WGP Pune: Zhu Jiner dodges a bullet and keeps the lead
Going into the rest day, one would think that the players would keep it to the vest and play cautiously – no one wants to lose a game and ponder over it too much. But almost the opposite was true! With the sole exception of the duel between friends and rivals Humpy and Harika, the other four games were heavily contested, to the point where we witnessed a fantastic positional queen sacrifice along with Vaishali’s first win. https://youtu.be/vtzRcfo5BkU For tomorrow’s free day, the organizers have planned a trip to the center of Pune for some sightseeing and souvenir hunting. Players, arbiters and media will get a chance to bond, at the same time recharging their batteries for the four final rounds, which will decide the winner of the Pune WGP. Today’s ceremonial first moves were performed on the Humpy vs Harika board. Mr. Shri Sridhar, Superintendent CID Pune opened the game for Humpy while GM Abhijit Kunte, gold winning captain of the 2024 Women’s Olympiad Team and the WGP Tournament Organizer, defended Harika’s black pieces. Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s games. Humpy Koneru 0.5 – 0.5 Harika Dronavalli The first game to finish this afternoon was the match between the two best Indian female players of all time, Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli. According to my database, their rivalry goes way back, to 2003. Since then they have played thirty games against each other, with a very close record – 3 wins a piece and 24 draws. Humpy opened with a very solid Neo-Catalan declined, but failed to achieve any advantage in the opening. Both players completed their development comfortably and a draw was agreed on move nineteen after a threefold move repetition. It could be argued that Humpy could have played on in the final position with 19.Bxf6, weakening Harika’s castled king, but maybe going into the rest day she preferred to play it safe. Alina Kashlinskaya 0.5 – 0.5 Salome Melia Soon afterwards, Kashlinskaya and Melia, currently occupying the bottom two spots in the standings, also agreed to a draw, albeit after many more moves. The Polish number one decided to try out the solid Alapin variation against her opponent’s Sicilian Defence. However, after a few moves it already seemed that she was out of the book, spending ten minutes for 7.dxc5 and then a further thirteen minutes for 9.h3. With the queen’s off the board, it all fell down to Kashlinskaya’s endgame technique – would she be able to squeeze water from a stone in an opposite-coloured bishop with two rooks? She continued to push, and even sacrificed a pawn to get an outside passer, but Salome was able to hold the balance at all time and the engine confirmed equality. A draw was eventually agreed on move forty-one, with both players clocking-in a 98% accuracy score. Divya Deshmukh 0.5 – 0.5 Polina Shuvalova A very equal game all along. Divya prepared a twist in the exchange variation of the Queen’s Gambit that definitely caught Shuvalova off-guard. The move 8.Ng-e2, instead of the more common 8.Qf3, forced Shuvalova into the tank for more than seventeen minutes. Polina eventually found the correct defence but Divya pressed on for most of the game, working her way towards the only weakness in Shuvalova’s position – the pawn on b7. But Polina was on point today and defended accurately, simplifying into a totally drawn theoretical rook and pawn endgame. The game indeed ended in a draw, with both players performing above 98% accuracy! Vaishali Rameshbabu 1 – 0 Munguntuul Batkhuyag An important win for Vaishali, that leaves her on 50% going into the rest day. She opened the game with the Reti 1. Nf3 + 2. g3 followed by an early exchange of queens. Very solid but with hardly any aggression – Munguntuul equalised comfortably and one could even argue that Black had the upper hand. Additionally, on move twenty-five Munguntuul had twenty-five minutes left while Vaishali was already under her final ten minutes. Up to this point both players were being very accurate (around 98%), and according to the engine the position remained in balance but at the same time extremely dynamic. Vaishali finally decided to go for an attack, and the risk reaped the reward. After several inaccuracies, the Indian IM took advantage of her opponent’s final mistakes and won the game. She was also kind enough to join us in the media center to go over her game on the screen, and talk about her performance in the tournament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSVFbtM2C00&pp=0gcJCX4JAYcqIYzv Nurgyul Salimova 0.5 – 0.5 Zhu Jiner If Zhu Jiner ends up winning this tournament, it will be largely because she saved her game today by the skin of the teeth. In a fashionable London opening, Zhu was obtained the bishop