Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz: Day 4 Recap
Day 4 of the 2024 Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz saw the first day of blitz action, as the incoming leader Wei Yi continued his dominance in the event, scoring 7.5/9 to extend his lead over Magnus Carlsen and the rest of the field. Wei Yi sits at the top with 20.5 points, which includes five straight wins at the end. Magnus Carlsen had an up-and-down day but managed to finish it in the second position on 18 points, scoring 6/9. The rest of the field is fighting for third place, with Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi sitting on 14.5 and 14 points, respectively. Wei Yi started the day with a loss but bounced back in Round 11, defeating Vincent Keymer. Wei Yi – Vincent Keymer In this position the Chinese GM found very a strong sequence 17. Bxf6! Qxf6 18. Ng4! and after 18…Qf4 19. Qxe8+ Rxe8 20. Rxe8+ Kh7 21. Nh2 Ne5 22. Ne2 Qf6 23. f4 his two rooks prevailed over Black’s queen | 1-0, 30 moves. Facing Magnus Carlsen in Round 4 of blitz Wei found himself in a precarious situation as the world #1 outplayed him in a sharp endgame with a pawn race. Unluckily for Magnus, playing on the increment he let the victory slip away. Wei Yi – Magnus Carlsen Black has an extra rook but White’s passers are quite dangerous. The best way to stop them was 54…Rh8 (54…Re6 was also very strong) with the idea of 55. c7 f4 56. b5 Re3 57. c8Q Rxc8 58. Rxc8 f3, winning. Instead Magnus played 54…Rb1? but after 55. c7 Rh8 56. b5 Rc8 57. Ka6 Ke5 58. b6 f4 59. b7 Rxc760. Rxc7 Rxb7 61. Rxb7 f3 62. Rxf7 Ke4 the opponents split the point | ½-½, 65 moves. After this lucky escape, Wei strung together five wins, although not without some luck (he lost against Giri but turned the tables and won). Praggnanandhaa tried to stop the leader in Round 11, essaying the double-edged King’s Indian, but Wei was up to the challenge. Wei Yi – Praggnanandhaa R 20. g4! e4 21. Nxe4! White sacrificed a piece but quickly returned material with interest after 21… fxe4 22. Bxe4 Qf7 23. Ng5 Qf8 24. Nxh7 Qg8 25. gxh5 | 1-0, 30 moves Magnus started the day with a victory over Kirill Shevchenko but then suffered two losses in Rounds 2 and 3. The second one, at the hands of Nodirbek Abdusattorov, was particularly disappointing as Magnus simply blundered a deadly pin in an overwhelming position. Carlsen roared back to finish the day with three straight wins. The final one was against Arjun Erigaisi, who made a crucial mistake in a long queen endgame. Arjun Erigaisi – Magnus Carlsen White could have maintained the balance with a precise 88. Qg2! or 88. Qe4+ with the same idea. Instead, Arjun played 88. Qb1+, but after 88…Ka4! White ran out of checks. 89. Qc4 g2 90. Qd7+ Kh6 and Arjun resigned as the only check 91. Qd3+ is met with 91…Qb3. Check out the Day 4 Recap Video by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Day 5 of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz continues Sunday, May 12th, with live commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, IM Jovanka Houska, and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 6:00 AM CDT. Photos: courtesy of Grand Chess Tour Official website: grandchesstour.org/tours/2024/
Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz: Day 3 Recap
Day 3 of Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz saw the conclusion of the rapid segment. Chinese #2 Wei Yi continued his fantastic run to grab the lead at the tournament’s halfway mark. Wei Yi netted 5/6 (rapid wins count as two points and a draw—one in this format) on the third day and came out on top with 13 points. The world #1 Magnus Carlsen netted 4/6, making two draws and scoring just a single win. He is trailing the leader by one point. