European Chess Club Cup: Novy Bor and TAJFUN SK Ljubljana win titles
Novy Bor Chess Club and TAJFUN SK Ljubljana emerged victorious in the 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Chess Club Cup, respectively. Both competitions, held as 7-round Swiss tournaments, took place in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia, from October 20-26. Entering the decisive seventh round one point ahead of six teams tied for second, Novy Bor Chess Club faced off against top-seeded SuperChess. The Czech team clinched a crucial victory, thanks to David Anton Guijarro’s win over Jorden Van Foreest on board five, while all other games ended in draws. This win secured the title for Novy Bor, who finished the tournament with six wins and one draw. Alkaloid claimed second place with a dominant 5-1 win over C’Chartres Echecs, while Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club drew with Turkish Airlines, and Sentimento Ajka BSK split points with TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana. Four teams ultimately tied for third, with Vados Chess Club, having defeated Beer Sheva Chess Club in the final round, taking the bronze medal on the strength of superior Olympiad-Sonneborn-Berger tiebreaks. Final standings: 1 Novy Bor Chess Club 13 2 Alkaloid 12 3 Vados Chess Club 11 4 Turkish Airlines 11 5 TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana 11 6 Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club 11 7 SuperChess 10 8 Beer Sheva Chess Club 10 9 Kavala Chess Club 10 10 Sentimento Ajka BSK 10 The final round of the women’s event saw the clash of leaders TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and the top seed Cercle d’Echecs de Monte Carlo. The Slovenian team captured the title with a 2.5-1.5 victory, courtesy of Olga Badelka’s win over Sarasadat Khademalsharieh. The second seed, Garuda Ajka BSK, trailing the leaders by one point before the final round, swept Gambit Bonnevoie (3.5-0.5) to claim silver, while SuperBet, the only team to defeat the champions, finished in third place. Final standings: 1 TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana 12 2 Garuda Ajka BSK 11 3 SuperChess Club 10 4 Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica 9 5 Crvena zvezda – Data Driven Lab 8 6 Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo 8 7 MSK CENTAR 8 8 Gambit Bonnevoie 7 9 Rudar Kostolac 7 10 Schachgesellschaft Solingen A 7 The players achieving the best individual results were also awarded. Open section: Board 1: 1.GM Arjun Erigaisi, 2.GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, 3.GM Sanan SjugirovBoard 2: 1.GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, 2.GM Vincent Keymer, 3.GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov Board 3: 1.GM Yu Yangyi, 2.GM Amin Tabatabaei, 3.GM Kobo OriBoard 4: 1.IM Ilinca Felix-Antonio, 2.GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 3.GM Aravindh Chithambaram Board 5: 1.GM Volodar Murzin, 2.GM Maxime Lagarde, 3.GM David Anton GuijarroBoard 6: 1.GM Markus Robert, 2.GM Aleksandar Indjic, 3.GM Javokhir Sindarov Women’s section: Board 1: 1.GM Nana Dzagnidze, 2.GM Nino Batsiashvili, 3.IM Alina BivolBoard 2: 1.GM Zhu Jiner, 2.GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, 3.IM Dinara Wagner Board 3: 1.IM Olga Badelka, 2.IM Leya Garifullina, 3.WFM Anna ZhurovaBoard 4: 1.WIM Zsoka Gaal, 2.GM Elisabeth Paehtz, 3.IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva The closing ceremony of the event took place yesterday evening in the playing venue with the attendance of the ECU Vice Presidents Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson and Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire, President of the Serbian Chess Federation Mr. Dragan Lazic, the President of the Touristic Organisation of Vrnjacka Banja Mr. Ivan Trifunovic, ECU Tournament Director Mr. Petr Pisk and other distinguished guests. Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
FIDE Circuit: Erigaisi regains lead, Caruana moves to second
Only two tournaments counted toward the FIDE Circuit 2024 race in October, but both brought significant changes to the standings. Arjun Erigaisi earned 25.4 circuit points following his strong performance at the WR Chess Masters Cup, overtaking Nodirbek Abdusattorov to regain the lead. Meanwhile, newly crowned U.S. champion Fabiano Caruana picked up 25 points from his victory and moved up to second place, pushing Abdusattorov down to third. It’s worth noting that Erigaisi’s total is based on seven tournament results, with room for improvement. Two of his results, from the Grenke Chess Open and Sharjah Masters, contributed only 6.99 and 5.24 points, respectively. Abdusattorov, Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja are close behind Erigaisi but have played fewer tournaments, giving them a potential advantage. Most likely, one of this quartet will punch a ticket to the Candidates 2026. Looking ahead, the upcoming Chennai Grand Masters Tournament (November 5-11) is crucial for Erigaisi. A strong performance there could help him solidify his lead. Similarly, Abdusattorov might be focused on the 3rd President Cup to stay in the race, while Firouzja may aim for the point-heavy 2024 European Championship. With all this in play, the FIDE Circuit 2024 race remains wide open, and the winner could very well be decided in the final days of the year at the 2024 Rapid and Blitz Championship. We maintain a dedicated page on our website for the FIDE Circuit, offering the latest information on eligible tournaments, the current standings, and regulations.Visit: FIDE Circuit 2024.
