World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships: Registration is open
The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships 2024, organized by the International Chess Federation and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation in partnership with Freedom Holding, will be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, between August 1 and 6. The second edition of the Championships will consist of a 12-round Swiss tournament played over three days under rapid time control (August 2-4) and a one-day blitz championship (August 5). The event, with a prize fund of €350,000, is open to squads from all over the world. Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President: “Following the success of the inaugural event last year in Dusseldorf, I am thrilled that we are now preparing for the second edition of this tournament, which is on its way of becoming a regular feature in the calendar of top global FIDE events. In our strive to diversify chess events and formats and increase opportunities for non-professional players, the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships – where many amateurs of different chess skills have a chance to take part – is an excellent example of that ambition. FIDE and the chess world are very fortunate to have the likes of Freedom Holding and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation helping organize and fund this event. In recent years both have done a lot to support and promote chess in Kazakhstan but also in Asia and globally, and we thank them for that.” Create your own team from your club members, members of different federations or your favourite chess players. Registration is open via the following link: worldrapidblitzteams.fide.com/registration Team composition: Each team shall be composed in accordance with the following requirements: A. At least six and not more than nine players, including at least: a. one female player, b. one player, other than the one indicated in the previous point, who never achieved FIDE Standard, Rapid or Blitz Rating of 2000 Elo points (or unrated) up to and including the July 2024 rating lists, B. A captain, who may also be one of the players. Teams are required to register at least six players meeting the requirements by 1 July 2024. Three more players may be added at any time until 12pm Lausanne time, 25 July 2024. Among those who have already confirmed their participation in the event the world’s top-rated chess player (and holder of the world titles in Rapid and Blitz) Magnus Carlsen. World #1 will strengthen WR Team, which won the inaugural edition, and is ready to defend their title and try to take the first team crown in the Blitz. Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. and President of Kazakhstan Chess Federation: “Over the past few years, Freedom Holding Corp. has been a sponsor of the largest and most milestone events in the chess world, and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation has significantly enhanced its partnership with FIDE during this period. Investments have a positive impact on chess popularization in the world and human capital development. I believe that having one more spectacular chess event in our nation’s capital will help elevate the status of Kazakhstan in the chess world and further charge the already growing interest in chess among our people. As we prepare to welcome teams from across the world, we extend our gratitude to FIDE for their collaboration and bringing another chess spectacle to this part of the world.” Now that the registration for the event is officially open, FIDE is looking forward to the teams and players who will take part in a chess spectacle this summer in Astana. Regulations for the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship: handbook.fide.com/files/handbook/WRTC2024Regulations.pdf Registration form: worldrapidblitzteams.fide.com/registration Official website: worldrapidblitzteams.fide.com
FIDE ChessMom Initiative: Call for submissions