pair in exchange for a slight kingside pawn weakness. Both players made some small positional inaccuracies in the early middlegame, but eventually the position evened out, and a draw was looking to be the most likely outcome. After some more exchanges and manoeuvres, Salimova was even proposing some move repetitions, while Zhu Jiner was avoiding them at all costs: she wanted the game to carry on, probably counting on some mistakes in Salimova’s time trouble. And then this happened! Moment of the day Zhu Jiner could have just exchanged rooks and the game would have headed to a draw. But instead she played 44…Nd5? And got hit by a fabulous queen sacrifice. Salimova played 45.Qxd5! exd5 46.Rxc7 with a massive positional advantage for the material. The game eventually ended in a draw when Salimova missed a couple of wins. We were lucky to catch her leaving the playing hall and convinced her to pop into the media center and see where she had missed the win. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx-AKwfNLH4 Round 6 dates and pairings The players will enjoy a rest day tomorrow. The sixth round of the fifth leg in the 2024/25 Women’s Grand Prix series will take place on Sunday, April 20 at
Grand finale in Chongqing: FIDE Women’s World Championship Match 2025 comes to a close
The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match concluded on April 18 with a vibrant closing ceremony held at the Multi-Function Hall of the Jinke Grand Hotel in Chongqing’s Fuling District. The event marked the end of an exciting championship between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi, and celebrated the power of chess to bring people, cities, and cultures together. The national anthem of the People’s Republic of China and the FIDE anthem were played, followed by a highlights video recapping key moments from the match. For a few minutes, attendees experienced the emotions of the match – from the first stable draw to the final one that sealed Ju’s title, and all the wins and losses in-between. It ended with a shot of the beautiful Phoenix Coronet trophy, the final highlight that showcased the prestige of the event. Attending leaders and guests included Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Dana Reizniece, FIDE Treasurer Zhu Chen, Mr. Zhao Aiguo Deputy general director of China QIYUAN and Vice Chair of the CCA, Mr. Du Xueyong Deputy Director of Chongqing Administration of Sports, Mr. Liu Shizhen President of the Shanghai Board and Card Games Center, Ms Wang Yaping, Deputy Mayor of Fuling District, and Mr. Dong Yifeng, Mayor of Fuling District. The national anthem of the People’s Republic of China and the FIDE anthem were played, followed by a highlights video recapping key moments from the match. For a few minutes, attendees experienced the emotions of the match – from the first stable draw to the final one that sealed Ju’s title, and all the wins and losses in-between. It ended with a shot of the beautiful Phoenix Coronet trophy, the final highlight that showcased the prestige of the event. In speeches that followed, officials praised the organizational excellence and the level of competition. Mr Dong Yifeng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fuling District Committee and Mayor of the People’s Government of Fuling District, took to the stage first, noting how the event had showcased both the intellectual beauty of chess and the cooperative spirit between Shanghai and Chongqing, ending with the sentiment, “May the sport of chess flourish across continents!”. Mr Zhao Aiguo, Deputy Director of the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sports of China, took to the stage next, emphasizing the achievements of chess in China, particularly women’s chess. Chief Arbiter Sabrina de San Vicente and Deputy Chief Arbiter Zhu Jiaqi then made their way to the stage and formally announced the results: the Winner of the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match: Ju Wenjun, clinching her fifth consecutive world title. The awards presentation followed, with Dana Reizniece and Wang Yeping presenting the runner-up award to Tan Zhongyi, and Zhu Chen, Zhao Aiguo, and Du Xueyong awarding Ju Wenjun the championship Phoenix Coronet trophy, medal, and laurel crown. Remaining on stage adorned in her laurel crown, the champion herself made a speech. In her brief remarks, Ju Wenjun expressed gratitude and pride, calling this fifth title “deeply meaningful” and thanking everyone who supported the event, and specially thanked her team GM Ni Hua, Gm Maxim Matlakov, and WGM Wang Pin. To recognize outstanding contributions to the event, FIDE presented the “Outstanding Organization Award” to both the Shanghai and Chongqing organizing teams, and the “Outstanding Venue Award” to Fuling District. In a