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa kept his third position after drawing all three games on Day 3. Going into the tournament’s next stage, the players will have two days of blitz in a double round-robin format (18 games in total). Round 7 One of the most peaceful rounds in the competition saw four draws and just a single victory, which Wei Yi pulled off against Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The Chinese GM seized the initiative in a rare line of Vienna Hybrid early on and achieved a much better position with his dark-squared bishop dominating the opponent’s knight. Playing in the last seconds on the clock, Wei made a crucial mistake in a winning queen endgame, but Nodirbek immediately returned the favor. Wei Yi – Nodirbek Abdusattorov White just captured Black’s pawn with 49.gxh5? allowing 49…Qd5+ with some drawing chances. Abdusattorov, however, snatched a pawn with 49…Qxb4? but it failed to 50. Qg4+! After forced queen exchange Wei got a winning endgame as his a-pawn contains two black pawns on the queenside. 51…Qxg4 52. hxg4 Kf7 53. g5 1-0 After this victory Wei Yi became the sole leader for the first time. Round 8 Trying to catch up with the leader, Magnus Carlsen took a somewhat risky approach on the black side of the Anglo-Indian against Vincent Keymer and found himself in an inferior position. However, the world #1 gradually righted his ship and took full advantage of the opponent’s blunder in a roughly equal position. Vincent Keymer – Magnus Carlsen White has just played 28. Qa4?? Magnus almost immediately spotted 28…Nf3+! and after 28… Nf3+ 29. Bxf3 Rxe2 30. Bxe2 Qxf2+ 31. Kh1 Qxe2 32. Qa7+ Kh6 33. Qd4 Qf3+ Vincent capitulated. However, Wei Yi chalked up his fifth straight win in the tournament to preserve the one-point margin over Magnus. Gukesh D sacrificed a pawn on the white side of the Sicilian and got sufficient compensation but soon made a committed a serious inaccuracy on move 13. Wei managed to consolidate his position, traded the queens and converted his extra pawn in an endgame. All other games in Round 8 were drawn. Round 9 Wei’s hot run ended in the day’s final round after Praggnanandhaa comfortably drew with him on the black side of the English Opening. Facing Anish Giri with white Magnus did not achieve much in the Giuoco Piano. Moreover, with his 17th move, he got into trouble, missing a nice tactic. Magnus Carlsen – Anish Giri After spending some time Magnus played 17. Be3? but Anish correctly reacted with 17…Nxe4! winning a pawn after 18. Nxe4 Bf5 19. Nfd2 d5! Unfortunately for him, Giri did not demonstrate accuracy at the critical juncture of the game allowing Magnus to liquidate into a drawish endgame and save a point. Check out Day 3 Recap Video by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Day 4 of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz continues Saturday, May 11th, with live commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, IM Jovanka Houska, and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 6:00 AM CDT. Photos: courtesy of Grand Chess Tour Official website: grandchesstour.org/tours/2024/
World School Championship: Goodbye, Peru 2024
The World School Chess Championship 2024 in Peru has come to a close, but the memories and lessons learned will continue to inspire young minds. Held in six age groups (U7, U9, U11, U13, U15, and U17) with separate events for open and girls’ categories, the competition in the Constitutional Province of Callao in Lima brought together 1,169 participants from 26 countries. After nine rounds of exciting chess, we know all the champions and top finishers. Local players enjoyed a very successful event, collecting a total of 12 medals. Peruvians led the way with three gold, three silver, and six bronze medals. Mongolia also claimed three gold medals, but with only one silver and one bronze. The USA and Paraguay each boasted two gold medals, while Paraguay, Colombia, and Kazakhstan also had champions. The closing ceremony was attended by Guido Flores Marchan, President of the IPD (Peruvian Sports Institute); Ciro Castillo Rojo, President of the Government of Callao; Ozgur Solakoglu, Inspector of Fide; Jaime Ortega, President of the Peruvian Federation of Chess and Victor Pimentel, Organizer of