Winners crowned at FIDE World Amateur Championship 2024
The FIDE World Amateur Chess Championship 2024 concluded on Monday at the Rodos Palace Hotel in Rhodes, Greece. The event, held from October 26 to November 4, brought together 245 amateur players from 54 countries, competing across four rating categories: Open U2300, Open U2000, Open U1700 and W1700. The closing ceremony, held on the evening of November 4, celebrated the achievements of the participants and honored the champions of each category. The event was attended by the Honorary Chairman of the FIDE Events Commission, Mr. Ozgur Solakoglu, Pr. Katerina Frantzi of the University of the Aegean and member of the FIDE Ethics Commission, Mr. David Hater. Final Standings: Open U2300: 1. Tomasz Zebracki (POL) – 7 points2. CM A Kumaresh (IND) – 6.53. FM Khishigbat Ulziikhishig (MGL) – 6.5 points Top Women Open U2300: 1. WFM Bayanmunkh Amin-Erdene (MGL) – 52. WFM Georgia Grapsa (GRE) – 53. WFM Sabina Sariteanu (ROU) – 4 points Open U2000: 1. Nurasyl Zhumabek (KAZ) – 7.52. Amartaivan Erkhembayar (MGL) – 7.53. AFM Levi Kalani Alexander Fogo Esquivel (MEX) – 7.5 Top Women Open U2000: 1. Tsogtsaikhan Saikhanchimeg (MGL) – 6.52. Ekaterina Kirdyashkina (FIDE) – 6.5 3. WCM Davaakhul Unurzul (MGL) – 5.5 Open U1700: 1. Yassine Rafik (MAR) – 7.52. Medet Dzhaparov (KGZ) – 7.53. Lkhagvagaram Sumiya (MGL) – 7 Women U1700: 1. Anastasiia Osadchuk (UKR) – 82. Bayal – Uchral Anu (MGL) – 73. Sonali – Jena Sovna (IND) – 6 The competition showcased exceptional talent and sportsmanship, with participants demonstrating impressive skills and performances. Open U2300CM A Kumaresh (IND), seeded 22nd with a rating of 2048, secured second place with 6.5 points, demonstrating remarkable skill and determination. Open U2000Nurasyl Zhumabek (KAZ), rated 1862, claimed the title with 7.5 points, outperforming higher-rated opponents. Emil Shafikov (KAZ), rated 1710, achieved a commendable 11th place with 6 points, gaining 120.4 rating points. Open U1700Yassine Rafik (MAR), an unrated player, emerged victorious with 7.5 points, showcasing exceptional talent and potential. Likewise, Dmytro Nikolaienko (UKR), also unrated, climbed to 7th place, scoring 6.5 points. Women U1700Anastasiia Osadchuk (UKR), an unrated player, dominated her category with 8 points, demonstrating outstanding skill and potential. Bayal-Uchral Anu (MGL), rated 1624, finished second with 7 points, while Sonali Jena Sovna (IND), rated 1587, took third with 6 points. For detailed results and further information, please visit the official tournament page: Open U2300 Open U2000 Open U1700 Women U1700 Rhodos Chess Club “Ippotis” congratulates all participants and eagerly anticipates the next edition of the World Amateur Chess Championship. The World Amateur Championship was an official event of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), co-organized by the Rhodes Chess Club “Ippotis,” the South Aegean Region, the Municipality of Rhodes, and the Hellenic Chess Federation (ESO). Special thanks to the South Aegean Region, Governor George Hatzimarkos & Deputy Governor for Sports Akis Delaportas, RODOS PALACE Hotel 5*, Antonis Kampourakis of Xenakis Mobility, Melissokomiki Dodecanese, J@D Rent a Car, At Holidays, the accounting firm “Papadimitriou & Partners,” and Ilektrodomi S.A. for their unwavering support. Photos, content, and additional materials from the Championship can be found on the social media pages of the Rhodes Chess Club “Ippotis.” Website: ippotis.comFacebook: facebook.com/rhodeschessevents/Instagram: instagram.com/rhodes_chess_events/TikTok: tiktok.gr/@rhodes_chess_evenYouTube: youtube.com/@rhodes_chess_events Photos: Jim Laga
WGP Shymkent: Goryachkina extends her winning streak
Round 6 of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix showcased players refreshed from their rest day, leading to a round packed with decisive results. Aleksandra Goryachkina claimed her fourth consecutive win, solidifying her lead with a victory over Elisabeth Paehtz after a fateful endgame blunder by the German GM. Kateryna Lagno finally struck and scored her first win, defeating Bibisara Assaubayeva, one of the better performers in the event so far. Stavroula Tsolakidou comfortably beat Humpy Koneru, while Tan Zhongyi outlasted Munguntuul Batkhuyag in a 68-move battle. The day’s only draw was between Divya Deshmukh and Nurgyul Salimova, a tense positional struggle that ended in a threefold repetition. Players took advantage of their day off in different ways—some rested while others joined a city excursion organized by the hosts, immersing