As Mother’s Day approaches in many countries in the month of May, FIDE is pleased to announce the start of the application process for the ChessMom project. The ChessMom pilot initiative by the Commission for Women’s Chess aims to support professional chess players who are mothers of infants under one year old. Specifically, through this initiative, all expenses related to an accompanying or caregiver person for ten female players traveling with their infants to the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary will be covered. We invite federations, clubs, and players themselves to send their applications, including information about a mother and a child, as well as a Letter of Concurrence from the National Federation, stating that a player is a part of the National Team by filling the following form: forms.gle/9UQUqpvqHCnhZAh88 For more information and confirmation, please contact the Project Leader, Francisco J Cruz Arce. E-mail: fj_007@yahoo.com WhatApp: +1-787-587-3409 Olympiad Registration dates are from April 18 – June 10, 2024 Timeline for ChessMom Submissions May 06, 2024 – Submission Period starts May 29, 2024 – Submission Period closes May 30, 2024 – WOM ChessMom Project meeting June 01, 2024 – WOM announcement of selected Players Learn more about the ChessMom initiative here: fide.com/news/2892
FIDE Circuit: Abdusattorov leads after four months
FIDE Circuit is a relatively new path to qualify for the FIDE Candidates Tournament, introduced last year. The player achieving the highest results during 2024 in eligible tournaments will get a spot in the next Candidates. Each player must play in at least five eligible tournaments, including at least four with a standard time control. The final score is calculated as the sum of the player’s up to seven highest scores. Notable, Gukesh D, who qualified for the Candidates 2024 in Toronto through FIDE Circuit, eventually won the event and became the Challenger. The FIDE Circuit 2023 demonstrated that to qualify for the Candidates, one must score in the point-heavy tournaments, and the 2024 edition will continue this trend. Similar to 2023, strong performances in the point-heavy events are key to qualifying through the Circuit this year. Let’s have a look at the FIDE Circuit 2024 first-trimester results. The year kicked off with one of the most important events of the year, Tata Steel Chess. The winner of the Masters, Wei Yi, immediately grabbed the lead with 20.54 points, while Gukesh D, Anish Giri and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who tied with the Chinese GM for first place, also picked good points (14.22 each). Notably, Wei Yi hasn’t played in any more eligible tournaments and has dropped to 11th place. February saw Daniel Dardha win the Djerba International Chess Festival Masters, climbing to second position after adding points 8.6 points to his Tata Steel Challengers performance (10.3 points). Hans Niemann, sharing first place with Daniel, secured his initial Circuit points there. Photo: Djerba Chess Festival Facebook The third month of the year saw significant shifts in the leaderboard. Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the strong Prague International Chess Festival 2024 Masters, gaining 25 points and taking the lead, which he held till the end of April. Around this time, another point-heavy tournament took place in Shenzhen (China). It became a springboard for Bu Xiangzhi, Yu Yangyi and Arjun Erigaisi, who tied for first place and joined the race. March also featured the Aeroflot Open, won by Amin Tabatabaei (+19.79 points), and the Grenke Chess Open, where the top finishers got quite a few points. Photo: Michal Walusza The Candidates Tournament held in April became the leaderboard changer as the winner, Gukesh D, picked up 26.94 points. Coupled with 14.22 points earned in Tata Steel Masters in January, it propelled the young Indian to the top spot. However, his lead was short-lived. Arjun Erigaisi turned in two strong performances in the Menorca Open (1st place and 16.19 points) and the TePe Sideman & Co Chess Tournament (2nd place and 14 points) leapfrogging his compatriot. Photo: Mikael Svensson Still, it was not enough to reach the pole position as the winner of the latter tournament, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, added 16.21 points to his tally to overtake both Gukesh and Erigaisi and get back to the top of FIDE Circuit 2024. Daniel Dardha’s victory at the Sardinia World Chess Festival (+14.07 points) pushed him to fourth, while the winner of the Tata Steel Challengers Leon Luke Mendonca (pictured below) lifted another trophy in the 2024 Spring Chess Classic (+13.74 points) and reached fifth. Photo: St-Louis Chess Club / Crystal Fuller With so many strong tournaments to come (suffice it to mention Dubai Police Global Chess Challenge, Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz in Warsaw and Norway Chess all to be played in May) the race for the top position remains wide open. 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.