U.S. Championship 2024: Fabiano Caruana and Carissa Yip claim titles
Fabiano Caruana and Carissa Yip are the new U.S. chess champions. Both successfully defended their titles, winning their fourth and third overall, respectively. The U.S. Chess Championship and U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, 12-player round-robins with classical time control featuring a combined prize fund of $250,000, took place in the Saint Louis Chess Club from October 10-24. Players were not allowed to offer draws. Fabiano Caruana seized the lead in Round 4 after defeating Abhimanyu Mishra, and maintained his top position until the very end. Going into the final round a half-point ahead of Awonder Liang and Ray Robson, he gradually outplayed Sam Shankland in the Sicilian Defense, finishing with a solid 7/10 to secure his fourth national title. Awonder Liang had a great chance for silver when he achieved a very promising position against Leinier Dominguez, while Ray Robson had a bye (see below). However, Liang eventually overstretched and lost. As a result, six players tied for second place, sharing the prize money equally. The only blemish on the tournament was the disqualification of Christopher Yoo. According to an official statement from the Saint Louis Chess Club: “After his game against Fabiano Caruana, Yoo crumpled his scoresheet, stormed out of the tournament hall, and struck a videographer from behind. Chief Arbiter Chris Bird expelled Yoo for gross violations of our Code of Conduct and the US Chess Play Safe Policy.” Yoo’s results from Rounds 1-5 were annulled, and the tournament standings were adjusted accordingly. Carissa Yip dominated the women’s event, starting with eight straight wins, reminiscent of Bobby Fischer’s incredible performance in the 1963/1964 U.S. Championship. Although Carissa did not manage to match Fischer’s record of 11/11, she left no doubt about her championship run, clinching her third title with a round to spare. Begim Tokhirjonova pulled off a crucial victory over Tatev Abrahamyan in the last round of the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, earning her the silver medal and qualifying for the FIDE Women’s World Cup. Alice Lee, who shared second place with Tokhirjonova going into the final round, managed only a draw against the champion, which left her to settle for the bronze medal. Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club | Crystal Fuller and Lennart Ootes Official website: uschesschamps.com/
European Chess Club Cup 2024 crosses half-way mark
The 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Chess Club Cup have passed the midpoint. After the top-table clashes, four teams jointly lead the Open tournament with 8/8 points, while TAJFUN SK Ljubljana has emerged as the sole leader in the Women’s competition. Top-seeded SuperChess in the Open tournament suffered an upset, losing to fifth-seeded Turkish Airlines. Dmitry Andreikin (2729, Turkish Airlines) defeated GM Gukesh D (2794, SuperChess), and Amin Tabatabaei (2702, Turkish Airlines) emerged victorious against GM Praggnanandhaa (2746, SuperChess). Additionally, Volodar Murzin (2648, Turkish Airlines) beat Jorden Van Foreest (2697, SuperChess). The only player to score a win for SuperChess was Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2783, SuperChess), who got lucky in a completely lost position against GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2719, Turkish Airlines). Maghsoodloo was just a few moves away from victory but tragically opted for an unsound queen sacrifice, leading to a loss. Alkaloid pulled off a narrow 3.5-2.5 victory over TAJFUN SK Ljubljana. Chithambaram Aravindh (2698, Alkaloid) and Narayanan S.L. (2640, Alkaloid) defeated Ivan Saric (2673, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) and Ante Brkic (2626, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana), respectively, while Nodirbek Yakubboev (2654, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) scored for the Slovenian team. The other games, including Arjun Erigaisi’s encounter with Alexandr Predke, ended in draws. Novy Bor Chess Club won their match against Sentimento Ajka BSK thanks to Vincent Keymer’s (2721, Novy Bor Chess Club) victory over Alexey Sarana (2717, Sentimento Ajka BSK), as the other five games were drawn. Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub triumphed over Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club, despite having a lower average rating. Pavel Eljanov (2672, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub) prevailed over Bu Xiangzhi (2690, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club), Benjamin Gledura bested Anton Korobov, and Ihor Samunenkov (2533, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub) defeated Nijat Abasov (2619, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club). Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2733, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club) bounced back with a win against Maksim Chigaev (2624, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub), but with the other games ending in draws, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub secured a 4-2 victory. Standings after Round 4 Open In the Women’s section, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana emerged as the sole leader following an overwhelming 3.5-0.5 victory over Garuda Ajka BSK. Nana Dzagnidze (2513, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) beat Bibisara Assaubayeva (2487, Garuda Ajka BSK), Zhu Jiner (2499, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) defeated Divya Deshmukh (2501, Garuda Ajka BSK), and Olga Badelka (2430, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) prevailed over Bella Khotenashvili (2423, Garuda Ajka BSK). The game on the fourth board between WIM Zsoka Gaal (2398, Garuda Ajka BSK) and IM Laura Unuk (2304, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) ended in a draw. SuperChess Club toppled top seed Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo thanks to Dinara Wagner’s (2436, SuperChess) victory over Vaishali Rameshbabu (2487, Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo), while the other three games ended in draws. Four teams are tied for second place in the Women’s event with 6 match points each: SuperChess Club, Garuda Ajka BSK, Crvena zvezda – Data Driven Lab, and Napredak Zenica. Standings after Round 4 Women Round 5 starts on October 24 at 15:00 and live broadcast can be followed through the ECU TV platform. Live video broadcast is also available on the ECU YouTube channel with commentaries by GM Alojzije Jankovic and Dragana Nikolovska. Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
Chess king from China who defies the odds
World Champion Ding Liren is a symbol of perseverance in chess. Rising from humble beginnings in the chess-loving city of Wenzhou, his journey to the world title is marked by numerous accomplishments and firsts, as well as significant challenges. Born on October 24, 1992, in China, Ding was introduced to chess by his mother at the age of four. Destiny seemed to favor him, as he was coached early on by Chen Lixing, who also trained former Women’s World Champion Zhu Chen. This led to Ding’s first notable successes on the global chess stage: tying for first place in both the Under-10 and Under-12 World Youth Championships (2003, 2004), though finishing second on tiebreaks in both events. In 2009, at just 16 years old, Ding became the youngest-ever Chinese champion, announcing to the world what was to come. Thanks to his stellar performance at the national championship, he earned the Grandmaster title later that year. He would go on to win the Chinese championship two more times, in 2011 and 2012. Photo: Andreas Kontokanis After conquering the national scene, Ding set his sights on the global stage. In 2014, he helped China win a gold medal at the Chess Olympiad, and again in 2015 at the World Team Championships. That same year, he became only the second Chinese player, after Wang Yue, to enter the world’s top 10. Ding’s consistent, solid play led him to the finals of the 2017 and 2019 Chess World Cups, though he fell short in both. Despite these setbacks, his reputation as a world-class player continued to grow. Photo: Kirill Merkuryev A major milestone came in 2018 when Ding won individual and team gold at the 43rd Chess Olympiad. That year, he also became the first Chinese player to surpass a 2800 Elo rating, peaking at 2816—the joint tenth highest in chess history. His strong, consistent play earned him a reputation as one of the toughest players to beat. From August 2017 to November 2018, Ding went unbeaten in 100 consecutive classical games, a streak broken only by Magnus Carlsen in 2019. Though 2018 marked the height of Ding’s success, it also introduced new challenges. In his first shot at the world title during the 2018 Candidates Tournament in Berlin, he drew 13 of his 14 games, winning just one. He silenced critics the following year by winning the Sinquefield Cup with a performance rating of 2845, securing the 2019 Grand Chess Tour title. Photo: St-Louis Chess Club | Lennart Ootes Ding’s second attempt at the Candidates Tournament came in 2020 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Despite being one of the favorites, he secured only 2.5 points after seven rounds before the tournament was postponed due to the pandemic. When it resumed