FIDE announces World Cup 2025 for youngsters
Photo: Mark Livshitz The second edition of FIDE World Cup for young chess players will take place from June 22 to July 3, 2025, in Batumi, Georgia. This prestigious event aims to offer more opportunities for young talents from around the world. The competition will be held across three age groups—Under 8, Under 10, and Under 12—in two categories: Open and Girls, with 48 participants in each. The event will consist of two stages. The first stage will follow a seven-round Swiss System format, with two groups (A and B) of 24 players each. In the second stage, players holding the same position in each group will face off in a two-game classical match, followed by a tiebreak if needed. The organizes will cover accommodation and flight costs for top qualifying players. Heads of delegations with more than four players will be provided with a full board and accommodation in single rooms. Top three players according to FIDE standard rating (by April 1, 2025) will get air tickets compensation in the amount of €600 for players from the same continent, and €1,200 Euro for participants arriving from another continent. Invited Federations are encouraged to confirm their participation by February 1, 2025, based on the 2024 World Cadets Chess Championships results (Registration Form). The registration deadline for this prestigious event is April 22, 2025. The organizers will ensure excellent playing conditions, with participants staying in the same hotel where the event will be held. The sunny weather, seaside access, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and well-equipped spa centers will further enhance the experience. June and July are the most comfortable months in Batumi, located along the Black Sea coast, with average temperatures ranging from 27°C (80°F) to 33°C (90°F). On a rest day (June 30), participants can take part in several side events, including the Delegation Coaches Blitz Tournament with a substantial prize fund of 4,000 Euro, the Chess Composition World Cup under 8, 10, 12, engaging excursions to Batumi Dolphinarium & Batumi Botanical Garden, and a football match between FIDE and Georgian Chess Federation. Exceptional prizes await the top finishers across the six playing categories. The top three players in each category will receive awards, including cups, medals, diplomas, and high-end gadgets such as the MacBook Air (2023/2024), iPhone 16, or an iPad, depending on their placement. Additionally, the top three finishers in each age and gender category will receive free full-board accommodation for the World Cadets Chess Championship later in the year. All participants will be awarded a certificate recognizing their participation. More information about the event can be found in the Invitation Letter (PDF). For inquiries and registration, please contact: wcc@fide.com Official website: wcc2025.fide.com/
Robert Huebner (1948-2025)
Sad news came from Germany – Robert Huebner has passed away Arguably, the most enigmatic of the top players of the 20th century, Huebner almost always remained in the shadows. Yet he was a great chess player and a remarkable person. Few remember today that Huebner repeatedly qualified for the Candidates —starting with his shared second place at Palma de Mallorca in 1970 (a young Robert, not even a grandmaster yet, delivered a brilliant performance there and punched his ticket to Candidates with a round to spare, finishing behind the older Robert [Fischer]) and continuing all the way to Manila in 1990, where he confidently qualified competing with a new mighty generation of players. Moreover, at his peak in 1981, Huebner came very close to challenging Karpov in a title match. He reached the Candidates final and was in the lead against Korchnoi. With 3.5-2.5 on the scoreboard, the German grandmaster had an advantage in the seventh game ending, but Korchnoi put up a stubborn resistance. On a wild goose chase, Huebner made a terrible blunder and lost. Huebner and Korchnoi in Hoogovens 1984 Photo: Fotocollectie Anefo After this setback, he lost the next encounter and, having adjourned the ninth and tenth games in unpleasant positions, resigned the match. It was not the first time in his chess career. Back in 1971, after his first defeat, he forfeited the Candidates quarterfinal match against Petrosian. Throughout his entire career, Robert has been haunted by this lack of self-confidence, which strikingly contrasted with his powerful play. In 1983, he lost a Candidates quarterfinal to Smyslov, this time on roulette (tiebreak games were played with classical time control back then, and there were no rapid and blitz games, let alone Armageddon). The match ended in a draw. The tiebreak games did not tip the balance either. It was all decided on roulette in a local casino, where Huebner didn’t show up. Smyslov picked red. The ball landed on zero first. The croupier spun the wheel again, and Huebner got eliminated from the Candidates. Huebner and Petrosian in Wijk-aan-Zee 1971 Photo: Fotocollectie Anefo In all fairness, the German had no real chance against Karpov and Kasparov, but he was on par with other elite players at that time. Remarkably, Robert nearly reached the very top being a semi-professional, as he never stopped his academic research. A graduate papyrologist and polyglot, he spoke a dozen languages, including ancient and extinct. When it comes to game commentaries, no one has ever analyzed chess as deeply as Huebner. His analysis of each game resembled a scientific study, sometimes spanning dozens of pages. He was an extraordinary person. I had the privilege of speaking with Robert briefly and even played a game with him that ended in a draw. I felt his uniqueness and brilliance right away. Analyzing with Vlastimil Hort Photo: lasker-gesellschaft.de/ In personal interactions, Huebner was reserved but spoke on various topics—always thoughtfully, with profound insights. He seemed to have few close friends in the chess world but commanded absolute respect. Nearly everyone called him “Doctor,” both in personal interactions and between themselves. Huebner was a person from a different, not this vain world. And now, he is gone. Really sad. We will remember him. Emil Sutovsky, FIDE CEO