FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2023: Information for players
Dear players, Please find below important and useful information related to the event. Registration: Registration of the participants of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships is done via the registration system: Registration – FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2023. Registration deadline is December 01. Broadcast delay: Games of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships will be broadcast with delay. 5-minutes delay will be applied for rapid games, 2-minuted delay for blitz. Location: The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship will take place in the Silk Road Samarkand (Rowing Canal, Konigil Massif, Samarkand, Uzbekistan). A unique multi-purpose resort includes eight world-class hotels, comfortable public spaces, parks, recreation, and sports areas, concept restaurants, cafes, and bars, as well as an international congress center and cultural sites. This modern project developed by an international team of architects and engineers made it possible to harmonize different thematic areas on the unique site that is second to none in entire Central Asia. The Silk Road Samarkand boasts a convenient location and is easily accessible from the airport, railway station, or any part of the Silk Road Samarkand resort. Sсhedule: Day1 25.12.2023 – SATURDAY Arrival Technical meeting Opening ceremony Day 2 – Rapid 26.12.2023 — SUNDAY 15:00 Open tournament: Rounds 1-5 Women’s tournament: Rounds 1-4 Day 3 – Rapid 27.12.2023 — MONDAY 15:00 Open tournament: Rounds 6-9 Women’s tournament: Rounds 5-8 Day 4 – Rapid 28.12.2023 — TUESDAY 15:00 Open tournament: Rounds 10-13 Women’s tournament: Rounds 9-11 Day 5 – Blitz 29.12.2023 — WEDNESDAY 15:00 Open tournament: Rounds 1-12 Women’s tournament: Rounds 1-9 Day 6 – Blitz 30.12.2023 — THURSDAY 14:00 Open tournament: Rounds 13-21 Women’s tournament: Rounds 10-17 Closing Ceremony Day 7 31.12.2023 – FRIDAY Departure Accommodation: Special rates with full board will be provided by the organizer for staying in the official hotels of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships. Participants of the tournament need to book their hotel rooms at the official website of the Silk Road Samarkand Resort (silkroad-samarkand.com) using a promo code that will be sent to them by the organizing committee upon filling the registration form. Official hotels of the event: Silk Road by Minyoun (5 stars) The five-star Silk Road by Minyoun, managed by the Minyoun Hospitality hotel chain is dedicated to the Silk Road history. The facility offers 241 rooms located in a 22-storey building. Photo: silkroad-samarkand.com/ Breakfasts are served in a stylish Gourmet Market. At the YI Palace restaurant, guests can taste the best Chinese specialties in stylish authentic environment. To enjoy panoramic views, make sure to visit the Li Bai bar located on the 20th floor of the hotel. And the Ming Lounge is destined to be a perfect place for meetings and negotiations. silkroad-samarkand.com/hotels/silk-road-by-minyoun/ Lia! by Minyoun Stars of Ulugbek (4 stars) The Lia! hotels focus on a new generation of young and active travelers who prefer dynamism and stylish solutions. These hotels feature affordable prices, friendly environments, and vivid emotions for each guest. Photo: silkroad-samarkand.com/ This four-star hotel managed by the Minyoun Hospitality chain is named after Mirzo Ulugbek, the ruler of Samarkand, who also was a famous astronomer and mathematician. Ulugbek determined the positions of 1,018 fixed stars and calculated the duration of the sidereal year. silkroad-samarkand.com/hotels/lia-by-minyoun-stars-of-ulugbek/ Wellness Park Hotel Bactria (3 stars) The hotel’s interior design is closely connected with the celebration of Nowruz — one of the most important components of the cultural legacy of Uzbekistan. In 2009, this holiday was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Photo: silkroad-samarkand.com/ The word “Nowruz” has a Persian origin and represents a combination of two words: “now” means “new” and “ruz” means “day”. According to the Old Persian calendar, this is the first day of the year and the beginning of spring. The hotel specializes in the musculoskeletal system, spine and joint disorders. Guests can benefit from the following specialists working at the hotel: neurologist, osteopath, reflexologist, chiropractors, and physiotherapists. Special programs offer spinal disc herniation treatment and prevention by introducing chondroreparants and autogenous plasma. The wellness treatments also include massage, mud therapy, healing shower, infrared sauna, pressure therapy, shockwave therapy, and rooms for group and individual exercise therapy. The offered wellness programs are designed for 3 or more days of stay. silkroad-samarkand.com/hotels/wellness-park-hotel-bactria/ Wellness Park Hotel Turon (3 stars) The hotel’s interior design was inspired by the artworks of Persian miniature painter Kamoliddin Bekhzod, who lived in the 15th century. Same as Alisher Navoiy he is the greatest artist of the Timurid period. The interior design concept combines contemporary style interspersed with miniature techniques, including the artist’s artwork fragments. Photo: silkroad-samarkand.com/ The hotel’s programs focus on the treatment and prevention of bronchopulmonary diseases and post-Covid-19 rehabilitation. Guests can benefit from the following specialists: pulmonologist, neurologist, exercise therapist, pediatrician, allergist, otorhinolaryngologist. Special treatments include salt chamber, hydrocolonotherapy, immune-enhancing therapy, autogenous plasma therapy. Guests may also benefit from aesthetic and cosmetic services, massage, mud therapy, healing shower, infrared sauna, inhalations. The offered wellness programs are designed for 3 or more days of stay. silkroad-samarkand.com/hotels/wellness-park-hotel-turon/ Airport: Samarkand International Airport is located 6 km from the city center. The airport is operated by Uzbekistan Airways. It has domestic as well as international flights. In order to ensure a convenient and timely return of participants upon the end of the tournament, in addition to regular flights, a charter flight from Samarkand to Istanbul will be organized. Departure from Samarkand: 02:00 a.m., December 31. Expected time of arrival to Istanbul Airport (IST): 05:00 a.m., December 31. Visas: Сitizens of the following countries have the right to visit the Republic of Uzbekistan on a visa-free basis: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chili, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal,