the Chess World Cup (pictured above, left to right). Champions Podium U07 Open 1. Uchral Bayarsaikhan (Mongolia)2. Mamani Choque Adler Esau (Bolivia)3. Vargas Mojica Axel Fabian (Bolivia) U07 Girls 1. Az-Erdene Nyamdavaa (Mongolia)2. Meegoda M D Vinuthi Siyansa (Sri Lanka)3. Chavez Mendoza Amiled Aleska (Perú) U09 Open 1. Guntaka, Aayansh (USA)2. Manchanda, Advik (USA)3. Nabiyev, Imán (Kazakhstan) U09 Girls 1. Nandinjiguur Chinzorig (Mongolia)2. Comas Bermeo Emilie (Colombia)3. Tunque Mamani Camila Valeria (Perú) U11 Open 1. Vinales Gonzalez Enzo Mathias (Paraguay)2. Humpire Quispe Uriel Gustavo (Perú)3. Gallegos Quispe Daniel Paolo (Perú) U11 Girls 1. Mandujano Alagon Ghaydaa Ceneth (Perú)2. Machacca Mina Adamaris Luciana (Perú)3. Urangoo Myadagbal (Mongolia) U13 Open 1. Yang Maxwell (USA)2. Martinez Flores Matias (Mexico)3. FM Munoz Ramos Christopher (Chile) U13 Girls 1. WCM Altynbek, Aiaru (Kazakhstan)2. Mollo Figueroa, Nicole (Bolivia)3. WCM Buyankhishig, Batpelden (Mongolia) U15 Open 1. FM Caceres Benitez Arturo Eduardo (Paraguay)2. FM Sodbilegt Naranbold (Mongolia)3. Jimenez Espinola Herles Hazael (Perú) U15 Girls 1. Torres Ccahuay Dayana Nievevska (Perú)2. Toala Velez Dayra Jamileth (Ecuador)3. WCM Herrada Blanco Maria Fernanda (Perú) U17 Open 1. FM Campos Gomez Manuel (Colombia)2. Garzon Zapatanga Christopher Leonel (Ecuador)3. Salazar Flores Yerick Alexander (Perú) U17 Girls 1. WIM Bravo Mallco Kate Azumi (Perú)2. WFM Contreras Huaman Fiorella (Perú)3. WFM Jimenez Salas Maria Teresa (Perú) This edition of the World School Championship became possible thanks to the “joyful effort” by IO Víctor Pimentel Mendoza that began in Sicuani in 2013. Referees, delegates, staff, and volunteers, all working under the protection of the flame lit 100 years ago by FIDE and the Peruvian state, successfully held this global chess forum in Peru. Written by Rodolfo Valentino Cabrera Huaman and Patricia Claros Aguilar Photos: Patricia Claros Aguilar
Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz: Day 2 Recap
Day 2 of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz saw a lot of action with the new leaders taking over. The world #1 Magnus Carlsen and Wei Yi of China had a great second day and share the lead with tree rapid games to go. Magnus scored an impressive 4/6 (two points for a win and one for a draw), while the Chinese GM won all three games. The former leader, Kirill Shevchenko, struggled on the second day, making just one draw in three games. He is tied for third place with Praggnanandhaa. Round 4 Anish Giri misplayed a superior position against Wei Yi, allowing his opponent to exert some pressure on the kingside. Still, the Dutchman was OK, but one erroneous move shutting down his rook cost him the game. Anish Giri – Wei Yi White is fine after 37. g4 fxg4 38. Bxg4. Giri, however, played 37. b4? but after 37… hxg3+ 38. Rxg3 Rg4 39. Qf1 d4 40. Ra7? Bh4 Wei launched a crushing attack and delivered checkmate on move 44. Gikesh D and Jan-Krzysztof Duda defeated Praggnanandhaa R and Arjun Erigaisi, respectively, to earn their first victories in the event. Shevchenko – Carlsen was a solid draw, whereas Vincent Keymer botched an overwhelming position against Nodirbek Abdusattorov and had to split points with his opponent. Round 5 It has been the most exciting round in the event so far, with all five games ending in a victory. Magnus Carlsen outsmarted Nodirbek Abdusattorov in an equal endgame. Magnus Carlsen – Nodirbek Abdusattorov Black could have held his ground with a paradoxical 54..Qe4! trading the queens. Instead, Nodirbek played 54…b5? but after 55. Qf4 Qe6? (55…Qe4 was still better) 56. Qd4+ Kh7 57. Nf4! e2 58. Nxe2 Qxe2 59. Qxd5 Magnus slowly but surely converted his two extra pawns. Gukesh D got the better of Vincent Keymer in a very complicated battle and wrapped it up with a nice tactic. Vincent Keymer – Gukesh D 40…Qxf3! forcing resignation in view of 41. gxf3 Rc2+ 0-1 Wei Yi completely outplayed Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the