FIDE July 2024 rating list: Arjun Erigaisi enters top 5 Open
The Norway Chess 2024 and the fourth edition of the Cairns Cup, along with several strong tournaments across Europe and Asia, have had the most significant impact on the FIDE July 2024 rating list. After an 11-month absence, Hikaru Nakamura has made a triumphant return to the second spot in the Top 100 Open, thanks to his second-place finish in Norway Chess 2024. Arjun Erigaisi, on the other hand, cracked into the top 5 Open after picking up 17 points in the French Team Championship and Stepan Agavian Memorial. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s third-place finish in Norway Chess 2024 was enough to break into the Top 10 Open. Photo: Lennart Ootes In the women’s list, Anna Muzychuk climbed to the eighth position following her strong showings in the Norway Chess Women and Cairns Cup that brought her 16 rating points. Biggest gains in top 100 Open and Women Goltseva, Ekaterina FM 2356 (+31) Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim IM 2390 (+21) Aravindh, Chithambaram GM 2703 (+19) Vokhidov, Shamsiddin GM 2643 (+19) Balajayeva, Khanim IM 2404 (+19) Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra IM 2404 (+18) Predke, Alexandr GM 2685 (+18) Erigaisi Arjun GM 2778 (+17) Muzychuk, Anna GM 2521 (+16) Shuvalova, Polina IM 2483 (+16) Niemann, Hans Moke GM 2703 (+15) Ekaterina Goltseva delivered an excellent performacne in the Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial, gaining 31 points and topping this list. Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova tied for second place in the Summer Classic Group B to collect 21 rating points and move 15 positions up in the top 100 women, while Khanim Balajayeva overperformed in the Dubai Open to gain 19 rating points. Photo: Lennart Ootes Aravindh Chithambaram crossed the 2700 mark and made it into the top 30 open for the first time in his career following his great result in Team 2024—Top 16, which translates into 19 rating points.Aravindh Chithambaram crossed the 2700 mark and made it into the top 30 open for the first time in his career following his great result in Team 2024—Top 16, which translates into 19 rating points. Meanwhile, Shamsiddin Vokhidov emerged as the winner of the UzChess Cup Challengers, earning 19 points and breaking into the top 100 Open. Photo: Polski Związek Szachowy Aleksandra Maltsevskaya lost a tiebreaker for a title in the Polish Women’s Championship but can find consolation in 18 rating points and her return to the top 50 Women.
Singapore to host 2024 World Chess Championship Match
The Singapore Chess Federation, supported by the Government of Singapore, has won the bid to host the FIDE World Championship Match 2024. The Match will feature the defending Champion Ding Liren from China and the Challenger Gukesh D from India and will take place between November 20 and December 15, 2024 FIDE received three competitive applications for hosting the World Championship Match – from New Delhi (India), Chennai (India), and Singapore. After reviewing the bids and inspecting all potential host cities for their venues, amenities, event programs, and opportunities, the International Chess Federation has selected Singapore as the host of the World Championship Match. “We are delighted that for the first time in the history of FIDE, a match for the World Championship will take place in Singapore. Not only is Singapore one of the most iconic global tourist and business hubs, but it is also a thriving chess center with great ambitions and talent,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said. Photo: fairmont.com “I would also like to thank the other bidders – New Delhi and Chennai. Both cities are renowned chess hubs with a rich history of hosting chess events, and we are confident we will see major chess events there in the future,” Dvorkovich continued. “FIDE is genuinely happy to bring the FIDE World Championship Match to Singapore. Chess is not just a popular game and sport; it is often seen as the epitome of the human mind’s ability to think strategically, to plan, and to foresee. Singapore embodies these same qualities. It’s a great match for the great Match!” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said. “We also expect multinational companies to seize an opportunity and join forces with FIDE and Singapore to make this event truly exceptional,” Sutovsky added. Singapore’s bid was submitted on May 31, 2024, and the inspection of the venues took place on June 11 and 12. Four possible venues are being considered for the Match, and the final decision on the exact location will be announced in due course. The Match, which boasts a sensational prize fund of 2.5 million USD, is set to take place between November 20 and December 15, 2024. About the FIDE World Championship Match The FIDE World Championship Match is one of the most important and widely watched chess events globally. Held every two years, it features the defending World Champion and the Challenger, chosen through a qualification process culminating in the Candidates Tournament, which includes eight of the world’s top players. The defending Champion is Ding Liren, who won the title after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in Astana, Kazakhstan, in April 2023 on tiebreaks. The Challenger is the 18-year-old Gukesh D from India, who won the Candidates Tournament in April 2024 in Toronto. The World Championship Match will consist of 14 games. The player who scores 7.5 points or more wins the Match, and no further games are played. If the score is equal after 14 games, the winner is decided by a tiebreak.
