Faig Gasanov turns 85
Faig Gasanov turns 85 today! Born on April 13, 1940, in Tbilisi, Faig Gasanov has dedicated a large part of his life to chess, making significant contributions to the development of the game both in Azerbaijan and around the world. For many years, Gasanov has shared his vast experience in promoting chess in Azerbaijan, shaping new generations of players, and organizing international tournaments. Since 2007, he has served as the Vice President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation. Gasanov enjoys an impeccable reputation in the chess world. As chief arbiter, he officiated over 150 chess competitions, including prestigious super tournaments in Wijk aan Zee, Linares, the Vugar Hashimov Memorial, the Chess Olympiad, the FIDE World Cup, and the FIDE Grand Prix. His long-running television program Chess Club, which he both authored and hosted on Azerbaijan’s first television channel, AzTV, is celebrating its 56th year on air—setting a national broadcasting record. In 2010, on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Faig Gasanov was awarded a special Gold Diploma of Achievement in recognition of his outstanding service to the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the global chess community. In 2016, he received the Honorary Award for his contributions to FIDE as an International Arbiter. In addition to his international recognition, Gasanov has been honored by the Azerbaijani government with the “Glory” and “Honor” Orders, as well as the President of Azerbaijan’s Honorary Diploma, for his contributions to the development of chess in the country. Most recently, in 2024, Gasanov was awarded the honorary FIDE 100 Medal for his lifelong dedication to the game and his exceptional service to the chess world. Many happy returns of the day!
2025 European Women’s Championship: Teodora Injac captures title
IM Teodora Injac of Serbia emerged as the winner of the 25th European Women’s Championship. The native of Belgrade claimed the title with an impressive score 9.5/11, finishing 1.5 points ahead of the field. The competition was held in Rhodes, Greece, from March 31 to April 10. This Mediterranean island hosted the event for the second consecutive year. The championship—an 11-round Swiss tournament with classical time control—brought together nearly 140 players from 34 European federations, including 7 GMs, 22 WGMs, 25 IMs, and 20 WIMs. The total prize fund amounted to €60,000, with €10,000 awarded to the champion. Second-seeded Injac (pictured below) had a shaky start, losing her first-round game to Anastasia Kirtadze of Georgia. However, the Serbian star roared back, reeling off nine (!) straight wins to secure the title with a round to spare. IMs Irina Bulmaga (ROU), Mai Narva (EST), and Aleksandra Maltsevskaya each scored 8/11, tying for second place. Bulmaga and Narva claimed silver and bronze, respectively, thanks to superior Buchholz tiebreaks. As many as ten players, including top seed Nino Batsiashvili of Georgia, shared fifth place with 7.5/11. WFM Anastasia Kirtadze led the tournament up to the halfway mark and was one of the event’s biggest revelations. Despite stumbling in the final rounds, she finished with a respectable 6.5/11 and gained 154 rating points. Final standings: 1 IM Injac, Teodora SRB 2454 9½ 2 IM Bulmaga, Irina ROU 2362 8 3 IM Narva, Mai EST 2380 8 4 IM Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra POL 2376 8 5 IM Tsolakidou, Stavroula GRE 2445 7½ 6 IM Javakhishvili, Lela GEO 2429 7½ 7 GM Batsiashvili, Nino GEO 2473 7½ 8 GM Ushenina, Anna UKR 2428 7½ 9 IM Daulyte-Cornette, Deimante FRA 2389 7½ 10 IM Mammadova, Gulnar AZE 2342 7½ 11 IM Mkrtchian, Lilit ARM 2388 7½ Complete final standings The European Women’s Chess Championship 2025 was a qualification event for the FIDE Women’s World Chess Cup. 11 players qualified for the biggest women’s tournament of the year that will take place from 5-29 July in Batumi, Georgia. ECU Commission for Women’s Chess presented the WOM ECU Performance Excellence Awards. IM Eline Robers (NED, 2367) won the Junior U20 Award (Celebrating rising starts) as the highest-ranked player U20, WFM Anastasia Kirtadze (GEO, 2180) won the Junior U16 Award and the Performance Award for a player rated U2200. Andzhelika Nenova (BUL) won the Performance Award for a player rated U2000. The Awards were presented by the Chairperson of the ECU Commission for Women’s Chess Antoaneta Stefanova. The closing ceremony took place in the playing venue with the attendance of the ECU President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, ECU Secretary General Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, ECU Vice President Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, ECU Treasurer Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu, Chairperson of the ECU Commission for Women’s Chess Antoaneta Stefanova, and other distinguished guests. Photos: European Chess Union and Mark Livshitz Official website: ewcc2025.com/
Chongqing welcomes the second half of Women’s World Championship Match