trendy line of Giuocco Piano and achieved complete domination. Wei Yi – Jan-Krzysztof Duda Despite equal material Black has no reasonable defense against numerous threats. Being short on the clock, Jan-Krzysztof resigned. Praggnanandhaa R defeated Anish Giri in a short, fierce melee, while Erigaisi, facing Shevchenko, won a pawn and converted it into a full point in an exemplary fashion. Round 6 In the game of the round, Carlsen – Gukesh, Magnus made an exchange sacrifice to unleash the potential of his bishops. Gukesh D – Magnus Carlsen 25… Rxe3! After 26. fxe3 Bc5! Gukesh erred with 27. Nf3? handing Carlsen a decisive advantage. 27… Bxe3+ 28. Kf1 Bc6! 29. Qd1 Be4! 30. Qd7. Unfortunately for Magnus, it was his turn to make a mistake. Carlsen could have sealed the deal with 30…Bd3+ with the idea of 31…Qb6! Instead the world #1 opted for 30… Kh7, but after 31. Ke2! Bb6 32. Re1 Qg6 33. Kd1 Qxg2 34. Rxe4 Gukesh got out of danger | ½ – ½, 39 moves Praggnanandhaa R scored a second win in a row, trapping Vincent Keymer’s queen. Praggnanandhaa R – Vincent Keymer Vincent could have put up a stubborn resistance with 54…Qf5 whereas after 54… c6? 55. f5 Qh5 56. Nd6 Rd8 57. g4 Qg5 58. Nde4 Black’s queen perishes 1-0 Meanwhile, Wei Yi notched up his third straight victory, beating Kirill Shevchenko with the black pieces, and caught up with Carlsen. Check out Day 2 Recap Video by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Day 3 of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz continues Thursday, May 10, with live commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, IM Jovanka Houska, and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 6:00 AM CDT. Photos: courtesy of Grand Chess Tour Official website: grandchesstour.org/tours/2024/
Sardinia Chess Festival: Great First Edition
Daniel Dardha secures title in the main event, Alexandra Botez shines in Open B The inaugural edition of the Sardinia World Chess Festival, organized by EmmediSport together with Unichess under the technical guidance of GM-IO Roberto Mogranzini, took place on the beautiful island of Sardinia (ITA) in Orosei at the IT Marina beach resort from April 27 to May 4. The Open A tournament, a part of the FIDE Circuit, saw a surprising finish. Four players – Daniel Dardha (BEL), Jorden van Foreest (NED), Kirill Shevchenko (ROU), and Volodar Murzin – scored final-round victories and finished with 7/9. In the end, GM Daniel Dardha of Belgium claimed the title thanks to superior tiebreaks. President Italian Chess Federation Luigi Maggi, GM Daniel Dardha, GM Kirill Shevchenko, Mayor of Orosei Elisa Farris, President Sardinia Chess Federation Danilo Mallò, GM IO Roberto Mogranzini Open A – complete standings A renowned streamer chess player with a massive global following of over 5 million fans, Alexandra Botez dominated the field in Open B with an impressive score of 8.5 out of 9 points, taking clear first place. Open B – complete standings Adding to the international flair, Sun Hanyu of China emerged victorious in the Open C tournament, marking a triumphant debut on the global stage. Open C – complete standings With 296 players representing over 40 nations participating, the Sardinia Chess Festival stands as a testament to its widespread appeal and position as a premier event in the chess calendar. The festival became possible thanks to the support of the Sardegna Scacchi Committee of the Italian Chess Federation led by President Danilo Mallo and the support of the Sardinian Region Tourism Department and the Orosei Municipality. Special thanks go to the event sponsors: It Marina Beach, Geasar Spa, Le Due Torri, Loc Srls, Smeralda Holding, and media partner ChessBaseIndia. #FIDE100 celebration During the event, the FIDE centenary (FIDE100) was celebrated with its motto displayed in the gaming hall. Deputy FIDE chair Dana Reizniece-Ozola visited the event, gave a heartfelt speech, and performed the first ceremonial move. Several events were held to celebrate FIDE’s 100th anniversary, from the black-and-white dinner to the five-a-side football match between tournament participants to the 960 chess evening. Deputy FIDE chair Dana Reizniece-Ozola and GM-IO Roberto Mogranzini Photos: Niklesh Jain / ChessBase India
Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz: Day 1 Recap
Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz, sponsored by the Superbet Foundation, kicked off in Warsaw on May 8, with ten players battling for $175,000 in prizes. The event features four full-tour players and six wildcard players including five-time World Champion & World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland), Wei Yi (China), Arjun Erigaisi (India), Vincent Keymer (Germany) and Kirill Shevchenko (Romania). After the first day of action, we have a surprise leader, the lowest-rated player in the event, Kirill Shevchenko, who won all his three games and took an early lead with a perfect score. Magnus Carlsen and the current world #5 Nodirbek Abdusattorov are tied for second place, each scoring 4/6. The Candidates 2024 winner, Gukesh D, had a bad start, losing two games and making a single draw. Round 1 The event started with exciting action, with Abdusattorov and Shevchenko defeating Giri and Gukesh D, respectively. The games Carlsen – Erigaisi, Keymer – Wei Yi and Praggnanandhaa – Duda were drawn. Nodirbek Abdusattorov sacrificed a piece for two kingside pawns against Anish Giri to launch a crushing attack. The game saw a truly spectacular finish. Nodirbek Abdusattorov – Anish Giri 46. f7!! Rxc2 47. g6!! allowing the opponent to capture the queen with check 47… Rxd2+ 48. Bg2 Rxg2+ 49. Rxg2 and Anish resigned as in view of 49…Bf6 50. g7+ Bxg7 51. Bxg7# 1-0 Gukesh D had a substantial advantage throughout his game with Shevchenko, but with just seconds on his clock he went for an erroneous combination. Gukesh D – Kirill Shevchenko After 34. Qe2! White would have been clearly better. The Challenger opted for the spectacular 34. Qd3?? but it turned to be a mirage as after 34…Rxd3 35. Re8+ Kg7 36. h6+ Nxh6, there is no checkmate. 0-1 Round 2 Shevchenko won his second straight game making good use of Praggnanandhaa’s opening mistake. Kirill Shevchenko – Praggnanandhaa R Black has just played 9… Bg4?? Kirill quickly spotted 10. Nxe5! dxe5 11. Bb4! (not 11. Bxb7?) 11… c5 12. Bxc5 Qc7 13. Bxf8 Kxf8 14. dxe5 Ne8 and emerged with a took and tree pawns for two minor pieces Shevchenko’s conversion was not the best, but eventually, White’s advanced passers decided the game in his favor. Magnus Carlsen scored his first victory in the tournament against Wei Yi. Wei Yi – Magnus Carlsen Black is slighly better but Wei could have put a stubborn resistance with 26. h4 with the idea of 26…g4 27. Nxe5+ fxe5 28. Qxe5. Instead, he played 26. Qa7? and after 26… Ke6! 27. Rxd7 Rxd7 28. Qxa5 g4 29. Ng1 Qf4+ 30. Kh1 Qxf2 31. Qb6 32. Rb1 Qxb6 33. Rxb6 Rd1 Magnus got a won endgame | 0-1, 42 moves Jan-Krzysztof Duda had sufficient compensation for a sacrificed exchange against Vincent Keymer, but one mistake on move 39 cost him the game. The only draw in this round was recorded in the encounter Anish Giri – Arjun Erigaisi Round 3 Shevchenko scored his third consecutive victory after Keymer ignored Black’s threat in a slightly inferior position. Vincent Keymer – Kirill Shevchenko Vincent played 41.Rhc1? allowing 41…f4! Most likely the young German hoped for 42. Rc8 but it failed to 42…Rdd8 43. Rxd8 Bxd8! Shevchenko won a piece for two pawns and slowly but surely converted his extra material. Praggnanandhaa correctly sacrificed an exchange against Abdusattorov and got powerful compensation. Praggnanandhaa R – Nodirbek Abdusattorov 21. Rxf6! gxf6, but instead of 22. Qf5 followed by 23. Ne4, the young Indian played 22. Ne4 immediately, allowing Nodirbek to avoid the worst after 22… Re6 23. Nh4 f5 24. Nxf5 Rd8 25. Re3 Rd4 26. Qe2 Rxe4 Still White had a superior position and eventually won a pawn. Nodirbek had drawing chances in the subsequent queen endgame but cracked on move 67 allowing White’s king to penetrate his camp and capitulated 10 moves later. The games Erigaisi – Wei Yi, Carlsen – Duda and Gukesh – Giri were drawn. Check out Day 1 Recap Video by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Day 2 of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz continues Thursday, May 9, with live commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, IM Jovanka Houska, and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 6:00 AM CDT. Photos: courtesy of Grand Chess Tour Official website: grandchesstour.org/tours/2024/
