FIDE WGP Tbilisi Round 2: A day of unexpected draws
The second day of the Women’s Grand Prix Tbilisi concluded with all games ending in draws. However, in at least two of the games, one side was clearly better and on the brink of victory. After two rounds, Assaubayeva and Tsolakidou remain at the top, each with 1.5 points Vaishali Rameshbabu faced a tough challenge, playing as Black against former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. After starting the tournament with a loss, Vaishali was under significant pressure on day two. Despite achieving a clearly better position as Black, she opted for a threefold repetition, giving away half a point. The biggest surprises of the day came from the two Georgian players in the tournament, both of whom dropped their winning chances. First, Nana Dzagnidze, playing Black, chose the French Defense and outplayed Mariya Muzychuk in the early stages of the game. Dzagnidze was completely winning towards the end but, in time trouble, opted for simplifications that allowed her opponent to equalize. Upon leaving the playing venue, Dzagnidze was clearly unhappy, shaking her head and remarking, “Unbelievable.” The final game of the day to finish was between Lela Javakhishvili and Bibisara Assaubayeva. Javakhishvili came out of the opening with a better position. After a few mistakes by Assaubayeva, the Georgian player was dominating both on the board and on the clock. However, Assaubayeva maintained her calm resistance, eventually making the first time control and entering a rook endgame where Javakhishvili missed several chances, allowing a draw. It was a lucky save for the Kazakh player, who, with this draw, remained in the shared first place. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh managed to stabilize after her round one loss, drawing as White with Stavroula Tsolakidou in the Nimzo-Indian. Alina Kashlinskaya and Anna Muzychuk also split the point in the Queen’s Gambit Declined, with both playing precisely and not allowing any chances. Standings after Round 2 Here is a closer look at the games from the second day of the Women’s Grand Prix: Alexandra Kosteniuk – Vaishali Rameshbabu After blundering in the first game against Stavroula Tsolakidou, India’s Vaishali Rameshbabu needed to make a comeback. However, it wasn’t going to be easy: she was playing as Black against none other than former women’s world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. Kosteniuk opened with 1.e4, to which Vaishali responded with 1…e6, entering the Classical line of the French Defense. Vaishali made a push on the queenside and started to grow her initiative. Alexandra has just made a serious error with 29. g4 (instead of reserved 29. Bf2), which failed to a nice combination: 29…Nxe5! White now has to follow: 30.dxe5 Qxg4+ 31.Kf1? (31.Qg2 was slightly better, according to chess engines). And now, Vaishali repeated the moves: 31..Qh3+ 32.Kg1 Qg4+ 33.Kf1 Qh3+ 34.Kf1 Qg4+ Kosteniuk now called the arbiter, who confirmed the repetition. Vaishali should have continued with bringing her knight into the attack with Nh4 on moves 32, 33 and 34, followed by Kg8 with a crushing attack, but she didn’t. After the draw was agreed, the Indian player quickly exited the playing hall. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh – Stavroula Tsolakidou On the second board, Sara Khadem was White against Stavroula Tsolakidou. In the Nimzo-Indian, White was looking to make a push in the center, but Tsolakidou countered. It seemed that Black got out of the opening slightly better, but – in Tsolakidou’s own words, she “wasn’t sure how to proceed”. After exchanging heavy pieces on the kingside, the two entered an endgame with a rook and bishop each and agreed to a draw. With this draw, Tsolakidou is on 1.5/2, while Khadem got her first half a point. Lela Javakhishvili – Bibisara Assaubayeva The last game of the day to finish was between Lela Javakhishvili and Bibisara Assaubayeva. The two played for four and a half hours. In the Queen’s Gambit Declined, the position was even until move 19 when Black (Assaubayeva) made a mistake. Here, Assaubayeva had several options to maintain the balance, but decided to start rerouting her knight from a6. 19…Nc7?, undermining the threats to her king. 20.Rfe1 Nd5 Black got her knight in the center, but at what cost? She was under immense pressure, and the king’s castle was in danger. 