Gligoric Trophy 2024: Call for Nominations
The FIDE Award Commission reminds about Gligoric Trophy call for nominations. Svetozar Gligoric Trophy is an award given by FIDE to the individual who display exemplary behaviour promoting the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship in chess. Candidates to win the Svetozar Gligoric Trophy 2024 shall have demonstrated the following accomplishments during the period August 10, 2022 to August 10, 2024: – Outstanding gesture or action of sportsmanship during the sport event. – Outstanding contribution to the popularization of values and principles of Fair Play. – Outstanding initiatives on enforcement of integrity and high ethical values. The Svetozar Gligoric Trophy is a recognition of sportsmen who exercise the fundamental values of Fair Play both during and beyond the game. It is a way of thinking rather than a mere behaviour and is based on the concepts of: Fairness – To enjoy the victory is not enough. Triumph must include fairness and honesty. Respect – Written rules are mandatory. Unwritten rules of respect to all are obligatory. Friendship – Rivalry in sports does not exclude friendship Team Spirit – A genuine consideration for team-mates Equality – Competing on equal terms is essential Tolerance – The willingness and ability to accept what you may not agree with Care – True champions care about each other Nomination Procedures The winner of the Svetozar Gligoric Trophy is selected annually by the FIDE Award Commission, comprised of Mr Mahir Mammedov (chairman) and members of the Commission GM Mrs Judit Polgar and GM Mr Eugenio Torre. Proposals for Nominations (Nomination Letter) from Continental Federations, National Federations, and FIDE Commissions shall be submitted to the Gligoric Trophy Award Commission of FIDE (gligorictrophy@fide.com) no later than August 10, 2024. Nominations from individuals, including self-nominations, are also allowed, but they should be channelled through the Federation associated with the nominee. Please note that this award is for the nominee’s accomplishments during the preceding year, NOT a recognition of a lifelong career. The Commission’s decision is final and not open to discussion. The members of the Commission shall not give justification unless they wish so. The Award Ceremony will be held during the 45th FIDE Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024. About the award The Fair Play Award, named after Svetozar Gligoric, was established by FIDE in 2019. It honors the figure of Svetozar Gligoric, one of the top players in the world in the 1950s and 1960s and also one of the most prominent, owing to his particularly engaging personality. At the chessboard, Gligoric was an uncompromising fighter and, at the same time, a symbol of gentlemanhood and correctness. His impeccable reputation has been a deserved result of his success in chess games and fair-play manners. Gligoric’s trademark was high respect for his chess opponents. His main principle was: “It’s chess pieces, not a man I play against!” It is no coincidence that the book of Gligoric’s selected games is titled “I play against pieces!” The first recipient of the Svetozar Gligorich Award was the world champion Magnus Carlsen, who received the trophy just minutes before his debut game at the FIDE World Cup 2021 in Sochi. In 2020, when all chess activities and competitions were moved to the online arena, Magnus Carlsen reached the semi-finals in the $150,000 online “Chessable Masters” against Ding Liren. Ding, playing from China, struggled with connection problems throughout the whole event, and in the final moments of his first game against Carlsen, he suffered an unfortunate disconnection at a vital moment. Unable to reconnect on time, the Chinese Grandmaster lost the game. Minutes later, in the second game between them, the World Champion gave up his queen and resigned after just four moves to restore parity in the match. Despite the high stakes and being a ruthless competitor, Magnus Carlsen demonstrated that winning fairly was far more important to him than winning at any cost. Next year, 2021, the Svetozar Gligoric trophy went to GM Jerguš Pecháč for his exemplary behaviour and fair play spirit. The 21-year-old Slovak GM made the headlines in the second round of the European Qualification Tournament when his over-the-board rival Boris Gelfand, Israel, blundered the queen due to a mouse slip. That game was a qualifier for the FIDE World Cup in Sochi. Despite the high risk of failing to reach the next round, Pecháč graciously offered a draw to his opponent, not taking advantage of Gelfand’s unfortunate mistake. With his action, Jerguš risked not reaching the third round, but luckily for him, he advanced anyway by winning the Armageddon. The Slovak GM again demonstrated that winning at all costs is not a priority – a noble gesture that Svetozar Gligoric himself would have undoubtedly applauded. Jerguš Pecháč was awarded Gligorich Prize during the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, in 2022, and, symbolically enough, the awared was handed out right before his game against the first winner of the Trophy, Magnus Carlsen. The third awardee of the Gligoric Trophy is Jaden Shaw, 15, Jamaica’s Absolute Junior Champion (U20), and FIDE Candidate Master (CM). Jaden received the prize during the closing ceremony of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, 2022. His opponent, GM Meelis Kanep from Estonia, got sick during the Jamaica – Estonia match and thus could not finish the game. Jaden, who debuted at the Chess Olympiad, could have rightfully insisted on such a landmark victory but agreed to a draw. This act of true sportsmanship, lauded by many, including the president of FIDE and the chief minister of Chennai, compelled the FIDE Award Commission to make an exception to the rules and to hand out the second, off-the-schedule award in the same year.