, and the two headed into the topical Anti-Berlin after 4.d3 Bc5. An unbalanced game quickly headed towards a draw after both sides locked up the position, and a repetition ended the game before time control. Fighting for a spot in the Candidates, will nerves play a role as the race comes down to the wire? | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes ARONIAN-NEPOMNIACHTCHI | ½-½, 32 moves Aronian opted for the less popular 4.e3 in the Queen’s Gambit, but it was not enough to deter Nepomniachtchi as he diffused the complications with accurate calculation. Soon an approximately balanced endgame was reached, and when Aronian decided on further simplifications, the game was the first to be in the books; an uneventful and accurate-played draw. VACHIER-LAGRAVE-CARUANA | ½-½, 41 moves Having experimented with various lines in the Spanish recently, Caruana turned to the Zaitsev as his weapon of choice against Vachier-Lagrave. But once again a position filled with tension was turned into a quick skirmish and mass liquidation with Caruana’s 19…bxa4 followed by 20…d5. Though Vachier-Lagrave kept trying, entering a two minor pieces versus a rook ending, a draw was never far from sight and the players settled to share the point on move 42. Vachier-Lagrave-Caruana: Caruana’s accurate calculation led to simplification, and Vachier’s attempt to spice up the game with 25. Rxe5 here was to no avail; draw. Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes DOMINGUEZ-DUDA | CANCELED Due to the health issues that were reported yesterday, Duda decided to withdraw from the tournament. On his X account, he remarked, “I regret to have to withdraw from the competition due to serious health issues. I appreciate all the effort from organizers to help me, but unfortunately I am not able to compete. I wish all players and spectators a great event.” We wish him a fast recovery and best wishes. The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 24, 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/
FIDE Decision on Transfer Regulations for Players
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has published a decision following the recent approval of the Resolution on Transfer Regulations. Under the guidance of the FIDE Council, the Resolution on Transfer Regulations seeks to address and establish relevant conditions regarding the participation of transferred players in FIDE team events. This resolution, developed in accordance with the Council’s prior resolution from February 22 2023, aims to address questions surrounding player transfers which took place before August 31 2023, and their integration into new federations. Key highlights of the resolution include: – Waiving of Transfer Fees for Ukrainian Players: FIDE has confirmed the waiver of Transfer fees for all Ukrainian players transferring during 2023-2024. This decision is anticipated to ease the transition process for Ukrainian players aiming to switch federations during this period. This only concerns FIDE transfer fees. Fees applied by the national federation remain. – Confirming the number of transferred players in FIDE Team Events: Teams participating in FIDE team events will now be allowed to include a maximum of 2 (two) players previously belonging to the Chess Federation of Russia who transferred to any of the ECU’s federation from March 1, 2022, until August 31, 2023. Additionally, once the general term restrictions expire, a transferred player will be able to participate in team events without limitation, thereby transitioning from their previous status. Moreover, federations have the prerogative to pay compensation fees for transferred players unable to participate for free, enabling their immediate inclusion in team events. Supporting this transition, FIDE announces the waiver of its transfer fees in cases where the old federation receives compensation fees for transferred players. – Extension of FIDE Flag Representation for Russian and Belorussian Players: Russian and Belorussian players currently performing under the FIDE flag will be granted an extension to continue playing under the FIDE Flag until January 1, 2025. The Resolution on Transfer Regulations is a step towards streamlining the process of player transitions between federations, supporting a more inclusive environment for international chess competitions. FIDE encourages federations, players, and stakeholders to adhere to these guidelines, fostering fair play and enhancing the spirit of sportsmanship within the global chess community. For more information, please visit the official FIDE website or refer to the Council Resolution.
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 2 Recap
The second round of the Sinquefield Cup, the final leg of the Grand Chess Tour, was full of surprises. News of Duda’s sickness rocked Round 2 and his scheduled game against Rapport had to be postponed. Meanwhile in other games the players brought the fight as usual, but all the games fizzled to a draw as they did in Round 1. ROUND 2 NEPOMNIACHTCHI-DOMINGUEZ | ½-½, 87 moves With a quiet start to this game, both players seemed to be comfortable as a draw loomed as the most likely result. Draw indeed we got, but not in the smooth way we expected. Dominguez pressed against Nepomniachtchi’s backward d2 pawn, and a few inaccurate moves left Dominguez a pawn up with all the chances in the world. Yet a seemingly innocuous move handed Nepomniachtchi the initiative, and he rode that momentum all the way to a winning position as Dominguez’s time dwindled down. Nepomniachtchi-Dominguez: Nepo’s 69.d7 threw away the advantage; instead 69.f4! would’ve won the game One misstep late in the game by Nepo and the contest finished in equality. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes FIROUZJA-GIRI | ½-½, 30 moves Two of the potential 2024 Candidates participants faced off against each other today, and as expected, the game did not disappoint. Firouzja showed opening prowess with his 9.b3, however Giri responded with a fierce counter. After 12…f5, Firouzja spent almost 20 mins calculating the position as Anish played quickly. The game reached its climax after 14…e4, to which Firouzja’s 15.dxe4 was met by 15…Nxf2, allowing liquidation and a draw shortly thereafter. 