FIDE World School Chess Championship crosses midpoint
For the first time in Peruvian sports history, the World School Chess Championship is taking place in Peru. After five exciting rounds of play, the participants from 26 countries (Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe) are enjoying the day off. The Peruvian state, represented by its president Dina Boluarte and her council of ministers, declared the World School Chess Championship the top priority, which transcends to the benefit of all the participants. So far, the World School Championship has been very good for the host players, as they are leading in most categories. Bat-Amgalan, Batsaikhan (Mongolia) vs. Manchanda, Advik (United States) (pictured above) drew their game, while Iman Nabiyev of Kazakhstan won his game, scored 5 points, and became the leader in the U09 category. Iman is one of many players to score 5/5. Here is the list of participants from all categories with a perfect score: Az-Erdene, Nyamdavaa (Mongolia U07 FEM)Nabiyev, imán (Kazajistan U09 ABS)Vinales Gonzalez, Enzo Mathias (Paraguay U11 ABS)Arana Bello, Bruno Josef (Perú U11 ABS)Mandujano, Alagon Ghaydaa Ceneth (Perú U 11 FEM)Torres Ccahuay, Dayana Nievevska (Peru U15 FEM)WIM Bravo Mallco, Kate Azumi (Perú U17 FEM)Caceres Benitez, Arturo Eduardo (Paraguay U 15 ABS)Garzon Zapatanga, Christopher Leonel (Ecuador U 17 ABS) Table 1 of the U11 Women’s category in Round 5: Alagon Ghaydaa Ceneth Mandujano (Peru) vs Dana Katherine Tuk Martin (México) In the U11 category open tournament, Enzo Vinales (Paraguay) and Bruno Arana (Peru) both netted 5/5, making it the only competition with joint leaders with a perfect score. The leaders will clash in Round 6. The Pan American champion and South American School champion, Daniel Gallegos, is a full point behind the leaders. There is a huge group of players with 4.5 points in all categories: Sulca Cerron, Diego Peter (Peru U 07 ABS)Holguin Segovia, David Luis (Peru U 07 ABS)Mamani Choque, Adler Esau (Bolivia U 07 ABS)Palma Franco, Alma Camila (Ecuador U 09 FEM)Nandinjiguur, Chinzorig (Mongolia U 09 FEM)Valenzuela Reinoso, Safrys (Perú U 09 FEM)Diaz Guerrero, Jesus Daniel (Mexico U 13 ABS)Garzon Camelo, Andres Santiago (Colombia U 13 ABS)Martinez Flores, Matias (Mexicano U 13 ABS)Munoz Ramos, Christopher (Chile U 13 ABS)Galkotuwa, K A R G W D R B G (Sir Lanka U 13 ABS)Herrera Jimenez, Mateo (Colombia U 13 ABS)Guo, Felix(USA U 13 ABS)Palomino Quispe, Mateo Henry (Perú U 13 ABS)Yang, Maxwell (USA U13 ABS)WCM Altynbek, Aiaru ( Kazajistán U13 FEM)Silva Honores, Luciana Victoria (Perú U13 FEM)Casqui Lopez, Pamela Grace (Perú U 13 FEM)WCM Buyankhishig, Batpelden (Mongolia U13 FEM) The U13 category stands out, with as many as nine players tied for first place. U17 Open: Tupac Russell Montesinos Parisaca (Peru) vs Christopher Leonel Garzon Zapatanga (Colombia) Written by AN Rodolfo Valentino Cabrera Huaman Photos: Patricia Claros Aguilar Official website: fidewsccperu2024.com/
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Attempt for Most Games Played in a Day!
On July 20, 2024, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) aims to set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Attempt for the most chess games played in 24 hours, marking its centennial and International Chess Day! From beginners to grandmasters, classrooms to streets, online or over-the-board games, you can participate in the celebrations from any corner of the world. For individuals: To participate in the attempt online, join chess.com, lichess.org (or any other platform that will be supporting the initiative) and play at least one 5-min game between July 20, 2024 00:00:00 CEST and July 21, 2024 00:00:00 CEST; To join offline, seek for the nearest event that will join the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt (the full list of events will be here: 100.fide.com/gwr) and take part in it. For organizers: Plan your event and make sure it suits all the requirements. More details about the eligibility criteria can be found on 100.fide.com/gwr. Register it on the landing page of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt before July 15, 2024.; After the attempt, submit the results confirming the number of games played. The registration of the tournaments participating in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Attempt will start later this May. For more details, visit the official FIDE Guinness World Record attempt page. About the Guinness World Records Guinness World Records, originally known as the Guinness Book of Records, has emerged as the definitive authority on record-breaking achievements, stemming from the idea of resolving disputes in pubs with a book of facts. Today, it stands as a global brand, with offices spanning London, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Dubai, alongside a network of brand ambassadors worldwide. Its mission extends beyond the pages of its iconic book, now encompassing TV shows, social media, and live events, all aimed at documenting the extraordinary.
