Intercontinental ChessKid Candidates kicks off on June 21
Starting on June 21, eight young chess players from around the world will be facing off in the first-ever Intercontinental ChessKid Candidates tournament. The Intercontinental ChessKid Candidates tournament will feature eight ChessKid candidates who made it to this final stage after competing in a series of online qualifiers and semifinals, with over 200 players aged under 12 from 52 countries participating. ChessKid covers the accommodation of each of the eight qualifiers, as well as their trainers, along with attending the Candidates tournament. All the participants will be playing in the same room and using the same boards and pieces as the adult grandmasters taking part in the FIDE Candidates 2022! Here are the players that are competing in the event: Sebastian Suarez, Colombia/USA (1454) Artyom Bogdanov, Kazakhstan (1513) Alex Villa Tornero, Spain (1872) Jaime Rey Martínez, Spain (1929) Miguel Herraiz Ciudad, Spain (1446) Levi Kalani Alexander Fogo Esquivel, Mexico (1532) Jesus Daniel Diaz Guerrero, Mexico (1556) Cristopher Bozhkov Stoyanov, Spain (1287) The players will be competing in a round-robin tournament that takes place from June 21 to June 23, with a closing ceremony on June 24. The time control is 25 minutes plus a 5-second increment. The full schedule:You can catch all the action here and both English and Spanish commentary at twitch.tv/chesskid.
WSCC-2022: Kosteniuk beat Stefanova to reach quarterfinals
In the battle of former Women’s World Champions, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated GM Antoaneta Stefanova in the second round of 16 match of the FIDE Chess.com 2022 Women’s Speed Chess Championship by a score of 15.5-10.5. Alexandra was quicker and more collected in most of the time-scrambles and deservedly punched her ticket to the quarterfinals. Kosteniuk took a slow start in the first 5+1 segment of the match, falling behind, but then picked up momentum and scored three straight wins to secure a two-point lead heading into the next stage. The 3+1 stage saw Kosteniuk stretch her lead to six points, getting the upper hand in the most chaotic, time-pressure situations. Somewhat surprisingly, Stefanova won the final, the fastest 1+1 segment of the match but did not manage to overcome a huge point deficit. “It was a very long match, and I find it difficult to keep the same level of concentration throughout the match. I was already tired after the first stage, so it is quite difficult to analyze right now. I need some time to rest and then I can go over the games. Of course, I am happy to win,” said Alexandra in a short interview with GM Irina Krush and Jennifer Shahade after the match. The third round of 16 match, GM Kateryna Lagno vs. WGM Vantika Agrawal, begins on Friday, June 24, at 5 a.m. Pacific / 14:00 Central European. To follow the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship, watch a live broadcast of the event with expert commentary on Chess.com/TV and Chess.com Twitch Channel. More info and a full schedule of the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship can be found here.
FIDE Introduces Torch Relay Tradition into Chess Olympiads
June 21, 2022 — LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The International Chess Federation (FIDE), the chess governing body, held its inaugural Torch Relay ceremony this week in India, initiated by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. The ceremony gave the start to the 2022 Chess Olympiad as well as to the new chess tradition. Held in Chennai from July 28 to August 10, 2022, this prestigious competition, which has been organized since 1927, is being hosted in India for the first time. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, believes that chess fans, and the sports community in general, will appreciate the introduction of this new tradition: “Chess is one of the oldest sports in the world, and its traditions are centuries old. We have the privilege of adding an important tradition to the chess heritage so that more people who love chess will have a way to connect with the sport. It’s also hugely important to the chess players who dedicate their lives to the sport — they are true athletes, and taking part in the Torch Relay ceremony means a lot to them,” Dvorkovich said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during the inaugural ceremony: “Our ancestors invented games like chaturanga or chess for analytical and problem-solving brains. Chess, via India, reached many countries of the world and became very popular. Today, chess is being used in schools as an educational tool for young people, for children.” In ancient Greece, a sacred fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics on the altar of the sanctuary of Hestia. The fire had divine connotations, and it was thought to have been stolen from the gods by Prometheus. Sacred fires were present at many ancient Greek sanctuaries, including those at Olympia. The Olympic flame as a symbol of the modern Olympic movement was introduced in the 1928 Summer Games in Amsterdam by architect Jan Wils, designer of the Olympic Stadium. It received a warm welcome, and very soon, the flame became a symbol of the Olympic message of peace, friendship, tolerance and hope. The inaugural edition of the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay will only travel through India, but in future editions, it will be expanded to the entire world, in line with the traditions of the Olympic Games. It will travel across all continents, visiting FIDE member territories, ultimately culminating in the host country and city ahead of the opening of the Chess Olympiad. During the next weeks, the torch will travel across 75 cities and regions in India, covering a total distance of 23,000 kilometers – more than half the circumference of Earth. The flame will be carried by thousands of torch bearers, including at least 50 chess Grandmasters and chief ministers who will take part in the journey. It will send a strong message of unity and cooperation among people from all walks of life. As of 2022, FIDE will recommend planning official Torch Relay Ceremonies for all Chess Olympiad organizers, including the 2024 Olympiad that will take place in Budapest, Hungary. Photo: All-India Chess Federation
FIDE President on Nigel Short’s resignation as FIDE Vice President
I learned with deep regret about Mr Short’s decision to resign from the position of Vice President today. I would like to note that all these years, Nigel has worked tirelessly to promote chess on all continents. Thanks to his efforts, the FIDE family has been expanded by several new federations. Often the fruits of his dedicated work were to be appreciated only years later. As an example – thanks to his efforts, the long-standing conflict in the Pakistani Chess Federation began to be resolved, ending with legitimate elections in June 2022. I am sincerely glad that in 2018 Nigel agreed to accept my nomination as the Vice President of FIDE. Several more candidates from his 2018 ticket currently work in the FIDE Council and make a significant contribution to our common duties. I would like to highlight Nigel’s organizational and leadership abilities, as well as to reinstate that his intentions have always been consistent with the mission of FIDE. Nigel’s decision is open and sincere, perhaps even a little emotional and related to the decision of EDC, but I believe that Nigel will continue his mission and agree with my proposal to find the right format for our joint work for the benefit of chess. Arkady DvorkovichFIDE President