themselves in local culture. Notably, three of the four winners participated in the outing, a reminder of the benefits of stepping away from intense competitive environments. With the tournament entering its final phase, a healthy mindset and a good mood are important. Today was filled with exciting games, let’s take a look: Aleksandra Goryachkina – Elisabeth Paehtz 1-0 Already leading the standings, Goryachkina continued her winning streak, prevailing over Paehtz in a game that started with a French Defense. Early exchanges led to an endgame by move 20, where Goryachkina’s bishop pair and passed pawn gave her a subtle edge. She started by taking her king for a long walk to the queenside. Black’s a-pawn was eventually captured, resulting in a position with opposite-colored bishops, which was defendable for Black. Unfortunately, Elisabeth found herself in a situation where she had to demonstrate great accuracy, which she did not manage to do. The black king should have retreated to b7 to defend against White’s passed pawns (inserting 48…Bf5, most likely, worked as well), relieving the bishop from this job. Instead, 48…e3?? was played, and soon Black could not stop White’s passers: 49.Bxe3 Kc7 50.Kf6 Bf5 51.a6 Be4 52.h4 Kc6 53.Ba7 Kc7 54.c5 Kc8 55.Bb6 Kb8 56.c6 1-0 With this victory, Goryachkina now leads the pack by a full point. Kateryna Lagno – Bibisara Assaubayeva 1-0 The first result of the day was a surprising one as Kateryna Lagno, who has had a difficult start to the tournament after losing two back-to-back games in the third and fourth rounds, beat Bibisara Assaubayeva, who entered the round in second place. Coming out of the tournament hall, both were surprisingly in good moods and discussed their game. Bibisara noted that Kateryna did not play what she had prepared, and she struggled to remember the correct theory for the opening that came on the board. In what became an unfamiliar position, Black tried to create an attack on the queenside, but White was always more comfortable. Although Kateryna initially missed an opportunity to obtain a nice advantage by creating a play on the kingside, a few moves later, she found the correct plan and regained the initiative, albeit playing too carefully at some points. Eventually, this advantage transformed into a devastating attack, as Bibisara, focusing too heavily on queenside play, left her king vulnerable. Kateryna executed the final onslaught flawlessly and brought the point home. In an interview, she said she spent her rest day walking around the city, taking her mind off the tournament games. Perhaps this “reset” will help her in the final rounds of the tournament. It undoubtedly worked in Round 6! Humpy Koneru – Stavroula Tsolakidou 0-1 Tsolakidou’s decision to take a break from chess during the rest day paid off, as she delivered a strong performance against Koneru. In another King’s Indian Defense (a popular opening choice in this event), Humpy opted for a lesser-played line, and by move 12, the opponents reached a fresh position. Black got a slight advantage after Humpy’s erroneous capturing en passant on move 13, but just several moves down the road it increased substantially as Stavroula timely sacrificed an exchange. In an interview after the game, Stavroula said she knew she was somewhat better and feeling more comfortable, but she didn’t know how much better. Black dominated the game from there – with active pieces, a solid pawn structure, and the bishop pair. Humpy eventually gave the exchange back, but it was too late. Stavroula started picking off the white pawns one by one, and with passive pieces and a material disadvantage, Humpy capitulated right after reaching time control. Divya Deshmukh – Nurgyul Salimova ½ -½ The game between two of the younger participants of the event was a long positional battle where neither side ever had a real advantage. Things did become interesting when Nurgyul entered a position in which she had double-isolated pawns: The position might seem better, or at least more comfortable for White, but there was never any way to obtain something substantial. Although Divya kept pushing, Nurgyul remained solid, and a three-fold repetition eventually secured the draw. Tan Zhongyi – Munguntuul Batkhuyag 1-0 After a tough loss to Aleksandra Goryachkina in the fifth round, Tan Zhongyi came back to claim her third overall victory of the event, this time against Munguntuul Batkhuyag. But it wasn’t an easy win, as Black, who also lost in the previous round, played aggressively, clearly also fighting for the point. Arising from the Slav