World School Championship 2024 begins in Peru
The highly anticipated FIDE World School Chess Championship 2024 kicked off on May 1 in the Constitutional Province of Callao in Lima, Peru. A glittering opening ceremony, marked the start of this grand chess event. The highest Peruvian authorities—Guido Flores Marchan, president of the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD), Morgan Niccolo Quero Gaime, minister of education of Peru, and Ciro Castillo Rojo Salas, Regional Governor of Callao—attended the opening ceremony (pictured below, from left to right). The regional governor of Callao, Dr Ciro Castillo Rojo Salas, and the Minister of Education, Morgan Quero, inaugurated the competition, making the first ceremonial moves on one of the boards. The ceremony also featured a dancing performance by a local group that symbolized Peru’s coast, mountains, and jungle. Held in six age groups, U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17, with separate events in open and girls’ categories, the competition brought together 1200 chess players from 26 countries. The competitions in all categories are 9-round Swiss tournaments. Photos: Gobierno Regional del Callao / Media centre Mundial Escolar
Eight teams qualify for World Corporate Championship Finals
The second World Corporate Chess Championships have concluded their qualification stage, and eight successful teams are now gearing up for the highly anticipated over-the-board finals in New York The online qualification stage witnessed fierce competition among 64 teams representing 46 companies from 26 countries across four continents. Among the participants were renowned global corporations, including Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, UBS, Von Doren Watch Company, J.P. Morgan, Airbus, Freedom Holding, Bosch, Maruti Suzuki, and Deutsche Bank. While most teams comprised amateur players and enthusiasts, each team had the right to include one player with a FIDE rating exceeding 2400 points. Some squads even recruited top-class Grandmasters, such as Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Andrew Tang, reigning European Women’s Chess Champion WGM Ulviyya Fataliyeva, WGM Jolanta Zawadzka, and the remarkable eight-year-old chess prodigy from the UK, Bodhana Sivanandan. To secure their spot in the finals, teams engaged in online tournaments in two formats: rapid and blitz. The intense competition culminated in an online knockout stage, ultimately determining the final eight contenders. The following companies have successfully qualified for the World Corporate Chess Championship finals: From June 15 to 17, these eight elite teams will converge in New York for a series of over-the-board matches. The tournament will feature both a group stage and an intense playoff stage. Finalists will enjoy fully covered travel and accommodation expenses in New York. Additionally, each qualifying team will secure four seats for an online simultaneous chess match against a participant from the recently concluded FIDE Candidates Tournament, with more prizes to come. For comprehensive event details, including results and regulations, visit the official website of the World Corporate Chess Championship.
FIDE May 2024 rating list: Gukesh D climbs to #6
The FIDE Candidates brought significant changes to the world’s top 10. Among others, Gukesh D (+20 points) and Tan Zhongyi (+19 points) simultaneously climbed up to #6 after winning the FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates, respectively. Both winners of the Candidates 2024 reached their career-high positions. Photo: Michal Walusza Biggest gains in top 100 Open and Women Priyanka Nutakki WGM IND 2355 (+83) Nandhidhaa, P V WGM IND 2353 (+81) Saric, Ivan GM CRO 2695 (+25) Alekseenko, Kirill GM AUT 2677 (+22) Gukesh D GM IND 2763 (+20) Dardha, Daniel GM BEL 2650 (+20) Warmerdam, Max GM NED 2652 (+19) Tan, Zhongyi GM CHN 2540 (+19) Shuvalova, Polina IM FID 2456 (+16) Narva, Mai IM EST 2417 (+16) Vaishali, Rameshbabu GM IND 2489 (+14) Two Indian female players, Priyanka Nutakki (pictured below) and Nandhidhaa P V, stand out in this nomination following their great performance in various open tournaments. Priyanka shone in the XLIV Open International Ciudad de San Sebastian (+25 points), Open Menorca (+18 points) and Ponte De Lima Chess Festival (+40 points), while Nandhidhaa did an excellent job in the Fagernes Chess International 2024 (+32) and the Open Menorca 2024 (+49). Photo: Anastasia Korolkova Ivan Saric also reached his career high, mounting to #40 in the top 100 Open after solid showings in the GRENKE Chess Open, Extraliga and CIS 2024 – Serie Master. Kirill Alekseenko enjoyed a successful trip to Spain, winning the VIII Open Internacional Semana Santa San Vicente and tying for first in the Menorca Open, which translates into a +22 rating point gain. Polina Shuvalova also fared well in both these tournaments, picking up 16 points. Daniel Dardha has been on a roll this year, steadily increasing his rating every month. April was no exception for the 18-year-old GM from Belgium, who added to his tally another 20 points following his good performances in CIS 2024—Serie Master and Menorca Open. Photo: Lennart Ootes Similarly, Max Warmerdam has had a good spring tournament campaign so far. Unsurprisingly, the Dutchman returned to the top 100 Open after a half-year absence following his strong results in Belgian Interclubs and Bundesliga. After a tough start in the Women’s Candidates, Rameshbabu Vaishali strung together several wins in the second part and finished strong, gaining 14 rating points.
