Cape Verdean Women’s Championship: Celia Rodriguez claims third title
III Cape Verdean Women’s Championship took place from May 2-5 at the Grémio Desportivo Amarante hall in S. Vicente. The round robin, with classical time control, stretched over four days and brought together eight players from five islands (Sal, Santiago Sul, Santo Antão, S. Nicolau and S. Vicente). It was a highly competitive tournament with the fate of the championship decided in the very end. As the final round approached, the defending champion and rating favorite Célia Rodriguez (pictured below) was only a half-point ahead of Deise Pereira. Deise, showing her mettle, won her game and put additional pressure on the tournament leader. However, Célia rose to the challenge, defeating Erika Perez with the black pieces and securing her third national title. Deise Pereira, who debuted in an official chess competition, took silver (6/7) and earned the Women’s National Master’s norm. Jacira Almeida netted 4/7, winning bronze. Notably, as many as four participants didn’t have a FIDE rating, with three scoring against players with an international rating. With more games against rated players in the future, they will get a FIDE rating. This is great news, given that the Cape Verdean Federation has only nine female players with FIDE Elo. Final standings: 1 WCM Rodriguez, Celia 1869 6½ 2 Pereira, Deise 6 3 Almeida, Jacira Laura 1606 4 4 Spinola, Divania 1575 3½ 5 Moreno, Akiane 1594 3 6 Oliveira, Mirian Nataly 2 7 Gomes, Samara 2 8 Pérez, Erika 1 Text and photos: Cape Verdean Chess Federation
Swiss Wednesday Women’s Series: March & April highlights
Over the last few months, the Swiss Queens Wednesday Series has quickly become an anticipated weekly event, with top woman players from around the world battling it out online in 3+1 blitz Swiss tournaments. Each tournament has a prize fund of USD $1,000 and is open to women with FIDE or Arena titles. FIDE is delighted to report on the series’ incredible progress and excitement, particularly during weeks 6 through 13. Highlights by weeks Swiss Queens Wednesday #6 The competition reached new heights as many Grandmasters took part. The games were intense, and the leaderboard started to shift as former Women’s World Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk displayed an extraordinary performance, putting her at the forefront of the tournament for the first time. She was joined at the top by Nino Batsiashvili and Valentina Gunina, but Alexandra’s better tiebreak saw her clinch the first prize. Swiss Queens Wednesday #7 Rivalries took center stage as key matchups (and upsets!) provided exhilarating encounters, and some new names emerged, hinting at a change in the tournament dynamic. Former World Youth and World Junior Champion IM Polina Shuvalova finished first, a whole point ahead of the field! Swiss Queens Wednesday #8 This week saw surprising games and upsets, which is typical for the blitz’s nature. The 2023 FIDE Women’s Blitz Champion, GM Valentina Gunina (a regular Swiss Wednesday competitor and previous winner), clinched first place despite losing her final game in round 11. Swiss Queens Wednesday #9 With more aggressive gameplay and bold sacrifices, Week 9 saw players willing to take bold risks. Several new contenders made notable breakthroughs, shaking up the leaderboard and intensifying the competition. Two-time Women’s World Blitz Chess Champion WGM Bibisara Assaubayeva dominated the field, taking first place with two points ahead of the runners-up Teodora Injac and Savitha Shri Baskar. Swiss Queens Wednesday #10 This week’s winner was a familiar face who recently cemented her place as a formidable fast chess opponent by winning the 2023 FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship. IM Anastasia Bodnaruk shows no sign of slowing down! Swiss Queens Wednesday #11 – 13 Exceptional performances from underdogs brought unexpected twists, reinforcing the unpredictability and excitement of the Swiss Queens Wednesday series. However, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, AKA Chess Queen, displayed true dominance, placing first three consecutive weeks. Notably, Alexandra played each weekly event from Toronto, where the FIDE Candidates Tournament was taking place. Although her capacity in Canada was as a spectator, perhaps the high-stakes atmosphere and thrilling chess games contributed to her excellent performances! Photo: Michal Walusza The Swiss Queens Wednesday series represents the spirit of women’s chess, providing an inclusive platform for both seasoned and emerging players. FIDE expresses gratitude to all participants, organizers, and partners for fostering a competitive and supportive environment that advances the global women’s chess community. Stay tuned for further updates, and don’t miss the upcoming weeks of the Swiss Queens Wednesday series! For more information, visit the FIDE Online Arena website.