in April 2021, Ding improved his form, winning his final three games to finish with 7 points, placing fifth overall. His real shot at the title came in 2022 at his third Candidates Tournament in Madrid. Despite an underwhelming start, Ding found his stride in the second half, securing key wins over Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura to finish second behind Ian Nepomniachtchi. Under normal circumstances, this would not have qualified him for the World Championship match, but with Magnus Carlsen stepping down, Ding found himself in a championship match against Nepomniachtchi. The World Championship match in Astana, Kazakhstan, was closely contested. After 14 classical games, the score was tied 7-7, leading to a rapid tiebreak, where Ding triumphed 2½-1½, becoming the first Chinese player to win the Classical World Chess Championship. Photo: David Llada However, his monumental achievement in 2023 was soon overshadowed by personal struggles. After winning the title, Ding took a nine-month break from chess in 2024 to focus on his mental health, citing personal difficulties and depression. He skipped major events during this time but returned to competition later that year at the Tata Steel tournament and the Olympiad, showing that he remains a formidable presence in the chess world. In an interview before the World Championship match, Ding reflected on his state of mind: “My current state is neither exceptionally good nor bad, as I’ve felt over the past one and a half years. I’ve moved past the deepest or worst moments. I know I’ve been playing great chess—I just couldn’t win certain positions. I still believe I can turn that around, maybe during the match.” Photo: Mark Livshitz Ding’s mental strength and resilience have defined his career. As he faces rivals whose recent performances have been more consistent, only time will tell if he can maintain his reign as World Champion. Regardless of the outcome, Ding Liren has secured his place among the greatest names in modern chess. Written by Milan Dinic A piece about the Challenger, Gukesh D, is coming next week
European Chess Club Cup: Multiple leaders after Round 3
The 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Club Cup are in full swing in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. Both events with classical time control, brought together 102 teams (84 in the Open section and 18 in the Women’s section). Teams in the Open section consist of 6 players + 2 reserves, while the Women’s tournament features 4 players + 1 reserve. After three rounds of tough battles in the Open section, the top eight seeded teams are tied for the top position, winning all three matches. These teams include SuperChess (headed by Gukesh D and Abdusattorov), Alkaloid (led by Erigaisi and Wei Yi), Novy Bor Chess Club (with Vidit and Keymer on top boards), Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club (headed by Bu Xiangzhi and Radjabov), Turkish Airlines (led by Andreikin and Maghsoodloo), Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub, Sentimento Ajka BSK, and TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana. Round 4 promises to be exciting, with clashes between the leaders across the top four tables. Standings after Round 3 Open In the Women’s section, the rating favorites Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo (led by Goryachkina and Vaishali) drew their second-round match with the fifth seed Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica and now share third place with their opponents. Meanwhile, second and third-seeded TAJFUN SK Ljubljana (headed by Dzagnidze and Ju Jiner) and Ajka BSK (with Assaubayeva and Deshmukh on the top boards) lead the field, both scoring three straight wins. Since TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and Ajka BSK will face off in Round 4, we can expect a sole leader to emerge in the women’s competition. Standings after Round 3 Women Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
Grebnev and Shukhman win 2024 Asian Junior Championship