World Junior U20 Championship: Registration extended to May 10
The organizer of the FIDE World Junior Under 20 Championships has extended the registration period for the participants. The competition will take place in Gandhinagar, state of Gujarat, India, from June 1-14, 2024. Entry forms should be filled by the National Federations and returned to the Organizing Committee no later than May 10. All federations must use the official registration form provided by the Organizers. All participants applying for a visa shall provide the copy of the passport by the same deadline: May 10. Each National Federation can enter one player born on or after January 1 2004 in each of two categories – Open and Girls, with a maximum of two invited players and send as many additional players as they wish. Players with personal rights, according to FIDE rules, will also be accepted as invited players: Top 3 players of the previous edition of FIDE World Junior Championships. The Continental Junior Champions of the year preceding this edition. If a Continent did not organize a Continental Junior Championship, then the Continental U18 Champions of the year preceding this edition. The first three players in the starting list of both the Open and Girls tournaments, using the current rating list when the tournament starts. World Youth U18 and U16 champions of the year preceding this edition. FIDE World Junior Championships 2024 official website: worldjunior2024.fide.com Official email: worldjunior@fide.com Regulations and invitation letter (pdf)
Abu Dhabi and FIDE Sign Agreement for 47th Chess Olympiad
The President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Arkady Dvorkovich, and the General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Aref Hamad Al Awani, have signed the Agreement on hosting and organizing the 47th Chess Olympiad, the 4th Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, and the 98th FIDE Congress. In December 2023, it was announced that the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, had won the bid for the organization of the 47th Chess Olympiad, which will take place in 2028. In the FIDE Council meeting on December 17, 2023, Abu Dhabi won the bid with 96 votes, ahead of the bid from Genoa (Italy), which got 60 votes. The 47th Chess Olympiad is scheduled to take place between October 28 and November 11, 2028, at the world-class Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, the largest venue in the Middle East, with 154,678 m2 available for the event. The total proposed budget for the Olympiad is 15,300,000 Euros, while the budget for the Olympiad for People with Disabilities is 1,250,000 Euros. In their bid, the UAE emphasized the country’s increasing role as a global hub for major international and sports events and noted the Olympiad’s importance in promoting chess in the region. It was pointed out that the UAE already has a well-established chess community made up of players, clubs, and prominent chess coaches, and that it hosts several notable events, including The President’s Cup, the Dubai Open, the Sharjah Women’s Cup, and the Abu Dhabi Open. “The signing of this Agreement is a formal but important step. The UAE lies in a convenient geographical location and has the amenities and the experience in organizing large events. Now, work can begin on preparing for the 47th Olympiad and doing everything needed to make this a truly memorable successful event,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement. “We have good experience with our partner from the UAE and we have every faith that the organization of the Olympiad will be executed to the highest standard, like other events which the country has hosted,“ Dvorkovich added. This will be the second time the Emirates will be hosting a Chess Olympiad. The country was host for the first time in 1986, for the 27th Chess Olympiad. Held in Dubai, that Olympiad is often regarded as one of the best-organized in chess history.