FIDE World Rapid & Blitz 2023: Registration deadline extended
The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from December 25-31 at the Congress Centre. This high-tech venue has hosted many international events, conferences, exhibitions, and shows. The registration deadline has been extended to December 11, 2023, 12:00 CET. Eligible players, accompanying persons, FIDE Principals and arbiters are invited to register via the following link: worldrapidandblitz2023.fide.com/registration/ The five-day tournament will bring together the world’s top chess players, vying for the title of the World Champion in Rapid and Blitz across the Open and Women’s categories. Photo: Lennart Ootes The reigning World Champion in rapid and blitz Magnus Carlsen (Norway) headlines the open competitions. Among those already registered for the open event are also Gukesh Dommaraju (India), Vincent Keymer (Germany), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland), Yu Yangyi (China), Levon Aronian (USA), former champions Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France, Blitz – 2021; pictured above), Daniil Dubov (FIDE, Rapid – 2018), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan, Rapid – 2021), alongside many other well-known chess players from all over the world. The women’s section of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship will feature all three reigning world champions Ju Wenjun (China, Classical chess), Tan Zhongyi (China, Rapid; pictured below) and Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan, Blitz), Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE), Kateryna Lagno (FIDE), Humpy Koneru (India), Harika Dronavalli (India), Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland), as well as many other chess stars. Photo: Lennart Ootes The final lists of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship will be published after the end of the registration process (December 11, 12:00 CET). Schedule: December 25 — Opening CeremonyDecember 26-28 — Rapid tournamentDecember 29-30 — Blitz tournament and Closing Ceremony Official website of the tournament: worldrapidandblitz2023.fide.com/ About the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship The World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship and the Women’s World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship have been held annually since 2012. In rapid chess, each player begins the game with 15 minutes, and 10 seconds are added to their clock after each move. In blitz chess, each player begins the game with 3 minutes, and 2 seconds are added to their clock after each move. The reigning World Champions of the event: Rapid: Open – Magnus Carlsen (Norway) Women – Tan Zhongyi (China, Rapid) Blitz: Open – Magnus Carlsen (Norway) Women – Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) The total prize fund is 1 million USD dollars, with USD 700,000 going to the open championships and USD 300,000 to the women’s championships. OFFICIAL PARTNERS: Freedom Holding Corp. is a US-based financial services holding company. Through its operating subsidiaries, Freedom Holding provides services like retail securities brokerage, research, investment counselling, securities trading, market-making, retail banking, corporate investment banking and underwriting services in Eurasia. The Company has retail locations in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Germany. The Company’s financial services business provides retail securities brokerage, research, investment counselling, securities trading, market making, corporate investment banking, underwriting, complementary banking services and retail banking services to its customers. Its subsidiaries include LLC Investment Company Freedom Finance (Freedom RU), a securities broker-dealer; LLC FFIN Bank (FFIN Bank); JSC Freedom Finance, a securities broker-dealer; Freedom Finance Cyprus Limited (Freedom CY), a broker-dealer; LLC Freedom Finance Uzbekistan (Freedom UZ), a broker-dealer and FFIN Securities, Inc. (FFIN). Official website: freedomholdingcorp.com/ Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and specialized security solutions and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at kaspersky.com. Chessable is the world’s leading e-learning platform and home to the largest library of online chess courses, including masterclasses by chess world champion Magnus Carlsen, top-10 player Anish Giri and 8-time Russian chess champion Peter Svidler and many more. Chessable is the #1 science-backed chess training app to study chess openings , strategy and endgames. Learning chess from top GMs and coaches made easier. Official siteFacebookTwitterInstagram
2023 Sinquefield Cup: Day 8 Recap