GM Aleksey Grebnev and WIM Anna Shukhman (both FIDE) emerged as the winners of the 2024 Asian Junior Chess Championship in the open and girls sections, respectively. The competitions, 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control, took place from October 13-19, 2024, at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City, Philippines. The championship, hosted by the Tagaytay Chess Club under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, Asian Chess Federation and FIDE in cooperation with the City of Tagaytay, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, brought together 54 juniors from thirteen countries. The open section was dominated by the defending champion, top seed Aleksey Grebnev, who grabbed the lead in Round 3 and never looked back. Going into the final round, a full point ahead of IM Munkhdalai Amilal of Mongolia, he drew his game with Aswath S and clinched the title with an excellent score of 7.5/9. The champion became the only unbeaten participant in the event. Amilal finished on 7/9 and took silver, while Aswath S earned bronze. Final standings Open: 1 GM Grebnev, Aleksey FID 2530 7½ 2 IM Amilal, Munkhdalai MGL 2388 7 3 IM Aswath, S IND 2473 6½ 4 IM Rohith, Krishna S IND 2474 6 5 IM Uskov, Artem FID 2428 6 6 FM Akhilbay, Imangali KAZ 2282 6 7 IM Dau, Khuong Duy VIE 2422 6 8 FM Arca, Christian Gian Karlo PHI 2199 6 9 IM Concio, Michael Jr. PHI 2368 5½ 10 Kodithuwakku, K K Dinujaya SRI 1933 5½ The girl’s sections saw an even more commanding performance by the champion. Anna Shukhman took a great start, winning five straight games and, despite losing to Tejaswini G in Round 6, finished strong with another three victories to capture the title. Halder Sneha and Tejaswini G (both representing India) netted 7/9 and tied for second place, with the former claiming silver thanks to a superior Buchholz. Final standings Girls: 1 WIM Shukhman, Anna FID 2163 8 2 Sneha, Halder IND 2063 7 3 WIM Tejaswini, G IND 2207 7 4 Khairmode, Dhanashree IND 1876 5½ 5 WFM Popandopulo, Kristina KAZ 2069 5½ 6 ACM Mohd Afif, Ainul Mardhiah MAS 1867 5 7 WFM Bristy, Mukherjee IND 1965 5 8 WFM Rindhiya, V IND 2005 4½ 9 Luong, Hoang Tu Linh VIE 1907 4½ 10 WFM Gunawardhana, Devindya SRI 2069 4½ In addition to classical events, rapid and blitz tournaments in both sections were held in the 2024 Asian Junior Championship. The classical champions, Grebnev and Shukhman, confirmed their status, winning double crowns in the rapid tournaments. Artem Uskov (FIDE) triumphed in the Blitz Open, while Mukherjee Bristy (India) came out on top in the Blitz Girls. Final standings Rapid OpenFinal standings Rapid GirlsFinal standings Blitz OpenFinal standings Blitz Girls Photos: Asian Chess Federation
FIDE FPL and EDC actions on the incident involving GM Kirill Shevchenko
IMPORTANT UPDATE as of March 03, 2025: CASE 6/2024 – EXTENSION OF SUSPENSIONThe provisional suspension will expire on March 3, 2025. Please be advised herewith that your suspension is extended for a further 60 days from any official activities as a player, i.e. until May 2, 2025, or until the EDC has rendered a decision, whichever is sooner. IMPORTANT UPDATE as of October 18, 2024: Based on the preliminary investigation by FPL, that established a prima facie case against GM Kirill Shevchenko, EDC has suspended GM Shevchenko for a period of 75 days from today, i.e. until 1 January 2025, from any official activities as a player. The EDC is prepared to reconsider its decision regarding the provisional suspension if a motivated request to that effect is received from GM Shevchenko at any time within the next two (2) weeks. Meanwhile, FPL will open a full-fledged investigation into the incident. Lausanne, October 17, 2024 Following the incidents that occurred at the Honor Division of the Spanish Club Chess Championship, which involved Grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko (FIDE ID: 14129574), the FIDE Fair Play Commission immediately initiated preliminary investigations, which led the sole investigator, Vincent Geeraets, to be “comfortably satisfied that a prima facie case has been established against GM Shevchenko”. The measure is deemed to be necessary “because it would be inappropriate for a player of GM Shevchenko’s caliber to take part in tournaments or competitions under the auspices of FIDE while he is under investigation for a cheating offense (“use of phone”).” The request, which was formally presented by FPL Chair Yuri Garrett to EDC Chair Yolander Persaud, is strictly based on the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Code in force: “Art. 12.1e of the Ethics and Disciplinary Code stipulates that a player may be prohibited from participating in chess activities during an investigation. Relevant is art. 12.4a, which indicates that a provisional suspension requires that a prima facie case can be made against the player in question. Art 18.2 of the EDC Procedural Rules indicates that in cases of urgency, such a ban may be imposed directly without the party concerned having been heard beforehand.” It is of paramount importance to highlight that “Such a provisional suspension, however, would not indicate that GM Shevchenko is guilty of a cheating offense. This needs to be carefully investigated on the assumption that the player is innocent.” To this effect, an Investigatory Panel chaired by Vincent Geeraets has been appointed.
