Online registration for the King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2019 is open
Online registration for the King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2019 is now open:https://wrbc2019registration.fide.com/ Please note that any national champions for the current year (2019) have to provide proof of their title via their national federation. In order to be accredited as a participant, an official letter must be sent from his/her national federation to the official representative of the Chess Federation of Russia, Artem Pugachev, to the email pugachev@ruchess.ru. The King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championships will be held in Moscow from December 25 (the day of arrival) to December 31 (the day of departure) 2019. World Rapid & Blitz Championships schedule: December 25 — Opening CeremonyDecember 26-28 — Rapid competitionDecember 29-30 — Blitz competition The total prize fund for the King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championships amounts to USD 1,000,000. All players rated at least 2550 (men) and 2250 (women) in any of the FIDE rating lists (standard, rapid or blitz) from January to December of 2019, national champions, and nominees by the organizers (no more than ten in each one of the competitions) are eligible for participation in the King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championships. The entry fee in the open event is USD 100, before December 11, and USD 200 after this date. In women’s competitions, the entry fee is USD 50 before December 11 and USD 100 after this date. Bank details of the Chess Federation of Russia for entry fee payments: In Russian Rubles: Beneficiary customer: Chess Federation of Russia (CFR)TIN (INN) 7704016433 RRC 770401001Bank: Public Joint-Stock Company Sberbank of Russia, MoscowBeneficiary account: 40703810438260100813Correspondent account: 30101810400000000225RCBIC: 044525225 Payment reference: Registration fee for participation in FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2019, (player’s name), not subject to VAT Citizens of the Russian Federation shall pay the registration fee in Russian Rubles at the exchange rate of the Bank of Russia on the day of payment. USD Account: Beneficiary customer: CFRAddress: 119019, Moscow, Russia, Gogolevskiy boulevard, 14, build.1Bank: SBERBANK, MOSCOW, RUSSIABank’ address:117312, Moscow, Russia, Vavilova str., 19SWIFT code: SABRRUMMDollar Account: 40703840638260200813Bank correspondent: The Bank of New York Mellon, New York, NYSWIFT code: IRVTUS3N Payment reference: Registration fee for participation in FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2019, (player’s name), not subject to VAT. Any players rated at least 2750 (men) and 2500 (women) in any of FIDE rating lists (standard, rapid or blitz) from January 1 to December 1, 2019, are provided with full board accommodation in a standard room (4-star hotel minimum), from December 25 to December 31, 2019. The King Salman World Rapid Chess Championships are 15-round (open) and 12-round (women) Swiss tournaments with a time control of 15 min +10 sec. The King Salman World Blitz Championships are 21-round (open) and 17-round (women) Swiss tournaments with a time control of 3 min + 2 sec. VISA SUPPORT A participant can apply for a visa both in his home country and abroad. The main condition is to apply for a Russian visa only in official institutions such as the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy or Consulate-General. Other institutions (including an official Visa Application Center) and travel agencies offering their services will have no access to the information regarding the King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2019. All the embassies and consulates have been informed about the Championship by a circular letter of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They are ready to assist players with applying for a visa in a time pressure situation. When applying for a Russian visa, alongside with a complete set of documents requested by the Embassy, a participant shall provide the official invitation from the Chess Federation of Russia. This invitation is the main basis for issuing a visa that substitutes for a telex/reference number. Any accredited participant, who needs a visa to enter Russia, should download the visa invitation letter through the registration system. The visa application can start on December 3.
General Assembly and FIDE Congress: dates & venue
Dear members of the chess community, The Presidential Board made a final decision about the place and dates of an Extraordinary General Assembly and FIDE Congress. In response to a number of requests from delegates, and taking into account the opinion of the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission, Mr. Rivello, the Board scheduled the Assembly on February 26-29 in Abu Dhabi (UAE). The final agenda will be published no later than one month before the date of the meeting, according to the Statutes.
European Golden Pawn award debuts in Monte Carlo
European Chess Union Board established the annual award ceremony – European Golden Pawn – that will be held every year on the last Saturday of November in Monaco (Monte-Carlo). The first year of the award ceremony will be dedicated to European legends and their achievements The 1st European Golden Pawn Award Ceremony will take place on 30th November in a luxury Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo and in a way will serve as a prelude to the second leg of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix that starts in the Mediterranean principality just two days after the ceremony. The ceremony will be hosted by Jamaican-American chess Grandmaster Maurice Ashley and Georgian television presenter and singer Helen Kalandadze. The award winners: European Chess Legend (male): Garry Kasparov European Chess Legend (female): Judit Polgar Lifetime Achievement: Nona Gaprindashvili The Youngest European World Chess Champion of all time: Maya Chiburdanidze European Pioneer of Chess Development in Schools: Alexander Kostyev Best European Arbiter: Geurt Gijssen Best European Chess Project: Frederic Friedel Best European Chess Organizer: Bessel Kok Best European Chess Journalist: Leontxo Garcia Best European Chess Magazine: “New In Chess” Best European Movie: “The Chess Game” (1994, Director: Yves Hanchar, Starring: Denis Lavant, Pierre Richard, Catherine Deneuve) Best European Book (Fiction): Ruben David Gonzalez Gallego (“Chess”) The ceremony will be attended by the official representative of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco, adviser of His Serene Highness, the President of the World Olympians Association, President and Founder of Peace and Sport, President of the French Federation of Modern Pentathlon and Vice-President of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne – Mr. Joel Bouzou; President of the European Chess Union Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili; Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili; the State Representatives of Monaco; FIDE President Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich; the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AiGroup Mr. Kakhaber Guledani and the representatives of the Georgian Industrial Holding AiGroup; officials of the ECU and FIDE Boards, Federations’ Presidents & Representatives, business, sports and art personalities. Besides the main Award Ceremony event and gala dinner, European Golden Pawn comprises also side events, such as a simultaneous chess exhibition by the legendary Garry Kasparov, with the participation of 15 kids and blitz game played between European Chess Legend prize Winner Garry Kasparov and Lifetime Achievement Winner Nona Gaprindashvili. Also, gala dinner and ceremony will be completed with music performances by Composer of the ECU anthem Nikoloz Rachveli; Carmen, Juga, Eliza Cipriani and Luca Condello and artists of NuArt. More about the European Golden Pawn The European Chess Union greatly desires for the award ceremony to be held in Monte-Carlo, in order to continue grand chess traditions and make this event a high scale and prestigious. In the very first year, the European Chess Union will give away its first special gift-medal and this prize will be awarded to His Serene Highness Albert II Prince of Monaco as chess is a royal game. Event Director: Basa PotskhishviliArt-director: Tamar PotskhishviliProduction: Studio 1,2,3What: Chess Award Ceremony – European Golden PawnWhere: Hotel de Paris. Monte-Carlo, MonacoWhen: 30 November. 20.00 AMOrganizers: European Chess Union/Monaco Chess Federation More about the Diamond Sponsor of the European Golden Pawn General Sponsor of the European Chess Union AiGroup The Georgian Industrial holding Aigroup brings together Aicar, Aienergy, Aipower and Aiproduction. Aigroup focuses on environmentally friendly projects and gives them priority. The mission of the company is sustainable development of green economy in Georgia. AiGroup – Tbilisi, 67 Tsknety Highway. Georgia / info@aigroup.ge / https://aigroup.ge/en