The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match between reigning World Champion Ju Wenjun and Challenger Tan Zhongyi continues in Chongqing, where the second half of the match was officially opened today with a press conference at the luxurious Jinke Grand Hotel – the venue for the remainder of the event. The players and their teams arrived yesterday evening after a long journey from Shanghai, which included a 2.5-hour flight followed by a scenic bus ride from Chongqing Airport to the hotel. Nestled in the mountains, Chongqing is one of the largest cities in the world. As Tan Zhongyi noted during the Game 6 press conference, although the match is taking place in her home city, it is still quite far from where she resides. Beyond the picturesque views, what truly stood out was the warmth and hospitality of the people. The local organizing committee went above and beyond to ensure a smooth and comfortable arrival for all traveling from Shanghai. Their meticulous planning and attention to detail reflect a high level of professionalism. The press conference panel featured several distinguished officials: Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Dana Reizniece, Secretary General of the Chinese Chess Association Xu Yuhua, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau Du Xueyong, and Member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Fuling District Committee Wu Hui. Representing FIDE, Dana Reizniece extended heartfelt thanks to the organizing teams in both Shanghai and Chongqing for their commitment and dedication: “I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the organizers of the first part of the match in Shanghai—the Shanghai Administration of Sports, the Chinese Chess Association, the Shanghai Chess Academy, and the Shanghai Board and Card Games Administrative Center. The tournament was exceptionally well organized, and the conditions provided for both players and officials were outstanding. The professionalism and dedication of the organizers ensured a world-class experience for everyone involved. Thank you for your excellent work. I would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Chongqing Administration of Sports, the Chess Department of China Qi-yuan, and the Chongqing Board and Card Games Administrative Center for having us here. We had the pleasure of experiencing their outstanding work during the 2023 match, and we are confident that, once again, we will witness the same level of dedication, professionalism, and commitment over the coming days.” At the heart of this match lies a celebration of women and chess. Dana Reizniece continued: “For nearly a century, the world of chess has celebrated its queens. From the trailblazing Vera Menchik in 1927 to Ju Wenjun today, 17 extraordinary women have held the title of World Champion, each leaving a lasting legacy and opening doors for the next generation. China has played an incredible role in this. Today’s match between Tan Zhongyi and Ju Wenjun is not only a milestone for the sport — but also a moment of national pride. China is one of the world’s leading chess nations, producing world champions and contributing greatly to the development of our sport. Women’s chess has seen remarkable growth, and FIDE is proud to have placed its development at the heart of our mission. And yet, our work is far from over. FIDE is proud to support this growth through new initiatives like the Women’s Grand Prix, tournaments for women and girls, support for chess moms competing in over-the-board events, and many others — all aimed at creating more opportunities for female players around the world.” Mr. Du Xueyong then took the floor to present the match schedule and logistical preparations. The second half consists of six games, unless a player reaches 6.5 points before that, which would secure the title. If the match is tied after 12 classical games, tiebreaks will follow to determine the winner and crown the new champion. The championship trophy – a stunning glass Phoenix Coronet, was unveiled today by Ms. Reizniece. Crafted using an ancient Chinese glass-making technique, it features a delicately designed peony flower at its center. Known as the “king of flowers,” the peony is a symbol of prosperity, grace, and beauty in Chinese culture. The process of creating the trophy also holds deep meaning: “Craftsmen fired the pink peony at temperatures over a thousand degrees. Every step was done with great care and skill. This process reflects the spirit of craftsmanship – just like a chess champion, the trophy was made through hard work, many challenges, and the pursuit of excellence.” Soon, a new Women’s World Champion will be crowned. Who will lift the phoenix coronet – Ju Wenjun, defending her title, or Tan Zhongyi, reclaiming it once again? The seventh game is scheduled to begin tomorrow, April 13, 2025, at 15:00 local time. Follow FIDE’s social media channels for updates, tune into YouTube for live commentary and coverage, and visit the official match website for more information. Written by Charlize van Zyl Photos: Anna Shtourman Official website: womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com/ About the Match The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship match between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi will follow a 12-game format. The first player to score 6.5 points will be declared the winner. The time control for each game is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1. If the match is tied at 6-6 after all 12 games, a tiebreak will determine the champion. The tiebreak procedure typically involves a series of rapid and, if necessary, blitz games to ensure a decisive outcome.