2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships: Registration Open
FIDE invites all eligible players to take part in one of the most exciting events of the chess calendar—the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, set to take place in New York City from December 26 to 31, 2024. The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships offer an opportunity to play fast-paced, high-stakes chess, in an incredible venue—right in the heart of New York’s Wall Street. With an increased prize fund of $1,428,500 spread across the four events, this is a chance to contend for the World Rapid and Blitz titles. Tournament Overview ● World Rapid Championship: Swiss-system tournament. The Open section will have 13 rounds, and the Women’s section will feature 11 rounds. The time control is 15 minutes + 10 seconds per move. ● World Blitz Championship: The Blitz event starts with a 13-round Swiss tournament (Open section) and 11 rounds (Women’s section), followed by a knockout stage for the top 8 players. The time control is 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move. Both tournaments will bring together the top players from around the world. Prize Fund ● Open Rapid Championship: $550,000 prize fund● Open Blitz Championship: $450,000 prize fund● Women’s Rapid Championship: $228,500 prize fund● Women’s Blitz Championship: $200,000 prize fund The Open champions will walk away with $90,000, while the Women’s champions will take home $60,000. Registration process Players with FIDE rating of 2550 (Open section) or 2250 (Women’s section) or higher in any recent FIDE rating list (Standard, Rapid, or Blitz) are eligible to participate. Reigning national champions also qualify regardless of rating. Registration can be done HERE. The deadline for submitting entries is December 01, 2024. ● Entry fee: $100 for the Open section and $50 for the Women’s section.● Late entry fee: Double the original fee if paid less than 10 days before the tournament. FIDE has secured discounted hotel prices for the participants of the Championships. Official hotels can be booked while filling out the registration form. Regulations: FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships Regulations (PDF) FIDE Women’s World Rapid & Blitz Championships Regulations (PDF) About the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships are held annually, bringing together the best players in thrilling, fast-paced chess formats. This year, the Open championships will take place at Cipriani 55 Wall Street, one of the most iconic venues in New York City’s financial hub. The Women’s tournament will be held right across the street at 48 Wall Street, another historic venue. The Rapid Championships will take place from December 26-28, and the Blitz from December 30-31. For the first time ever, there will be a free day between the events, which will be used to host a Conference on Chess and Finance, bringing together chess legends and financial leaders to explore the fascinating intersections between the two worlds. More details to be released soon. The Championships will also be open to the public, giving fans the unique opportunity to watch the world’s top players live in action. Tickets will be for sale in early November. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this historic event!
FIDE School Awards: Application deadline approaching
Schools interested in applying for the second round of FIDE School Awards (FSA) should submit their application and supporting materials as soon as possible. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2024. The FIDE School Award enhances the quality and position of chess in the broader education system by recognizing existing Chess in Education activities and programs in schools. FSA schools receive the following benefits: Membership in a wider chess-in-education community. Access to online vendors which provide a platform for joint training events and many chess activities. Webinars sharing best practices and educational resources. Free educational materials and software. The FSA schools, from the first round of applications, experienced a significant increase in visibility and appreciation within their communities. This recognition was often reflected by public banners and local media coverage, further enhancing the schools’ reputation and standing. We are organizing a general get-together for FSA schools, which will be live-streamed on Twitch. This event will feature interactive games and opportunities for participation. School leaders will join the stream to provide commentary on the games. The inaugural event is scheduled for November. For more information regarding the FSA program and the application process, please click here.