Cape Verdean Women’s Championship: Celia Rodriguez claims third title
III Cape Verdean Women’s Championship took place from May 2-5 at the Grémio Desportivo Amarante hall in S. Vicente. The round robin, with classical time control, stretched over four days and brought together eight players from five islands (Sal, Santiago Sul, Santo Antão, S. Nicolau and S. Vicente). It was a highly competitive tournament with the fate of the championship decided in the very end. As the final round approached, the defending champion and rating favorite Célia Rodriguez (pictured below) was only a half-point ahead of Deise Pereira. Deise, showing her mettle, won her game and put additional pressure on the tournament leader. However, Célia rose to the challenge, defeating Erika Perez with the black pieces and securing her third national title. Deise Pereira, who debuted in an official chess competition, took silver (6/7) and earned the Women’s National Master’s norm. Jacira Almeida netted 4/7, winning bronze. Notably, as many as four participants didn’t have a FIDE rating, with three scoring against players with an international rating. With more games against rated players in the future, they will get a FIDE rating. This is great news, given that the Cape Verdean Federation has only nine female players with FIDE Elo. Final standings: 1 WCM Rodriguez, Celia 1869 6½ 2 Pereira, Deise 6 3 Almeida, Jacira Laura 1606 4 4 Spinola, Divania 1575 3½ 5 Moreno, Akiane 1594 3 6 Oliveira, Mirian Nataly 2 7 Gomes, Samara 2 8 Pérez, Erika 1 Text and photos: Cape Verdean Chess Federation
Swiss Wednesday Women’s Series: March & April highlights
Over the last few months, the Swiss Queens Wednesday Series has quickly become an anticipated weekly event, with top woman players from around the world battling it out online in 3+1 blitz Swiss tournaments. Each tournament has a prize fund of USD $1,000 and is open to women with FIDE or Arena titles. FIDE is delighted to report on the series’ incredible progress and excitement, particularly during weeks 6 through 13. Highlights by weeks Swiss Queens Wednesday #6 The competition reached new heights as many Grandmasters took part. The games were intense, and the leaderboard started to shift as former Women’s World Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk displayed an extraordinary performance, putting her at the forefront of the tournament for the first time. She was joined at the top by Nino Batsiashvili and Valentina Gunina, but Alexandra’s better tiebreak saw her clinch the first prize. Swiss Queens Wednesday #7 Rivalries took center stage as key matchups (and upsets!) provided exhilarating encounters, and some new names emerged, hinting at a change in the tournament dynamic. Former World Youth and World Junior Champion IM Polina Shuvalova finished first, a whole point ahead of the field! Swiss Queens Wednesday #8 This week saw surprising games and upsets, which is typical for the blitz’s nature. The 2023 FIDE Women’s Blitz Champion, GM Valentina Gunina (a regular Swiss Wednesday competitor and previous winner), clinched first place despite losing her final game in round 11. Swiss Queens Wednesday #9 With more aggressive gameplay and bold sacrifices, Week 9 saw players willing to take bold risks. Several new contenders made notable breakthroughs, shaking up the leaderboard and intensifying the competition. Two-time Women’s World Blitz Chess Champion WGM Bibisara Assaubayeva dominated the field, taking first place with two