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 cxd5 23.Qd3 (23.Rac1 might be even stronger), and White is clearly better. Black’s pieces are underdeveloped and the king’s fortress is exposed. As Assaubayeva later said in the post-game interview: “I knew I was weaker, and I tried not to make any more mistakes and see if she can beat me”. Javakhishvili also was better on the clock. Despite this, she started to struggle and could not work out the best way to convert her advantage. After exchanging several heavy pieces, White emerged with an extra pawn on the kingside but in the rook endgame that followed Assaubayeva showed more confidence in her play, bringing the game to a draw. Mariya Muzychuk – Nana Dzagnidze After letting a better position slip in round one, Nana Dzagnidze wanted to set things right in round two. It was a tough task as she was playing as Black against Mariya Muzychuk. In the second French Defence game of the round, things were largely even until move nine when White made an error and prematurely castled on the queenside handing an advantage to Black. Black has control of the center and her pieces are storming down the queenside. White tried to counter on the kingside but ended up even more exposed as Nana timely sacrificed an exchange and reached a very promising position. 10.f5 Rb811.Qe1 b5 12.f6 gxf6 13.Bh6 Kh8 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Bxf8 Qxf8 16.Qe3 b4 17.Ne2 Black is an exchange down, but she has the initiative, while White’s pieces are still largely undeveloped. However, at this point, Nana started losing her way. 17…b3?? Keeping up the pressure with 17…a5 was the right choice. 18.cxb3 cxb3 19.a3 e5 20.Nc3? e4? Giving White some breathing space. Still, Black is better, and by move 26, she was completely winning. In this position 26…Qe8; Qe7 or Qc5 were all strong
Alireza Firouzja wins 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
Alireza Firouzja emerged as the winner of the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz. After tying for first place in rapid with Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the Iran-born Frenchman delivered an excellent performance in the double round-robin blitz to score 23/36 (11/18 in rapid and 12/18 in blitz) and clinch the title with two rounds to spare. Wesley So netted just 50% (9/18) in rapid but picked up steam in the blitz segment (11/18) to finish second in the standings. The same applies to Hikaru Nakamura, who did a better job in blitz (10.5/18) and took third place. Inversely, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who were in the lead after the rapid part, did not perform as well in the blitz and ended up in 5th and 7th places, respectively. Coming up next is the 2024 Sinquefield Cup, which begins Monday, August 19, with live commentary from GM’s Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 1:20pm CDT. Tune in to the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Twitch & YouTube channels. Official website: grandchesstour.org/ Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes
Assaubayeva and Tsolakidou triumph in first round of the Women’s Grand Prix
The first round of the first leg of the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix in Tbilisi saw two victories and three draws. Two-time World Blitz Champion Bibisara Assaubayeva defeated Sara Khadem, while Stavroula Tsolakidou stunned Vaishali Rameshbabu after the Indian star misplayed in an even position After the first round Assaubayeva and Tsolakidou lead with one point, followed by six players on half a point – Javakhishvili, Mariya and Anna Muzychuk, Kosteniuk, Kashlinskaya and Dzagnidze. Vaishali and Khadem start the Women’s Grand Prix with losses. The games started at 3 PM sharp in the elegant ballroom of Tbilisi’s prestigious Biltmore Hotel. FIDE Secretary General Lukasz Turlej and Akaki Iashvili, Chair of the FIDE Events Commission and President of the Georgian Chess Association, made the ceremonial first move on the Georgian board. To avoid any chances of foul play, players from the same country were paired against one another, as were the two sisters playing in the event, Anna and Mariya Muzychuk. The game between the Muzycuk sisters was the first to finish. In a very solid line of the Berlin Defense where Anna played as White against Mariya, both sides were equal without much drama happening on the board. The game finished with a threefold repetition on move 21. While the two sisters do play harder against one another if they meet at a later stage of the event, when paired in the first round they usually tend to draw. As they confirmed in the post-game interview, they trained and prepared together, and neither had an opening secret that she did not share with her sibling. In another game, Alina Kashlinskaya and Alexandra Kosteniuk opted for a cautious approach. Kashlinskaya – one of the star members of the Polish Women’s Olympic team – led white pieces against former World Champion Kosteniuk. In the Semi-Slav, White was looking for her chances playing actively, but an early exchange of queens meant that the game entered calm waters. In a rook and knight endgame, neither side wanted to gamble at the start of the event, so they decided to call it a day. The 24-year-old player from Greece, Stavroula Tsolakidou was the first to make a break and score in Tbilisi. On the white side of the English Opening, Stavroula ended up with a pair of bishops and was making threats on the kingside, but the position