FIDE World Championship 2021: Schedule, hotels, and health & safety measures
In a couple of weeks from now, the website for the FIDE World Championship Match in Dubai will be launched, and tickets for spectators will go on sale shortly after. In the meantime, we would like to share with you the schedule for the games, a list of hotels where visitors and journalists can enjoy preferential rates, and the current health and safety measures that one should take into consideration before visiting Dubai and Expo 2020. SCHEDULE: HOTELS: In the document linked below, you can find a table with the official hotels where you can book a room at preferential rates. In order to get these discounted rates, please book directly with the hotel and mention to them that you are a visitor for “EXPO – FIDE Chess Championship”. Preferential rates at official hotels: HEALTH AND SAFETY: We would also like to share with you the most up-to-date information regarding health and safety measures for all those visiting the FIDE World Championship match, Expo 2020, and Dubai. As of September 15, 2021, all visitors aged 18 years old and above must present a valid vaccination certificate issued by the competent National Authority or present a negative PRC taken within the previous 72 hours in order to enter the Expo site. Proof of vaccination or PCR results must be shown by the visitor at the entry gate. Non-vaccinated ticket-holders who have not been tested within the 72-hour period can benefit from the PCR testing facilities available at and or near the Expo2020 site. EXPO 2020 Covid-19 Guide (pdf) You can find more information on this topic at the Expo 2020 website. MEDIA ACCREDITATION: The accreditation process is a four-step procedure. 1) Please read FIDE’s media accreditation policy. 2) Send an email to press@fide.com, indicating the exact dates you are planning to visit the match and the type of accreditation you will require (A, B, or C). 3) Register to access Tawassul, the media information system at https://media.expo2020dubai.com/. All media, even if they are not yet accredited for Expo, can register for access to Tawassul. Tawassul is an essential operational tool connecting media to important information and updates on facilities and services such as media accreditation and permits for Expo. 4) Once registered for Tawassul, the media will be able to submit an Expo 2020 Media Accreditation expression of interest. Only one Media Accreditation expression of interest is to be submitted per organisation within Tawassul to commence the accreditation process. Typically, you will receive confirmation after 4-5 days. There are no important space limitations at the Expo press center, which is located 350 from the playing hall. However, due to COVID regulations, the place allocated for journalists at the venue itself will be limited. Preference will be given to accredited camera crews and news agencies.
Mednyi Vsadnik and South Ural clinch European Club Cup titles
Mednyi Vsadnik (Russia) and South Ural (Russia) are the winners of the European Club Cup and European Women’s Club Cup. The 36th European Club Cup and the 25th European Club took place Struga, Ohrid Lake, North Macedonia from September 17-25 in two different venues: Hotel Drim (Women’s event) and Hotel Izgrev (Open event). The total prize fund of the events amounted to €44,000. The open event attracted 38 competing in the 7-round Swiss tournament. The highest-rated team, Alkaloid lost two matches and finished just 8th, but other favourites and first of all, the eventual champion Mednyi Vsadnik from St-Petersburg (Russia) delivered on the promise. The team headed by Peter Svidler and Andrey Esipenko conceded just one team-point in the match with the runner-up AVE Novy Bor (Czech Republic) and deservedly took the first prize of €10,000 and the title, second in its history. AVE Novy Bor kept pace with the champions for most of the tournament distance, but a tie with Alkaloid in the penultimate round cost them a critical team point that separated them from the first place. Vugar Gashimov was coming into the final round in the sixth position, but the victory over Alkaloid catapulted the Azerbaijani to third place in the final standings. FIDE President Mr Arkady Dvorkovich, ECU President Mr Zurab Azmaiparashvili, ECU Vice President and FIDE Managing Director Mrs Dana Riezniece-Ozola, ECU Secretary-General Mr Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, President of North Macedonia Chess Federation Mrs Aleksandra Gakidova took part in the awarding ceremony. Final standings: 1 Mednyi Vsadnik RUS 13 2 AVE Novy Bor CZE 12 3 Vugar Gashimov AZE 11 4 KPRF RUS 10 5 Skakfelag Selfoss ISL 10 6 Team XtraCon DEN 10 7 Sloven Ruma SRB 10 8 Alkaloid MKD 9 9 Silla-Valencia Origin of Chess ESP 9 10 Schachgesellschaft Riehen SUI 9 The women’s competition, held in a different format (an 8-team round-robin), was dominated by South Ural (Russia). The Russian team won all the matches and clinched the title and the first prize of €6,000 with a round to spare. Monte-Carlo (pictured above) finished second three points behind the champion, GRECO-Kyiv Chess Federation came third. Final standings: 1 South Ural RUS 14 2 Monte-Carlo MNC 11 3 GRECO – Kyiv Chess Federation UKR 10 4 SK Erste Bank Baden AUT 9 5 Kumanovo MKD 4 6 Tajfun – SK Ljubljana SLO 3 7 Alkaloid MKD 3 8 MSK Centar MKD 2 Photo: europechess.org and official website Official website: europeanchessclubcup2021.com.mk/