points ahead of the runners-up Teodora Injac and Savitha Shri Baskar. Swiss Queens Wednesday #10 This week’s winner was a familiar face who recently cemented her place as a formidable fast chess opponent by winning the 2023 FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship. IM Anastasia Bodnaruk shows no sign of slowing down! Swiss Queens Wednesday #11 – 13 Exceptional performances from underdogs brought unexpected twists, reinforcing the unpredictability and excitement of the Swiss Queens Wednesday series. However, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, AKA Chess Queen, displayed true dominance, placing first three consecutive weeks. Notably, Alexandra played each weekly event from Toronto, where the FIDE Candidates Tournament was taking place. Although her capacity in Canada was as a spectator, perhaps the high-stakes atmosphere and thrilling chess games contributed to her excellent performances! Photo: Michal Walusza The Swiss Queens Wednesday series represents the spirit of women’s chess, providing an inclusive platform for both seasoned and emerging players. FIDE expresses gratitude to all participants, organizers, and partners for fostering a competitive and supportive environment that advances the global women’s chess community. Stay tuned for further updates, and don’t miss the upcoming weeks of the Swiss Queens Wednesday series! For more information, visit the FIDE Online Arena website.
Carlsen, Nakamura, Anand, and Amin set for epic showdown in Casablanca
World’s top Grandmaster will play rapid trying out the new Casablanca Chess Variant from 18-19 May, 2024 Casablanca Chess Variant: Bridging History and Innovation The chess world has walked a long way, evolving from the timeless brilliance of past masters to the dynamic landscape of modern play—replete with technology, online matches, engine variations, and meticulous opening preparation. In this digital age, some games unfold seamlessly, their moves orchestrated in advance, leaving little room for creativity at the board. To inspire the spirit of independent thought and strategic creativity, the Casablanca Stock Exchange introduces the groundbreaking Casablanca Chess Variant. The idea of this innovative format was suggested by Tarik Senhaji, CEO of Casablanca Stock Exchange. Unveiling the Casablanca Chess Variant • Starting Positions: The game commences from equal positions inspired by historical gems—some renowned, others less so. Will today’s masters follow the well-trodden paths of their predecessors, or will they choose a new direction? • Tournament Name: Casablanca Chess, organized by the Casablanca Stock Exchange with Casa Events & Animation and the Royal Moroccan Chess Federation • Elite Players: Representing four continents, four top players will play rapid games. Grandmasters Laurent Fressinet and Hicham Hamdouchi will choose and unveil surprise starting positions before each game. ◦ Magnus Carlsen: Widely considered the strongest chess player of all time, former World Chess Champion and current world #1, represents Europe. ◦ Hikaru Nakamura: A streaming sensation with millions of devoted fans, the world #3 player, defends the colors of North America. ◦ Viswanathan Anand: The legendary 5-time World Chess Champion, the trailblazer of Indian chess, represents Asia. ◦ Bassem Amin: Africa’s strongest Grandmaster, numerous times continental champion, plays on home turf. Casablanca FIDE100 Casablanca Chess is being held in conjunction with the FIDE 100 celebrations as the International Chess Federation marks a century since its foundation. This special edition promises to be exceptional, combining the passion for the game with the commemoration of a century of international chess history. This celebration will host the Torch ceremony, which travels around the world throughout the year. On this occasion, a significant event will be organized at the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, with several enriching activities for the general public, including a Simultaneous exhibition with 100 players. The series of FIDE100 events will also feature a photo exhibition, “Capture”, a project by photographer Stev Bonhage challenging the conventional perception of chess. From May 17-19, it will be displayed in Casablanca and from May 21-26, it will move to the country capital Rabat.” Capture” is sponsored by Freedom Holding Corp. – a U.S.-based financial services company that has been supporting chess events in recent years – as well as the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and France’s energy giant, TotalEnergies.