15. dxe4 (instead of 15.Ne1) proved inaccurate, but Giri bailed out with 15…Nxf2 16. exf5 Qd1+ SO-VACHIER-LAGRAVE | ½-½, 31 moves Wesley essayed the trendy 6.Bd3 against Maxime’s Najdorf. Both players appeared to know the line well, and reached an equal position pretty quickly. The game ended in an accurate, well-played draw. CARUANA-ARONIAN | ½-½, 50 moves The most exciting game was delivered by Caruana and Aronian. An unorthodox 7…exd4!? from Aronian steered the game into uncharted territory as the players kept approximate balance for a while in a complicated struggle. Then the always-creative Aronian, noticing Caruana’s lack of time, provoked Fabi into an exchange sacrifice with 27…c6!?. Caruana duly accepted, and Aronian made a critical mistake on move 31. Caruana-Aronian: 31…c3? allowed the white knight a passage to c5 via d2-b3 However Levon fought like a lion and Caruana was forced to acquiesce to a repetition shortly after time control. Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes DUDA-RAPPORT | POSTPONED Citing health issues, Duda couldn’t make it to the game, and hence the battle between Duda and Rapport was postponed to another time. Jan-Krzysztof posted on his Twitter, “More info will come.” We hope Duda will recover soon and will get back to the battlefield tomorrow! The moment when Richard Rapport found out that he will have a free day. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 23, 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/
Hou Yifan wins second WSCC title
GM Hou Yifan is the first player to win two WSCC titles. After defeating GM Harika Dronavalli in the Julius Baer Women’s Speed Chess Championship 2023 Final 15-11, the Chinese grandmaster is a two-time champion. “Ever since her first victory, she never relinquished the lead,” commentator GM Daniel Naroditsky said after the match. Critical to her success was incisive precision when converting advantages, as well as her resilience to save several lost positions. Both times Hou won the WSCC, in 2021 and 2023, she faced Harika in the final. Two years ago, she won her first title with a 15-13 score, but this year, Hou went above and beyond 2021, and her powerful start in the first segment paved the way for a commanding and impenetrable lead. When the match clock reached seven minutes, the commentators started discussing the match in the past tense, even as games were ongoing. Harika won the last two games, which does count for prize money by win percentage but not for the title. Hou earns $10,000 for winning the title match and another $5,769.23 by win percentage. Harika takes home $4,230.77 for the games she won. “I got lucky to start with some leading positions,” said Hou in her interview. “When this match [went] to the bullet chess, I felt like I [couldn’t] see the moves… but in general, I am relatively satisfied with the performance today, especially compared to the previous match where I blundered more.” Will the world’s highest-rated woman return to chess full-time in the future? The answer wasn’t a “yes,” but it wasn’t a “no” either! Harika also joined for an interview, sharing: “I’m just not happy with my strength today. I think it has to do with immediately back-to-back matches… it was really exhausting because I finished my matches at like 11 p.m. and today immediately to start this evening… I’ll have this regret for some time.” She also later added: “This is one of my favourite tournaments, being at home, you can play such matches with the best players with an amazing prize fund… I wish to come back again next year!” Text and photos: chess.com Official website: chess.com/events/info/2023-womens-speed-chess-championship
WYCC 2023: Fierce contest with three rounds to go
Eight tightly contested rounds have been played at the World Youth Championship 2023. IM Aleksey Grebnev (FIDE, 2500; pictured below) celebrated another victory with white pieces against Indian Ilamparthi A R. in the Open U18 category. Grebnev gained a decisive advantage in the opening and converted it into a full point. With 7.5 points under his belt, Grebnev is the sole leader of the Open U18 category, ahead of Aldiyar Ansat (KAZ, 2418), Tymon Czernek (POL, 2329) and Mark Jay Bacojo (PHI, 2335). WGM Rochelle Wu (USA, 2228) defeated Polish WFM Martyna Wikar to score 7/8 and grab the sole lead in the U18 category. She will face Hoang Tu Linh Luong from Vietnam, who delivered an excellent performance in Round 8 to take down the top seed, WIM Yelyzaveta Hrebenshchykova and has already increased her rating by 165 points. Polish players have dominated the Open U16 section so far. In Round 8, IM Jakub Seemann instructively converted his extra pawn in a rook endgame vs. FM Leonardo Costa (GER, 2397). Seemann is the sole leader with 7.5 points. IM Jan Klimowski (POL, 2520) also showed excellent endgame technique in his game against FM from Armenia, Erik Gasparyan, to maintain the second position with 7 points. Wang Chuqiao (pictured below) from China pulled off a crucial victory over Izabela Tokarz (POL, 1931) on the top board in the Girls U16 category. She is leading the field with 7.5 points. Her closest rivals are WFM Alexandra Shvedova (FIDE) and Daria Bondar (UKR), sitting on 7 and 6.5 points respectively. Polish FM Pawel Sowinski (2347) emerged on top in the Open U14 category. He toppled the tournament leader after Round 7, Phaam Tran Gia Phuc from Vietnam. In Round 9, Sowinski will face first seed player IM Savva Vetochkin (FIDE, 2403) with the black pieces. Georgian WFM Anastasia Kirtadze (1921) and WFM Afruza Khamdamova (2199) of Uzbekistan jointly lead the Girls section U14 with 7 points. They will clash in Round 9. Kirtadze demonstrated her fighting spirit in the last rounds, beating the first and third-seeded players WFM Anna Shukhman and WFM Zarina Nurgaliyeva. Despite missing her first game in the tournament due to the flight cancellation, Khamdamova (pictured above) won seven straight games to tie for the top position. The last three rounds will be decisive in all six categories at the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship. The games start at 3 pm Central European Time. Standings after Round 8 Open U18 Standings after Round 8 Open U16 Standings after Round 8 Open U14 Standings after Round 8 Girls U18 Standings after Round 8 Girls U16 Standings after Round 8 Girls U14 Photos: Przemek Nikiel Official website: worldyouth2023.com/