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix travels to Pune, India
The fifth leg of the 2024-25 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, organized by the Maharashtra Chess Association and the International Chess Federation, is set to take place in Pune, India, from April 13-24. Ten of the world’s leading female players will meet once again to determine who will qualify for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. With only two events to go (India and Austria) the Grand Prix is reaching its peak – several players are still in contention for the two qualifying spots. Previously spelled Poona, Pune is the second-largest city in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai and, with more than seven million residents, it’s the seventh most populous metropolitan area in India. Of the utmost historical importance, Pune was the seat of the Peshwas, the Prime Ministers of the Maratha Empire in the 18th century. Consistently ranked among India’s most livable cities, Pune is also a major IT and automobile hub. About the Event The Women’s Grand Prix Series 2024–25 features 20 players, with each player participating in three of the six tournaments. Each event is a 10-player round-robin, where participants earn points based on their final standings. The series winner is determined by the total cumulative points earned across all three tournaments played. Prize Fund: €80,000 per event, with an additional €120,000 distributed among the top 10 finishers in the overall standings. Qualification:The top two players from the series will qualify for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. Candidates Qualification Status After four out of five legs completed, Aleksandra Goryachkina is leading the Grand Prix standings. She has already played her three selected events, totalling 308 points. Thanks to her first place in both the Shymkent and Monaco legs, along with an excellent shared 3rd in Cyprus, everything seems to point towards her qualification. Nevertheless, the second spot is up for grabs, with several players in reach–five of them will be competing in Pune. The line-up With India holding the Men’s World Championship title and securing double Olympic gold in Budapest, the country’s chess is booming. It stands to reason that all four of India’s top female players – Humpy, Harika, Vaishali and Divya – are set to participate in Pune, with their eyes set on that second spot. The Olympic team is in action! They will be joined by Zhu Jiner, fresh off her shared first in Cyprus, and Alina Kashlinskaya, who triumphed in the Tbilisi inaugural event. Both of them are in clear contention for qualification, having scored 100+ points in their first event. Nurgyul Salimova will also compete in India, seeking to improve on her eighth-place finish in Shymkent and prepare for the final event in Austria. Batkhuyag Munguntuul returns to the series for her third event. Having shared first in Monaco, she might have an outside chance to qualify in the case of an outstanding performance. Finally, Salome Melia and Polina Shuvalova will make their debut in the 2024-205 season, replacing Lela Javakhishvili and Kateryna Lagno, who have withdrawn from the event. With her ambitious and uncompromising playing style, Shuvalova was one of the most entertaining players of the previous cycle.. Venue The tournament will take place at the Amanora The Fern Hotel. Located in Amanora Park, the venue is reasonably close to important landmarks and business centres. Its central location makes it suitable for both business and leisure travellers, featuring meeting and banquet facilities that accommodate up to 600 people. Schedule and Round 1 Pairings The first round is scheduled for April 14th at 3:00 PM local time. Munguntuul Batkhuyag – Salome Melia Zhu Jiner – Harika Dronavalli Alina Kashlinskaya – Polina Shuvalova Nurgyul Salimova – Divya DeshmukhVaishali Rameshbabu – Humpy Koneru You can follow the games live with expert commentary and read daily reports on womengrandprix.fide.com/ along with exciting videos and photos of the action.