symbolic exchange, the Fuling District presented a replica of the championship trophy to FIDE. Ms Dana Reizniece then took to the stage for the final closing speech of the ceremony. The speech started off with congratulations to both the World Champion and Runner-up, thanking them for their strength and fighting spirit, and spectacular match: “Chess is usually played in silence, but the moves spoke volumes – about the strength of the players, their character and determination to show their best, to be the best. Anyone who looked at the games – and I was among them, closely following every single one – has not been disappointed. From the first move to the final handshake, Ju and Tan have captivated us all. While the title goes only to one person, both Ju and Tan have earned the world’s respect. From start to finish, this has been a championship to remember – full of surprising twists and turns, it brought us excitement, intensity and brilliance which has become part of the great history of chess. This match has been a gift to the chess world – and we are all the richer for it. Tan, Ju, thank you – for everything that you have shown in this match; for everything that you have given to chess over the years; and for the hopes and anticipation you have created about your future and the future of our beloved game!” Before officially closing the match, the speech concluded with an important message about women’s chess: “Although the match is over, it marks the beginning of a new chapter for women’s chess. My team and I have made it one of our key goals to improve women’s chess – create more events, increase prize funds and provide more support at every level, to increase the number of women players. We have been successful, but we are not done yet! Events such as this one give us the stimulus to carry on. As we do, given China’s prominent place in the chess world, we hope there will be more events and more support for this game, which, in an ever more uncertain world, enriches us all, builds bridges and opens opportunities for deeper ties and growth.” The ceremony concluded with all dignitaries jointly pressing the “closing button,” signaling the official end of the match. A powerful cultural performance, the Emei Sword Dance, brought the evening to a close, followed by a group photo session and celebratory banquet. As the curtain fell on the 2025 Women’s World Championship, what remained was not just the name of the winner, but the collective memory of a fighting match held across two great
Winners crowned at FIDE World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Rhodes, Greece
The final moves have been made, bringing the FIDE World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Rhodes, Greece, to a close. More than 430 boys and girls from 48 countries competed across Open and Girls categories in the U18, U16, U14, U12, U10, and U8 age groups, in both rapid and blitz formats. After five intense days and a total of 22 rounds—11 each in rapid and blitz—the winners emerged in all 24 tournaments. Medals were awarded to some of the most talented young players in the world. The closing ceremony, held at the Palace Hotel Rhodes, was attended by distinguished guests including Akis Delaportas, Vice Governor of the South Aegean Region; Ozgur Solakoglu, FIDE Technical Delegate; Maria-Anna Stefanini, member of the Greek Chess Federation; and Stamos Karabas, President of the Ippotis Chess Club, along with over 400 participants and their parents. Ksenia Norman (pictured above), the winner of both Rapid and Blitz Under 18 Girls category, shared: “The tournament is at the highest level. The hotel is nice, the judges are professional. Very high result for me, I am very proud of it. I always expect the best from myself and I strive for it… For my next tournaments, I have India Open and Uzbekistan Open… My next goal is to achieve the WIM title. My main goal is to reach 2200 – 2300, and never forget to enjoy the game.” Ergali Suleimen (pictured below), the winner of both Rapid and Blitz Under 18 Open said: “The tournament was great, organization was excellent, and a little break between rounds was great. The emotions are high-sky. The next tournament for me is the Final of Kazakhstan Championship, I will try to continue my great performance. I am now a Fide Master, so my next goal is to try to achieve IM.” Arya Aydogan, the winner of the Blitz Under 14 Girls added: “I would like to thank the organizers for a great tournament. I started the tournament with a loss, but then I pulled myself together and came out on top. My next goal is to achieve the Women’s FIDE Master title and work toward higher titles step by step. When I play chess I am really happy – if you want to play chess, enjoy it and go for success.” Final standings Blitz Under 8 Open: Netrebka, Myron (UKR) Yunker, German (FIDE) Jevglevski, Lev (EST) Under 8 Girls: Bissaliyeva, Alisha (KAZ) Trzcinska, Wiktoria (POL) Volkova, Varvara (FID) Under 10 Open: Anetov, Amirzhan (KAZ) Hoang, Tan Vinh (VIE) Nguyen, Xuan Phuong (VIE) Under 10 Girls: AFM Tran, Hoang Bao An (VIE) WCM Divi, Bijesh (IND) Kiyanna, Parihaar (IND) Under 12 Open: CM Guo, Ethan (USA) Sason, Noam (ISR) Nurakyn, Suleiman (KAZ) Under 12 Girls: WCM Yunker, Alisa Genrietta (FIDE) Gruszecka, Alicja (POL) WCM Sholpanbek, Zhansaya (KAZ) Under 14 Open: IM Dau, Khuong Duy (VIE) CM Duong, Vu Anh (VIE) Singh, Siddharth (USA) Under 14 Girls: WCM Aydogan, Arya (TUR) Tong, Thai Hoang An (VIE) WCM Ejsymont, Blanka (POL) Under 16 Open: IM Uskov, Artem (FIDE) Skembris, Simon Max (GER) Rumyantsev, Semen (FIDE) Under 16 Girls: WFM Kaliakhmet, Elnaz (KAZ) FM Lyutsinger, Iren (FIDE) WFM Khafizova, Diana (FIDE) Under 18 Open: FM Suleimen, Ergali (KAZ) FM Khripachenko, Alexander (FIDE) FM Sapenov, Daniyal (KAZ) Under 18 Girls: WFM Norman, Kseniya (FIDE) WIM Karmanova, Olga (FIDE) Nguyen, Binh Vy (VIE) Complete results: Chess-Results.com Photos: Ippotis Chess Club Rhodes Official website: wcyrb2025.com/
FIDE Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners: Registration continues
Building on the momentum of the Intercontinental Championships, FIDE is proud to announce the inaugural Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners, taking place throughout May 2025. Teams from across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia have already signed up, with more expected to follow, marking another powerful step forward in the Chess for Freedom initiative. The first-ever FIDE Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners will be held in May 2025, with many teams from around the world already registered and additional entries anticipated. Since its inception in May 2021, the FIDE Intercontinental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners have seen four successful editions, including the 2024 edition that featured over 115 teams from 51 countries. The new Continental Championships will host regional competitions across four continents; Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, to crown their respective champions. This event is a significant milestone in FIDE’s continued mission to bring chess into correctional institutions worldwide. As a key element of the Chess for Freedom initiative, the continental format offers incarcerated individuals renewed access to intellectual engagement, personal development, and social reintegration. Event Schedule and Registered Teams (as of now): Africa – May 13, 2025 Malawi (4 teams) Ghana Americas – May 16, 2025 USA (2 teams) Colombia El Salvador (2 teams) Grenada Paraguay Europe – May 20, 2025 Italy (2 teams) Croatia Spain Norway Greece Netherlands Germany Czech Ireland Iceland Asia – May 23, 2025 Mongolia Phillipines Singapore South Australia Team Format & Eligibility Each championship is a team event, open to correctional institutions within their respective continents. Each country may register up to three teams: One team from a male correctional facility One team from a female correctional facility One team from a juvenile correctional facility (under 20 years old) Additional teams may be invited from countries that organize national championships among prisoners. Each team will consist of four players, with an unlimited number of substitutes. All participants must be incarcerated individuals, and anonymity will be maintained in accordance with legal regulations. Tournament Format The tournaments will be played on Chess.com, using a 10-minute + 5-second increment time control. The format – Round Robin or Swiss System – will depend on the number of participating teams. The top two teams in each continental event will advance to the Championship Match (which will be held on the second day) to determine the continental winner. Registration & Key Dates Registration deadline: May 1, 2025 Registration link: Click HERE to register Technical meeting: Week of May 5, 2025 (via Zoom) Correctional institutions must complete the online registration form and confirm their team’s participation via email to Mikhail Korenman (mikhail.korenman@ccsheriff.org). Since its launch in 2021, the Chess for Freedom initiative has introduced chess to correctional institutions around the world, demonstrating its value as a tool for education, personal development, and social reintegration. The introduction of continental-level championships represents a step forward in expanding access to the game, allowing teams from different regions to compete on a larger stage. For full tournament details, please refer to the official event guidelines. Regulations for Continental Online Championships for Prisoners (PDF)