Pune, India to host three-day Chess for Freedom Conference
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and IndianOil Corporation are proud to organize the second in-person Chess for Freedom Conference from June 19-21, 2024, in Pune, India. This event will bring together experts from the global chess community to explore the use of chess as a rehabilitation tool for incarcerated individuals. “As we convene for the Chess for Freedom Conference, our mission extends beyond the chessboard. This gathering is crucial for spreading the transformative power of chess across numerous countries and prisons,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Deputy Chairperson of the FIDE Management Board. “By sharing experiences and methodologies, we not only enhance the scope of our initiatives but also provide vital support for newcomers who are integral to our community. These efforts are essential for developing a framework that empowers incarcerated individuals worldwide, fostering skills that pave the way for their successful reintegration into society.” FIDE warmly invites chess officials, representatives of national federations, members of penitentiary administrations, and policymakers from various countries to engage in discussions on innovative strategies for chess programs in prisons. The three-day conference will showcase the successful implementation of the Chess for Freedom project across different countries, feature case studies from national initiatives, and present real-life examples of forming prison chess teams competing in the intercontinental tournament. Attendees will also have an opportunity to visit an Indian correctional facility to observe these social programs firsthand. Event Schedule: ●June 19: Day 1 – Plenary session with various breakout topics. ●June 20: Day 2 – Plenary session with various breakout topics ●June 21: Visit to a Pune prison, including interactions with the prison administration and Chess in Prison program staff. The detailed event schedule will be released soon. This conference will be broadcast live on FIDE’s YouTube channel, and participants can join via Zoom to pose questions directly to the speakers. Registration Information: To participate in the conference, please complete the following form: forms.gle/519uuACkmfpZorZC8 About the Chess for Freedom Program: Launched in May 2021 by FIDE and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (Chicago, USA), the Chess for Freedom program emphasizes the rights and opportunities for self-realization and development of incarcerated individuals. Chess not only provides quality recreation but also helps mitigate symptoms like depression, stress, and anxiety. By enhancing memory, logical thinking, concentration, and imagination, chess aids in the reintegration of individuals post-release. The program kicked off with an online conference and an exhibition tournament involving four countries. It has since grown to include the annual Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, which, in its third edition in October 2023, featured over 100 teams from 50 countries. The FIDE Social Commission also facilitates the Chess For Freedom Network, supporting ongoing or aspiring Chess in Prisons projects through peer access, best practice sharing, workshops, and seminars. Chess for Freedom Conference – Contact Information: Lasma KokorevichaSecretary of the FIDE Social CommissionEmail: sc.secretary@fide.comWhatsApp: +371 29 221 222