was even. However, on move 25, Vaishali Rameshbabu completely misplayed. White had more space which gave her some initiative which she was using. Instead of trying to slow White down, Vaishali helped her by exchanging her bishop for a knight on e5, after which she simply lost an exchange and was completely lost. Even as the game progressed, Vaishali missed options to pose more trouble for White, giving Tsolakidou an easy finish. The game between Bibisara Assaubayeva and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Sara Khadem) ended with White’s victory. In the Italian, both sides were not playing the most precise moves. Gradually, it was White who grabbed the initiative. Sara (playing as Black) also got into time trouble. On move 19, Bibisara made a Greek offering to Khadem, placing her rook on f6 and creating a towering position for White with 19. Rf6!! Despite this, Assaubayeva went on to drop the advantage in the very next move after 19…Ne7 20. a5? but not for long. Pressure was mounting on Black’s kingside. As Khadem was short on time, Assaubayeva sensed her opportunity. Sara made a mistake giving space for Bibisara to effectively finish the game, after breaking through on the kingside. Both 34. Nxg5 and 34. hxg5 are equally deadly for Black. Bibisara opted to capture with the knight and wrapped it up six moves later. The longest game of the day was between the two home players, Nana Dzagnidze and Lela Javakhishvili. In the Benko Gambit, Dzagnidze got a better position as White. From the onset of the game, Nana seemed more confident – which she was showing on the board and on the clock. Gradually, Dzagnidze was building up a breakthrough in the center. However, at some point, confidence gave way to overconfidence: in a position where White was notably better, Dzagnidze made a hasty exchange which put Javakhisvili back into the game. Dzagnidze just took on e6 with her rook, and Javakhisvili responded with 30…Bd4, hoping to ease the pressure by simplifying. White should have just proceeded by placing her rook to f1, preparing a kingside push. Instead, Nana played 31.Bxd4?! and after 31…cxd4 she made another mistake, 32.Qe4 (Rc6 was key here), after which Black managed to simplify and force a drawn rook endgame. Clearly upset, Dzagnidze decided to push on in a slightly better position. Making such a gambit this early in the race is a big risk, but Dzagnidze felt her confidence was still there. Gradually, White inched her way ahead but missed her last chance to pose very serious problems for Black on move 53 (53. Rd5+ instead of 53. h5?). The game ended in a draw after just over five hours of play and 66 moves. Nana Dzagnidze must be unhappy after dropping this chance. It remains to be seen if she will be able to recover in time for the second round. Round two pairings and dates The second round of the first tournament in the 2024/25 Women’s Grand Prix series starts on Friday, 3 PM local time in Tbilisi, Georgia. Round 2 pairings: Alexandra Kosteniuk – Vaishali RameshbabuSarasadat Khademalsharieh – Stavroula TsolakidouLela Javakhishvili – Bibisara AssaubayevaMariya Muzychuk – Nana Dzagnidze Alina Kashlinskaya – Anna Muzychuk More information about the event, including the regulations and details of the pairings, as well as live game can be found on the official website: womengrandprix.fide.com/. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anna Shtourman
FIDE World Championship Match to be held in Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa
Singapore, August 15, 2024 – The Singapore Chess Federation (SCF) is thrilled to announce that the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 match will take place in Singapore for the first time at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) from November 23 to December 15, 2024. This iconic event will be the first in 138 years to feature two contestants from Asia between the reigning World Champion, China’s Ding Liren and challenger Dommaraju Gukesh from India competing for the title. RWS, globally renowned for its luxurious facilities and world-class hospitality, will provide the perfect backdrop for this high-stakes match. Singapore’s first integrated resort offers a distinctive blend of diverse leisure and entertainment options, where players, officials, and fans alike can look forward to having a memorable experience. “We are privileged to partner RWS in hosting the Championship, and we look forward to witnessing the intricacies of this match unfold against the backdrop of an exceptional integrated resort,” said Mr Kevin Goh, SCF CEO and Chair of the Local Organising Committee. “This partnership preserves the prestige of the FIDE World Chess Championship while introducing an element of modernity and excitement – visitors can enjoy the luxury of having many attractions a stone’s throw away from the match venue to complement the existing suite of ancillary chess events.” Ms Lee Shi Ruh, RWS President, said: “Chess is a strategic and intellectual game that has been enjoyed for centuries and played by millions around the world. RWS is excited to welcome the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 match and its fans from across the globe as a silver sponsor. RWS is home to a variety of world-class events that cater to a different passion – just as the game of chess is renowned for its depth and ingenuity, RWS presents a diverse range of offerings with something for everyone. Our collaboration with the SCF captures the very essence of RWS as a top-notch MICE destination for lifestyle and entertainment, and also further presents Singapore’s overall attractive appeal as a premier global hub for international sports and cultural events.” Looking ahead, visitors to RWS can also anticipate exciting blockbuster events as well as new developments, including all-new attractions, hotels, retail and dining, significantly elevating its appeal as a top lifestyle resort. Speaking about the partnership, Goh said: “We are looking for more like-minded enterprises to partner us in delivering a world-class event and showcasing the many benefits of chess. Chess is an intellectual sport that involves strategic thinking, discipline and resilience. These are values that many organisations would be aligned with.” In conjunction with the match, there will be a top-level open tournament held within minutes of the playing hall of the match. Organised by the SCF, the Singapore International Open will feature competitors from all over the world – including our very own from Singapore. “It’s amazing that I will not only be able to witness the World Championship match up close but also compete in a strong international tournament in my own country,” said local grandmaster Siddharth Jagadeesh (pictured above), who at 17 is Singapore’s youngest ever grandmaster. Tickets for the FIDE World Chess Championship Match will go on sale soon. There will also be extensive live coverage and commentary across multiple platforms, ensuring that the excitement reaches a global audience. For media enquiries, please contact press@fide.com Contact for sponsorship opportunities: marketing@fide.com For more information about the Singapore International Open, go to https://www.sgchessfestival.com
All eyes on Tbilisi as Women’s Grand Prix spectacle begins
At 3 PM local time on August 15, Georgia will become the epicenter of the chess world for the next 10 days, as elite women Grandmasters embark on an intense competition that will extend into the coming year. The ballroom of Tbilisi’s iconic Biltmore Hotel, typically a venue for balls and conferences, will transform into a battlefield where women’s and world chess history will be made. All but one of the players was present on stage at the opening – Alexandra Kosteniuk was absent as her flight was delayed and she could not make it in time. “Chess, Friends, and Love” The night before, the grandees of the Georgian chess world gathered at the same venue for the official opening ceremony. Among the 70 distinguished guests were many notable figures from Georgian chess, as well as prominent public figures, officials from the Georgian government and FIDE officials, including five-time Women’s World Champion Nona Gaprindashvili, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, FIDE Secretary General Lukasz Turlej, FIDE Continental President for Europe Zurab Azmaiparashvili and FIDE Special Tasks Director Akaki Iashvili. As the FIDE Official and Chair of the Appeal Committee Sava Stoisavljevic put it – “Georgia can be described in three words: chess, friends and love”, and the opening ceremony showed all three. The hospitality extended by the Georgians was second to none. From the moment the players, officials, and special guests arrived in Georgia, they were treated like Hollywood stars—whisked into limousines straight from the airplane, with their passports and luggage handled for them, receiving true VIP treatment. The opening ceremony continued in the same grand fashion. It was hosted by Giorgi Chanishvili, one of Georgia’s most famous sports journalists, also known as “the voice of Judo” in a country where the sport is incredibly popular. In fact, the ceremony began with the Georgian Chess Federation congratulating the Georgian Olympic squad, who—despite numbering only 28 athletes—achieved an outstanding feat at the Paris Olympics by winning three golds, three silvers, and one bronze medal, surpassing many larger nations and marking one of the greatest sporting successes in Georgia’s history. Akaki Iashvili opened the ceremony and greeted all the participants. “We all know that Georgian chess is rich in tradition. I believe the Georgian Chess Federation and FIDE will implement the highest level of the event. I would like to extend my gratitude to all the foreign participants who arrived in our beautiful city, the capital of Georgia,” he said. Nona Gapridashvili and Zurab