Close race after four rounds at World Youth Championship 2023
Round 4 brought several decisive outcomes at the top boards of the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2023. After four rounds of play in the Open U18 section, three players, IM Aldiyar Ansat, (KAZ, 2418), IM Aleksey Grebnev (FIDE, 2500) and FM Aron Pasti (HUN, 2397), share the top position with perfect 4/4 score. The rating favorite of the group, GM Volodar Murzin (FIDE, 2625) is a point behind the leaders after making two draws in a row. In the Girls U18 category, the rating favourite WIM Yelyzaveta Hrebenshcykova (UKR, 2292, pictured above) took her opponent WCM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul (MNG, 2111) into the rook ending where her active king was a decisive factor. Hrebenshcykova is not alone on the top as WGM Rochelle Wu (USA, 2228), WIM Xeniya Balabayeva (KAZ, 2192), and WFM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (AZE, 2152) also won four straight games. The leaders will clash in Round 5. In the Open U16 category, Polish IM Jan Klimkowski (2520, pictured below) and FM from Armenia Robert Piliposyan (2345) are tied for first place after winning four games in a row. In Round 4, Piliposyan defeated the rating favorite IM from Norway Aksel Bu Kvaloy (2457), in impressive style. The leaders battle it out for the sole leader position in Round 5. WCM Leyla Shohradova (1782) from Turkmenistan is on fire with 4/4. She gained almost 100 rating points after four rounds with a 2650 rating performance. In Round 5, Shohradova will face her co-leader, WFM Alexandra Shvedova (FIDE, 2170), on the first board. The Open U14 is the only section where the sole leader emerged. Vietnamese FM Tran Gia Phuc Pham (2386) has shown an amazing chess technique to win all four games with a rating performance of 2882. There will be a Vietnamese derby in Round 5 Pham is facing FM Gia Huy Banh (2397), one of 15 other players in this category on 3.5 points. Round 4 in the Girls U14 section was heartbreaking for Georgian Mariam Tsetskhadze (1911). She could have tied the game with WFM Zarina Nurgaliyeva (KAZ, 2104) if not for a blunder on the move 43. In Round 5, Nurgaliyeva (pictured above) is paired against WIM Iris Mou (USA, 2086), who also netted 4/4. The third participant with a perfect score is Alessia Natol (1756) of Poland, who pulled off a very important victory over a much higher-rated opponent, Iren Lyutsinger (FIDE, 2020). Round 5 starts on November 17 at 3 pm Central European Time. Standings after Round 4 Open U18 Standings after Round 4 Open U16 Standings after Round 4 Open U14 Standings after Round 4 Girls U18 Standings after Round 4 Girls U16 Standings after Round 4 Girls U14 Photos: Przemek Nikiel Official website: worldyouth2023.com/
Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2023: Day 3 Recap
Despite a last round loss Grandmaster Ray Robson ended up winning the rapid portion of the 2023 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, with a score of 11.0/18 heading into the blitz tomorrow. Tied for second were GMs Fabiano Caruana and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, both on 10.0/18, with several players (Firouzja, Nepomniachtchi, Giri, Liem) trailing closely behind with an even 9.0/18. RAPID | ROUNDS 7-9 The initial round started off quietly, with only Nepomniachtchi scoring victory over So, allowing Robson to keep his one point lead after drawing with Vachier-Lagrave. In Round 8 Robson would then defeat Nepo, as he managed to force the win of a piece before successfully navigating through a series of complications: Robson-Nepomniachtchi: After 37.Rxc8! everything is hanging, but White’s capturing more. The game concluded 37…Nd3+ 38.Kg3 Nxf4 39.Rxe8+ Kh7 40.Qxf4 1-0 Robson lost the final game, but still managed to stay on top. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes The win gave Robson a two-point lead heading into the last round of the rapid, where he ended up losing in a well-played game by So. Once again the final round was the most decisive–in addition to So’s win, Firouzja defeated Giri, Nepo scored against Liem, and Caruana converted a big advantage against Xiong: So-Robson: After 25.d4! White got a strong initiative on the dark-squares. So later converted a rook and bishop vs. rook and knight endgame. Firouzja-Giri: After 33.Nc6!, an elegant move to keep White’s extra material. Caruana-Xiong: After 46.Nf5!, White’s attack on the king was too strong. With all the results in, Robson was left atop of the standings as his closest competitors (MVL, Giri, Liem), all failed to win in the final round. Firouzja (9.0/18) is one of several players still in striking distance for the blitz. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes After a first round loss to Alireza, Caruana has bounced back to end on +1. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes MVL had a very solid rapid event, with eight draws and one win. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Crystal Fuller The field will next play a double round-robin in blitz, with just one point awarded for a win instead of two. The 2023 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz continues on November 17th, starting at 1:00 PM CDT. Catch all the action live with grandmaster commentators Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, and Tania Sachdev on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels. Written by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Photos: Lennart Ootes Official website: grandchesstour.org/2023-grand-chess-tour/2023-saint-louis-rapid-blitz