Julius Baer SCWC returns on August 12
Watch 16 Top Players Compete in One of the Strongest Events in Women’s Chess NEW YORK, AUGUST 1 — Chess.com is excited to announce the 2024 edition of the Julius Baer Women’s Speed Chess Championship (WSCC). This year’s event will feature an expanded field of 16 of the strongest women chess players in the world, including the current Women’s World Champion, all competing for a $75,000 prize fund. The Julius Baer WSCC is Chess.com’s premier chess event for women. The event starts on August 12, with titled women from across the globe participating in four Play-in events. The winner of each Play-in will qualify for the coveted Main Event, which kicks off on August 22 and runs through September 5. “The 2024 Julius Baer Women’s Speed Chess Championship showcases the incredible talent and competitive spirit of women in chess,” said Erik Allebest, CEO of Chess.com. “Julius Baer’s continued support has been instrumental in making this championship a reality, and we appreciate their leadership in helping to ensure that chess is for everyone.” Among the confirmed players for the Main Event is four-time World Champion GM Ju Wenjun. Ju is the second-highest rated woman in the world across all time controls and one of the favorites to win it all. The chess community can also look forward to watching GM Kateryna Lagno. The three-time women’s World Blitz Champion will be looking to repeat her 2021 Women’s Speed Chess Championship performance, when she defeated the former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan to win the event. Also confirmed to play is the star from India, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Her meteoric rise has led her to the 2023 Candidates Tournament, and recent victories propelled her to the top 10 of women’s worldwide. Can momentum help her win her first Women’s Speed Chess Championship title? “We are delighted to continue supporting the Women’s Speed Chess Championship, empowering women, and contributing to a more diverse, equitable, and vibrant chess scene,” said Antje Hembd, Head Global Brand Partnerships & Sponsoring at Julius Baer. “Women, like in the chess world, are still underrepresented in senior management in our industry. This is why our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and our focus on fostering a caring and inclusive environment is integral to our corporate strategy and culture at Julius Baer.” The Main Event features the format fans know and love, with the players competing across three different time controls: 5+1, 3+1, and 1+1. The match will be broadcast on Chess.com/TV as well as Chess.com’s YouTube and Twitch channels. This is the second consecutive year that Swiss private bank Julius Baer has presented the WSCC, continuing their strong support of women’s chess. Julius Baer was also a founding partner of Chess.com’s premier event, the Champions Chess Tour, presenting the Julius Baer Generation Cup since 2020. Tune in for the usual (and unusual) brilliancies, drama, and swindles that the Speed Chess Championship series provides. About Julius Baer Julius Baer is the leading Swiss wealth management group and a premium brand in this global sector, with a focus on servicing and advising sophisticated private clients. At the end of June 2024, assets under management amounted to CHF 474 billion. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., the renowned Swiss private bank with origins dating back to 1890, is the principal operating company of Julius Baer Group Ltd., whose shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: BAER) and are included in the Swiss Leader Index (SLI), comprising the 30 largest and most liquid Swiss stocks. Julius Baer is present in around 25 countries and 60 locations. Headquartered in Zurich, we have offices in key locations including Bangkok, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Mumbai, Santiago de Chile, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo. Our client-centric approach, our objective advice based on the Julius Baer open product platform, our solid financial base and our entrepreneurial management culture make us the international reference in wealth management. For more information, visit our website at www.juliusbaer.com. About Chess.com Chess.com is the world’s largest chess site with a community of more than 150 million members from around the world playing more than 10 million games every day. Chess.com organizes and broadcasts the world’s biggest chess events featuring multi-million-dollar prize funds captivating millions of viewers. Chess.com is the 114th ranked site on the internet. In June 2023, Chess.com was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies.