Azmaiparashvili expressed similar sentiments in their short speeches. Then FIDE Secretary General General Lukasz Turlej took the stage: “It is a wonderful opportunity to be here in Georgia. The Georgian Chess Federation is one of the strongest partners of FIDE. It has an amazing history of many successful events, and I am sure this one will be no exception.” After the performance of the Georgian national anthem, the participants were invited to the stage to receive memorable gifts. There is no better place than Georgia to launch the new season of the Women’s Grand Prix. As the birthplace of chess legends like former Women’s World Champions Nona Gaprindashvili (the first woman to be awarded the title of Grandmaster) and Maia Chiburdanidze, as well as three-time Soviet Women’s Champion Nana Alexandria, Georgia holds a revered place in chess history. The country continues to produce world-class talent, including Nana Dzagnidze, Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, and Bella Khotenashvili, making it a fitting host for this landmark event. The tournament in Tbilisi, a ten-player round-robin, is taking place at the luxurious Biltmore Tbilisi Hotel – the first glass skyscraper in Georgia and the highest hotel in the Caucasus Region. This inaugural event is a good mix of local players, talented youngsters and experienced GMs, including two former Women’s World Champions — Alexandra Kosteniuk, winner of the Munich leg in the 2022/23 series, and Mariya Muzychuk. The first round starts on Thursday, 3 PM local time. The time control will be 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. Round 1 pairings: Kashlinskaya, Alina – Kosteniuk, AlexandraMuzychuk, Anna – Muzychuk, MariyaDzagnidze, Nana – Javakhishvili, LelaAssaubayeva, Bibisara – Khademalsharieh, SarasadatTsolakidou, Stavroula – Vaishali, Rameshbabu Photos: Anna Shtourman Official website: womengrandprix.fide.com/
Champions crowned at EU Youth Championship 2024
The 2024 edition of the EU Youth Chess Championship in Roznov pod Radhostem (CZE) reached climax on August 13, as the fate of titles in multiple categories was decided. The final rounds were full of tension and saw many exciting battles. In category Boys U8, Han Nam Pham (FRA) took the title with an excellent score of 9/9; Aaron-Mathias Dragoi (ROU) came second, and Vojtech Vratny (CZE) finished third. In category Girls U8, Amanda Skytte (DEN) emerged victorious, followed by Cassandre Itier (FRA) and Isis Bocquenet-Drouode (FRA). Konstantin Mueller (GER) emerged as the winner in the Boys U10; the silver medal goes to Victor Chalampuente (FRA), while Daniil Den Gusev (GER) rounded out the podium. Niya Malcheva (BUL) triumphed in the Girls U10 category, Hermione Glon Tombi Ambassa (FRA) earned silver, and Hanna Janaszak (POL) took bronze. Vlad Petroff (ROU) won the Boys U12 with Leo Corral Nehama (FRA) and Matvii Bilochenko (POL) in second and third places, respectively. Girls U12 saw the triumph of Cyrielle Duchatel (FRA), while Veronika Vancakova (CZE) and Stefania Theodora Sabou (ROU) took second and third places, respectively. In category Boys U14 Alexandru Ioan Constantinoiu (ROU) came out on top, Hugo Bocquenet-Drouode(FRA) finished second and Daniel Belocky (CZE) took third place. Zuzana Stara (CZE) was the best in the Girls U14 category, Lena Michalska (POL) earned silver, while Emma Kincses (HUN) rounded up the top trio. The top three finishers in each category received cups and diplomas. The next five players in each category also were awarded valuable prizes. Every participant of EUYCC got a medal and a t-shirt with the EUYCC logo. All eight champions of the EU are leaving Roznov pod Radhostem with a notebook! The prizes were given by the event director, Zdenek Fiala, and the tournament director of ECU, Petr Pisk. The EU Youth Chess Championship 2024, under the patronage of the ECU, was organized by Sachovy klub Svetla nad Sazavou in cooperation with the Czech Chess Federation. Boys and girls played in the same tournaments but were ranked separately. The Championship brought together 83 young players from 13 federations. All games were broadcast online. There were also special awards for the best game of the round. The winners are: Amanda Skytte (DEN), Adam Kopecny (SVK), Alex Moravcik (SVK), Hana Bartova (CZE), Ana Zegrea (ROU), Thomas Lobina (FRA), Robert Skytte (DEN), Hugo Bocquenet-Drouode (FRA), Richard Hutta (SVK), David Bartecek (CZE), Leo Corral Nehama (FRA) and Sofia Myronova (CZE). The participants and accompanying persons enjoyed chess and non-chess leisure activities (a simul with IM Pisk, blitz tournament, trips) that organizers had prepared for them. The organizers would like to thank all players for their performance and fair play, all parents and coaches for cooperation, arbiters for running the tournament and all volunteers for their work. Official website: chess.cz/mistrovstvi-evropske-unie/ Final standings in all categories:chess-results.com/tnr976123.aspx?lan=5&art=1&rd=9&turdet=YES&flag=30 Photo gallery:rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2024/1644635846rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2024-players