Defense in what is called the “Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defence” the game became a not-so-quiet one after opposite-side-castling. Tan launched her h-pawn forward toward the black king while Munguntuul pushed her queenside pawns on the opposite wing. After queens were traded, optically, it looked scary for White as Black’s two rooks had doubled up on the a-file, staring down at the white king. But Tan remained composed, and after trading off one of the rooks, Black’s attack lost the punch it once had, and it was eventually White who had the better-placed pieces and an advantage. The evaluation bar would sway between equality and an advantage for White, until Black made a fateful error on move 55 that allowed Tan
FIDE World Championship special: Unique events for visitors of Singapore Match
FIDE and SCF have put together an exclusive program for visitors of the FIDE World Championship Match presented by Google, featuring former world champions and contenders, renowned Grandmasters, AI experts, VIP simuls, and commentary. The forthcoming FIDE World Championship match in Singapore promises not only a spectacular duel between two elite players but also an unforgettable chess festival. Visitors can look forward to exhibitions, presentations, and simultaneous matches that offer unique opportunities to meet and play with top Grandmasters and AI experts. Special guest appearances and expert commentary: Special events kick off on November 24 – one day before round one in the Match – with the first round of the National Age Group Championships, where the former Women’s World Champion, Xie Jun, will be the guest of honor. Xie Jun will later be joined by U.S. Grandmaster and renowned chess commentator Maurice Ashley, and the two will provide commentary on the first match game both in-studio and in the fan zone, allowing fans to gain insights and ask questions in person. Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club | Lennart Ootes AI and chess: On November 26, Google DeepMind scientist Nenad Tomašev will deliver an exclusive presentation on the development and impact of AlphaZero, an AI program that has mastered complex games like chess. This session will shed light on the intersection of technology and chess, offering unique perspectives for enthusiasts. Simuls with chess legends: During the event, several top-world Grandmasters and former world champions and contenders will appear in Singapore as special guests. Former World Champion Challenger and celebrated Grandmaster Boris Gelfand will join live commentary on November 26 and interact with visitors in the fan zone. Photo: Stev Bonhage Gelfand, along with former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, will also hold simultaneous exhibition matches, giving fans a chance to play against chess icons. Visitors will also have the rare opportunity to meet former World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who will offer expert match commentary and engage with attendees in the fan zone. Photo: Michal Walusza One of the most popular chess streamers WGM Nemo Zhou (akaNemsko) will also be in fan zone to interact with chess fans. Additionally, top Grandmasters such as England’s David Howell and Jovanka Houska will lead masterclasses for chess enthusiasts of all skill levels. Photo: ChessBase India Lessons from the first Asian GM: On November 30, visitors of the Match will have an opportunity to see in person and talk to one of the greatest living chess legends, Grandmaster Eugene Torre – the first Asian GM who took part in a record 23 Chess Olympiads and defeating many of the 20th century greatest players. Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club | Bryan Adams Singapore International Open: For those more interested in competitive events, the Singapore Chess Federation is throwing the Singapore International Open 2024. Featuring global chess talent, the event will take place at the Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre alongside the FIDE World Championship. The tournament comprises two categories: Group A for players rated 1800 and above, utilizing accelerated pairings to enhance title norm opportunities, and Group B for players rated up to 1900, following standard Swiss pairings. Plan your visit More information about the match and side events can be found on the official website: worldchampionship.fide.com. Tickets for the match and side events are available here. For an all-inclusive experience, check out the specialized travel packages here. WCC Programme (PDF) WCC Programme mobile version (PDF)