In the penultimate round the action quieted down with four draws, as Fabiano Caruana and Leinier Dominguez continue to lead the Sinquefield Cup heading into the final day. The only game that turned into a fully-fledged fight was Rapport-Aronian, where the Romanian No. 1 pushed for some time in an opposite colored bishop endgame, but ultimately couldn’t generate any chances. ROUND 8 GIRI – CARUANA | ½-½, 14 moves A Closed Catalan led to a quick draw by repetition via the typical Nh5-Bd2-Nhf6 drawing mechanism. With Caruana having White in the last round against Rapport, he’ll be able to fight for tournament victory with a win. A short day for Caruana, who clinched the overall Grand Chess Tour yesterday. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes DOMINGUEZ – VACHIER-LAGRAVE | ½-½, 24 moves Essaying the Sveshnikov Defense, MVL chose the rare 12…Ne7, soon forcing Dominguez to spend lots of time in the opening. In a sharp position, Leinier walked into a three-fold repetition, which seemed to suit MVL as well. With the draw, Dominguez remains in the hunt to qualify for the 2024 FIDE Candidates by rating. Dominguez-Vachier-Lagrave: After 18…Nf5, Dominguez spent over thirty minutes before playing 19.f3, which led to a draw by repetition after 19…Qxf6 20.0-0 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Qh6 22.Kg1 Dominguez is still just a single point behind So in the FIDE live ratings list. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes SO-NEPOMNIACHTCHI | ½-½, 37 moves A highly theoretical 4.Qc2 Nimzo led to the players simplifying the position rather quickly, ending up in a completely drawn opposite colored bishops endgame. After the game So admitted he was unhappy with his performance in yesterday’s loss to Caruana. Since So was slated to play against Duda (who withdrew in Round 2) in the final round, his tournament is now over. So looked to be on the way to his second Sinquefield Cup title, but a tough loss against Caruana thwarted his chances. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes RAPPORT – ARONIAN | ½-½, 57 moves In the only full game of the day, Rapport went for an aggressive handling of the Italian Game, advancing his kingside early on while leaving his own king in the middle of the board. A timely check allowed Aronian to trade the queens off, greatly reducing the risk to Black’s position. From there Rapport had a small edge in the endgame, but was never able to make anything with it, with the players eventually landing in a drawish opposite colored bishops ending. Rapport-Aronian: After 15.g4, White maneuvered with Nd2-f1-g3 to clamp down on the f5-square, but Black managed to create counterplay just in time. Rapport has shown some of the most fighting chess in the tournament, but has been left winless so far. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes FIROUZJA – FREE DAY The Sinquefield Cup continues on November 30, with live coverage starting at 1:15 PM CST. Catch all the action live with grandmaster commentators Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, and Jovanka Houska on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels! Written by IM Kostya Kavutskiy Official website:grandchesstour.org/2023-grand-chess-tour/2023-sinquefield-cup/
Maria José Campos wins 2023 Argentinean Women’s Championship
WIM Maria José Campos is the new women’s champion of Argentina. The second seed representing FMDA Obras Aysa, won her maiden national title. The 74th edition of the most important female chess event in Argentina took place in Buenos Aires from November 20-28 and brought together virtually all the best players except for the #1 Candela Francisco Guecamburu. The 9-round Swiss tournament turned into an exciting race with several participants taking turns on the top of the standings. Interestingly, neither participant completed the event unbeaten. Heading into the final round, Maria Jose Campos and WIM Milagros Tatiana Brizzi (pictured below)lead the field with 6/9, followed by WIM Anapaola Rorda Rodas on 5.5/8. To make things even more interesting, Campos faced Borda Rodas with the white pieces, while Brizzi took on Karen Nerina Gaite also with white. Maria Jose prevailed over Anapaola in a topsy-turvy game and clinched the title. Milagros Tatiana did not manage to break the resistance of Karen Nerina and had to settle for silver. The runner-up became the only player to defeat the champion. As many as four players tied for the third place on 6/9, with Marisa Zuriel taking bronze thanks to a better Buchholz. Final standings: 1 WIM Campos, Maria Jose 2208 7½ 2 WIM Brizzi, Milagros Tatiana 2076 7 3 WIM Zuriel, Marisa 2165 6 4 WIM Borda Rodas, Anapaola 2261 6 5 Flores Mirabal, Nancy 1937 6 6 WFM Nejanky, Maisa 1951 6 7 WCM Gaite, Karen Nerina 1871 5½ 8 Ramirez, Marysol 1720 5½ 9 WIM Sarquis, Maria Belen 2194 5 10 WFM Adam, Ernestina 2036 5 Photos: Federación Argentina de Ajedrez Facebook
Clarifications on FIDE Circuit Regulations and qualification for Candidates 2024
1. Qualification procedure for the (open) Candidates 2024.The following order of priority shall apply for two remaining spots: qualification via FIDE Circuit goes first, then qualification by rating goes, not taking into account all those players who gained the right to participate earlier via other paths. 2. Allocation of FIDE Circuit points in the Sinquefield Cup.According to the FIDE Circuit Regulations, the players who finish in the top half of the final standings receive Circuit points. After GM Duda’s withdrawal, with only nine remaining participants, the 5th final place is not in the top half anymore and, therefore, shall not receive any FIDE Circuit points. 3. Qualification for the Candidates 2024 by rating.A player shall participate in at least four FIDE Circuit tournaments with a standard time control. These tournaments shall meet all the requirements of the FIDE Circuit Regulations, particularly both general (1.1) and country restrictions (3.2). clauses. Thus, out of the four above-mentioned tournaments, not more than two (one of which is a national championship) can be played in the same country. If this rule is not respected, the player is not eligible for qualification.