2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: Three-way tie on the top
Multiple players joined the lead on Day 2 of the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave came to the day as an early leader but was held to three draws. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alireza Firouzja jumped on this opportunity to catch up with him in the standings after scoring 4/6 and 5/6, respectively. Going to the final day of rapid, this trio shares the lead, followed by Levon Aronian with seven points. Alireza Firouzja scored a very important victory over Hikaru Nakamura after the American made a severe mistake in a complicated opposite-colored bishop endgame. Alireza Firouzja – Hikaru Nakamura White just played 33. a6 and Hikaru made a wrong choice of 33…b6? Instead, he should have opted for 33…bxa6 34. bxa6 Bb5! 35. Ra1 Rd7! and it is very hard for White to make progress. As played, Alireza won a pawn after 34. Rc7 Bxb5 35. Rxa7 Ra3 36. Ra8+ Kf7 37. a7 Ra6 38. Bxb6 Bc6 39. Rc8 Rxb6 40. Rxc6! and confidently converted it in a rook endgame | 1-0, 54 moves Ian Nepomniachtchi notched up his only win of the day after Leinier Dominguez missed a nice trick playing on increment. Leinier Dominguez – Ian Nepomniachtchi After 40. Bb8! keeping an eye on the e5-pawn, White has a good chance to hold this inferior position. Instead, Leinier snatched the e4-pawn with 40. Kxe4, which failed to 40…Bf5+! The point is that 41. Kxe5 is met with 41…Be6+ winning the bishop. Here, Dominguez made the final mistake with 41. Kd5?? (41. Ke3 Bg6 was his last try, although with two connected passers, Black would have had excellent winning chances) and resigned after 41…Be6+ (42. Kc5 e4+) 0-1 Round 7 will see a clash of the leaders, with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave taking on Ian Nepomiachtchi as White. Day 3 of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz continues Wednesday, August 14, with live commentary from GM’s Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 1:00pm CDT. Tune in to the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Twitch & YouTube channels. Official website: grandchesstour.org/ Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes
Tbilisi kicks off 2024/25 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix season
From 14 to 25 of August, the Georgian capital will be host to the first of six tournaments where 20 top women players from around the world will compete, shaping the future of female chess There is no better place than Georgia to launch the new season of the Women’s Grand Prix. As the birthplace of chess legends like former Women’s World Champions Nona Gaprindashvili (the first woman to be awarded the title of Grandmaster) and Maia Chiburdanidze, as well as three-time Soviet Women’s Champion Nana Alexandria, Georgia holds a revered place in chess history. The country continues to produce world-class talent, including Nana Dzagnidze, Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, and Bella Khotenashvili, making it a fitting host for this landmark event. “We are delighted that this event will start in Georgia, given the country’s rich chess legacy,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “FIDE has made women’s chess one of its priorities, and the updated Women’s Grand Prix series is an opportunity to further raise awareness of women’s chess, hopefully getting more female players and more sponsors involved”. The 2024/25 WGP series introduces several key changes, including an increase in participants from 16 to 20, an expansion from four to six tournaments, and a larger prize fund of 120,000 euros. Each player will compete in three of the six tournaments, earning points based on their standings in each event. The top two players in the series will secure spots in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. The Tbilisi tournament The tournament in Tbilisi will take place at the Biltmore Tbilisi Hotel – the first glass skyscraper in Georgia and the highest hotel in the Caucasus Region. This inaugural event features a strong lineup, including two former Women’s World Champions—Alexandra Kosteniuk, winner of the Munich leg in the 2022/23 series, and Mariya Muzychuk—alongside some of the most promising players in the chess world today. First round and time control The first round starts on Thursday, 3 PM local time in Tbilisi. The time control will be 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. The regulations of the event can be found here. For more information, including live games and broadcast, visit the event website: https://womengrandprix.fide.com/
2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: Vachier-Lagrave takes early lead