Grand Opening for FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships in Astana
Astana, Kazakhstan – The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2024 commenced with a week of chess festivities, highlighted by a spectacular opening ceremony held at the Astana Amphitheater on the Esil River Embankment. This event marked the beginning of an exciting week of world-class chess competitions, celebrating the game’s rich heritage and future. The opening ceremony began with FIDE’s Torch Relay, an event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the International Chess Federation. The relay started at the “Atameken” monument and culminated at the Amphitheater, showcasing a parade of top chess players, local authorities, and prominent figures from Kazakhstan. Among the distinguished torchbearers were the FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Oljas Bektenov, President of Kazakhstan Chess Federation Timur Turlov, and current World Champions Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun. They were joined by young chess stars such as Bibisara Asaubaeva, symbolizing the future of the sport in Kazakhstan. The ceremony officially kicked off with the arrival of the Prime Minister and other esteemed guests, followed by a moving performance of the National Anthem of Kazakhstan. Prime Minister Bektenov delivered a heartfelt opening address, highlighting the significance of the event for Kazakhstan and the global chess community: “The International Chess Federation, with more than a century of history, became a reputable and well-known organization, which brought together over 200 countries around the chessboard. FIDE’s famous slogan, “We are one Family”, signifies that chess is not only an intellectual sport but also a deep science and incredible art. In this regard, the lighting of the Olympic torch in the city of Astana is a great pride for the people of Kazakhstan.” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich also shared his thoughts, celebrating the Federation’s centenary and the collaborative spirit of the chess world. “This gathering today is particularly significant as it marks the first formal FIDE event since World Chess Day on July 20th, the day FIDE was officially established in 1924. As we step into FIDE’s second century, it is fitting to host such a prestigious event here in Kazakhstan. This is our way of expressing our deepest appreciation for all that you have done and continue to do for the chess community. Let us look forward to a spectacular tournament and a promising future for FIDE and the world of chess,” he said, greeted with a round of applause. President of Kazakhstan Chess Federation Timur Turlov stressed the significance of holding the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship and expressed his gratitude to FIDE for assistance in their joint endeavors. “For us, a young nation, and hundreds of children who are learning chess today in clubs, sections and their schools, it is you – the chess world stars – who are the main conductors of the values of this noble game, idols of hundreds of thousands of young Kazakhstanis. You motivate people to play chess, improve and follow the main trends.” In a moment of unity and pride, the FIDE 100th Anniversary Torch was ceremonially transferred from President Dvorkovich to Prime Minister Bektenov, who then passed it on to Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. The relay continued with notable participants, including world champions, young prodigies, and influential figures, all contributing to the electric atmosphere. As the relay concluded, former women’s World Champion and current Women’s Number one, Hou Yifan, took center stage to light the ceremonial bowl, a symbol of the enduring flame of chess. This was followed by a stunning display of cold fireworks, and all torchbearers were invited onto the stage, where they were introduced and celebrated. The ceremony continued with a dynamic mass dance performance, speeches from key officials, and a musical interlude. Chief Arbiter Laurent Freyd and Grandmaster Jan Gustafsson conducted the draw to determine the first-round colors. The color drawn was black, which means that the first board will be played with black pieces. To conclude the evening, the President of FIDE declared the Championships officially open, accompanied by a countdown and a dazzling fireworks display. The opening ceremony’s headliner, the “Orda” band, delivered a memorable performance, setting a festive tone for the championships. The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2024 in Astana promises to be a landmark event, bringing together the best in chess and celebrating the game’s global community. Photos: Ruslan Mazunin and Maria Emelianova Website of the event: World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship 2024 (fide.com) Freedom Holding Corp. is a US-based financial services holding company. The Company has retail locations in 20 countries: the United States of America, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Cyprus, Germany, the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, France, Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United Arab Emirates. In Eurasia, the company is developing a digital ecosystem under the Freedom brand. The ecosystem already provides services in the field of investment banking and stock market brokerage, digital banking, online insurance, telecommunications, air and event ticket sales, digital car service, smartphone sales and other areas. Freedom Holding Corp. shares are traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The activities of the company are regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Official site: freedomholdingcorp.com Site of the digital ecosystem: ecosystem.ffin.kz/en
FIDE August 2024 rating list published
The Women’s top 10 remained intact in July, while the Open list saw some changes. Wei Yi reached his career-high 8th position, following his good showing in the Chinese Chess League, while Alireza Firouzja returned to the top 10 after a three-month hiatus. Photo: Grand Chess Tour/Lennart Ootes Biggest gains in top 100 Open and Women Kulon, Klaudia IM POL 2415 (+36) Van Foreest, Jorden GM NED 2696 (+25) Liang, Awonder GM USA 2666 (+18) Vaishali, Rameshbabu GM IND 2506 (+18) Sliwicka, Alicja WIM POL 2373 (+16) Salem, Saleh GM OAE 2652 (+14) Warmerdam, Max GM NED 2676 (+13) Dronavalli, Harika GM IND 2502 (+11) Badelka, Olga IM FID 2409 (+11) Le, Quang Liem GM VIE 2741 (+10) Zhu, Jiner GM CHN 2479 (+10) Klaudia Kulon became the biggest rating gainer in July thanks to her impressive performance in the Pardubice Open, where she finished sixth and picked 36 rating points. The tournament winner, 14-year-old Vaclav Finek, Vaclav Finek earned 15 points, reaching a career-high 88th place in the top 100 Junior list. Photo: Czech Open Jorden Van Foreest had a very successful trip to Canada, winning both the Canadian Open and Maplewood Invitational. He gained 25 rating points and came very close to the 2700 mark. Awonder Liang climbed to his career-high 65th place in the top 100 Open after a very productive July (+18) in the American tournaments that included the 52nd Annual World Open and U.S. Junior Championship. Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club/ Austin Fuller Alicja Sliwicka dropped 12 points in the 2024 FISU World University Mind Sports Chess Championship. However, she recovered with a strong performance in the Open International d’Aix en Provence, gaining 29 points and increasing her overall rating by 16 points in July. Saleh Salem and Rameshbabu Vaishali shone in the inaugural Biel GMT-Challengers, collecting 14 and 18 rating points, respectively. Saleh returned to the top 100 Open after a year’s absence, while Vaishali climbed as high as the 11th position and is now knocking on the top 10 Women’s door. Le Quang Liem won his third straight title in the main event, GMT-Masters, translating into 10 rating points. Photo: Biel International Chess Festival Max Warmerdam won the 2024 Dutch Championship (his second national title) and the Brasov Grand Prix Classic, picking up 13 rating points, while Harika Dronavalli overperformed in the Isbank of Turkiye Chess Super League, gaining 11 points.