Slovenian Championship: Jure Skoberne and Barbara Skuhala win titles
Jure Skoberne and Barbara Skuhala are the new champions of Slovenia. The 2023 Slovenian championship, a 9-round Swiss tournament with classical time control, took place in Radenci, Hotel Radin, from April to May 02. The titles were awarded in several categories, including open, women, juniors and veterans. GM Jure Skoberne lived up to his rating-favourite status, but he had to work really hard competing with young FM Domen Tisaj to the very end. The 21-year-old from Maribor led most of the way and came to the final round on 7/8, a half-point ahead of Skoberne and Matej Sebenik. Facing FM Maksym Goroshkov with the black pieces, the leader found himself in a lost position but eventually squeaked out a draw. Meanwhile, Skoberne scored a crucial victory over Jernej Kozlovic and caught up with Tisaj, while Sebenik miraculously escaped with a draw against Leon Skrbec. As a result, Skoberne and Tisaj tied for first place with the former wrestling gold, thanks to a slightly better Buchholz (just a point difference). Domen Tisaj completed his third IM norm and will be awarded this title soon. Matej Sebenik finished a half-point behind the two and earned bronze. Barbara Skuhala scored 5½ points, took eighth place and clinched the title in the women’s category. Final standings: 1 Skoberne, Jure 2535 7½ 2 Tisaj, Domen 2378 7½ 3 Sebenik, Matej 2523 7 4 Tratar, Marko 2392 6 5 Skrbec, Leon 2094 6 6 Plaskan, Jure 2258 6 7 Brilej, Jaka 2321 6 8 Skuhala, Barbara 2153 5½ 9 Goroshkov, Maksym 2287 5½ 10 Centrih, Aleks 2072 5½ The winners by categories: National Champion Open: Jure Škoberne, ŠD PosočjeNational Women Champion: Barbara Skuhala, ŽŠK Maribor PolygramJuniors U20: Leon Škrbec, Postojna SchoolJunior girls U20: Kaja Faganel, ŠD DomžaleVeterans: Boris Kovač, ŠD PomgradVeterans Women: Majda Kovač, ŠD Pomgrad The organizers are grateful to all the supporters of the tournament, especially to the company Solviks d.o.o. and Šahovska zveza Slovenije and Krka d.d. that contributed to the prize fund. Photo and info: Železničarski šahovski klub Maribor Poligram
Dubai becomes the host for the inaugural edition of Global Chess League
Dubai – May 03, 2023: Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between FIDE and Tech Mahindra, announced Dubai as the venue for the inaugural edition today at a press conference in the presence of key dignitaries such as Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai, Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion, and Deputy President, FIDE, CP Gurnani, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Tech Mahindra, Parag Shah, EVP & Head, Mahindra Accelo and Member, Global Chess League Board, and Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson, Global Chess League Board, in the Gulf city. The world’s largest and first franchise-based chess league will be held in Dubai in association with Dubai Sports Council, the league’s Host Partner. The Global Chess League will draw the world’s attention to a new chess format and create an ecosystem for the sport, providing a platform for champions worldwide to showcase the potential of chess. Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and FIDE Deputy President, said, “Dubai has been attracting various sporting events. The World Chess Championship in Dubai in 2021 during the Dubai Expo was a big success. Similarly, I believe the Global Chess League will mark a new beginning in fan experience. Its unique team format will contribute to the growth and development of chess. The league aims to revolutionize the game by having established and emerging talent play together on the same team. All players, including men, women, and juniors, would contribute equally to their team’s success. I look forward to a fantastic inaugural season.” The first edition of the Global Chess League, set to take place from June 21 to July 2, 2023, will feature six teams with six players each, including a minimum of two female players and one icon player per team. The six teams will compete in a round-robin format where each team will play 10 matches. The FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, said, “We are excited to announce our partnership with Dubai Sports Council to host the inaugural edition of Global Chess League in Dubai. This city has established itself as a world-class events destination, and among many other major sporting events, it has hosted the FIDE World Championship Match 2021, which was a great success. Thanks to this experience, we couldn’t think of a better partner to deliver a memorable first edition of the Global Chess League.” Each match will feature six boards that will be played simultaneously. The top two teams will qualify for the final on July 2, 2023, and be crowned the World Champion Franchise Team. Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson Global Chess League Board, said, “Dubai has emerged as a major global sports and business destination in the last decade. Its significant role in bolstering the UAE’s digital economy and strengthening its position as a global knowledge hub is noteworthy. This makes Dubai an ideal location for hosting the inaugural edition of a tournament like the Global Chess League. We believe that our partnership with Dubai Sports Council, the official sports governing body of the Government of Dubai, is a major step forward in further strengthening our ties with the country. We look forward to hosting a successful league in Dubai and ushering in a new era for the sport.” The league will also set the standards for technological innovations in the sport of chess as FIDE and Tech Mahindra are exploring innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others. About Tech Mahindra Global Chess League: The Global Chess League is the world’s first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players from all over the world competing in a unique joint team format. It is a joint venture between FIDE and Tech Mahindra, a part of the Mahindra Group. GCL will feature male and female chess champions competing in the same team. Playing on the popular Rapid format, the league’s joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being a unique multiplayer team in the world of professional sports. In addition, the League will be the first ever Live televised chess event of its kind that will help offer fans a unique viewing experience. FIDE and Tech Mahindra will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others. For more information on Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, please contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Global Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com