Closing out the 2024 Grand Chess Tour season are the final two events held in the Chess Capital of America, Saint Louis, Missouri. The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz kicked off on August 12. The third and final speed chess event of the 2024 GCT (and the fourth overall) features seven tour players and three American wildcards – Hikaru Nakamura, Levon Aronian and Leinier Dominguez – fighting for a prize fund of $175. The format is nine rounds of rapid action followed by eighteen rounds of blitz for a total of 135 games spread across five days. After the first three rapid games, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave took an early lead with two wins over Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and a draw against Hikaru Nakamura, scoring a total of 5/6 (with a victory counting for two points in rapid). Tied for second are Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez and Ian Nepomniachtchi, each with 4/6. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hikaru Nakamura and Alireza Firouzja are sitting on 3/6, sharing third place. There are some exciting matchups in Round 4, including Fabiano Caruana as White against the leader, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Day 2 of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz continues Tuesday, August 13, with live commentary from GM’s Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 1:00 pm CDT. Tune in to the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Twitch & YouTube channels. Official website: grandchesstour.org/ Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes and Crystal Fuller
FIDE takes disciplinary action against IM for postal harassment of multiple female chess players
FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission announced its decision in the case of alleged postal harassment of female chess players by IM Andrejs Strebkovs Acting on the Complaint of the FIDE President against IM Andrejs Strebkovs concerning allegations of postal harassment in violation of the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Code, the EDC found the Respondent guilty and sanctioned him to a worldwide ban of five years from participating in any FIDE-rated event as a player, or to be physically present at any such FIDE rated event. A complaint from the FIDE President prompted the EDC investigation submitted on May 1, 2024, based on the findings of two separate investigations – an in-depth report by the Meduza Internet Platform published in February 2022 and a formal police investigation in Riga, Latvia. Both investigations traced the letters back to IM Strebkovs using forensic evidence, including DNA analysis. In his response, IM Strebkovs claimed that only one case – from 2021 – can be subject to a complaint, as the other letters “have nothing to do with the chess competitions…” or chess. The Respondent further claims that the letters do not concern FIDE or the national chess federations and the activities of those organizations. In effect, he was claiming that FIDE has no jurisdiction over the cases in question. The police investigation in Latvia was followed by a criminal case which concluded that the actions did not constitute a criminal offense under Latvian law, the EDC determined that IM Strebkovs violated multiple provisions of the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Code related to human dignity, ethical behavior, and social conduct. The EDC found compelling evidence that Latvian chess player IM Andrejs Strebkovs engaged in a disturbing pattern of harassment over the past decade against female chess players. The investigation revealed that dozens of female players, some as young as 14, received obscene letters containing pornographic material and used condoms, sent to their homes, clubs, universities and tournament venues. In addition to sending letters, Strebkov, for many years, allowed himself offensive statements about women on various Internet platforms, which contributed to his identification. “FIDE will not tolerate any form of harassment or abuse within the chess community, especially in the cases where minors are involved,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “We want to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all players, regardless of whether they are male or female. We welcome the decision by the Ethics & Disciplinary Commission, which sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.” The Decision of the EDC notes that “FIDE strongly supports chess players competing in a safe and respectful environment. This environment includes and extends to playing venues. Part of this support is encouraging and empowering victims to speak up and report transgressions which contravene with these principles to safeguard a safe environment.” In 2023, FIDE has partnered with Safe Sport International to begin the process of developing a Safeguarding Framework within FIDE. The Decision of the EDC can be found – here.