Nikolay Noritsyn and Li Yunshan win 2025 Canadian Championship
From left to right: WFM Morgen Mills, WIM Svitlana Demchenko, WIM Li Yunshan, IM Nikolay Noritsyn, GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, GM Razvan Preotu IM Nikolay Noritsyn and WIM Li Yunshan have been crowned the 2025 Canadian Chess Champions, claiming their third and maiden national titles, respectively. The 89th Canadian Chess Championship and the 22nd Canadian Women’s Chess Championship—both 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control—were held simultaneously from April 17–22 in Toronto, Ontario. The competition featured 90 of Canada’s strongest players, hailing from nine provinces. The lineup included three Grandmasters, 13 International Masters, and three Woman International Masters. FM Tymur Keleberda (pictured above, left) led the tournament with a perfect 4/4 after four rounds. He then drew with GM Bator Sambuev in round 5, setting up a key round-6 clash with IM Nikolay Noritsyn (pictured above, right). Noritsyn won this pivotal game to emerge as the sole leader after round 6. He maintained his half-point advantage through the final rounds, finishing in clear first with 7.5/9 to secure the national title. The champion remained unbeaten, scoring six wins and three draws. GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, the other undefeated competitor, finished half a point behind in second place. GM Razvan Preotu and IM Raymond Kaufman tied for third with 6.5/9, with Preotu taking bronze thanks to a superior Buchholz tiebreak score. 89th Canadian Chess Championship final standings In the women’s event, WCM Ashley Qian started strong with a perfect 5/5. She then drew with top seed WIM Li Yunshan (pictured above, left) in round 6, maintaining a half-point lead. Alongside these two, WIM Svitlana Demchenko (pictured above, right) and WFM Morgen Mills consistently ranked in the top four from round 4 through the final round. Demchenko entered the last round with a half-point lead, but lost to Li, while Mills defeated WFM Oksana Golubeva resulting in a three-way tie for Li, Demchenko, and Mills, all on 7/9. Li clinched gold based on her superior Buchholz Cut 1 tiebreak score while Demchenko edged out Mills on the second Buchholz tiebreak to claim silver. 22nd Canadian Women’s Chess Championship final standings Written by FA Heidi Gay / Annex Chess Club Photos: Derek Ma / Annex Chess Club and John Upper / Chess Federation of Canada
Baku Open 2025 commences in the capital of Azerbaijan
The Baku Open 2025 international festival, a prestigious event celebrating the game of chess and the rise of Azerbaijani talent, kicked off on April 28 at the Baku Crystal Hall. The festival features three tournament sections (A, B, and C)—all 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control—and has brought together nearly 700 players representing 16 national federations. The total prize fund for the festival is $55,000, with $12,000 awarded to the winner of Tournament A. The opening ceremony of the Baku Open 2025, jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, was attended by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, two-time Women’s World Champion and FIDE Treasurer Zhu Chen, President of the Turkish Chess Federation Fethi Apaydın, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Mahir Mammadov, Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov, and other distinguished guests. During the event, the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and the Turkish Chess Federation officially signed a cooperation agreement. The signing ceremony was attended by Azerbaijan Chess Federation President Mahir Mammadov, Turkish Chess Federation President Fethi Apaydın, and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. Under the agreement, the two federations will collaborate on various initiatives to promote the development of chess. The partnership includes joint training camps for national teams, referee training programs, and the launch of several chess development projects. The program of Baku Open 2025 includes several exciting side events, including the Battle of Champions competition and masterclasses by leading chess players. In the Battle of Champions, Azerbaijani champion Rauf Mammadov faces former FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan), while Azerbaijani Women’s Champion Gunay Mammadzada competes against former World and European Champion Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria). The winners will be determined based on the combined results of rapid and blitz games. The opening ceremony of the Battle of Champions was held at the National Carpet Museum on April 28. In her speech, Museum Director Amina Malikova (pictured above) explained the choice of venue: “For the first time in our museum’s history, an international chess tournament is being held. We know that chess is always regarded as a symbol of high intelligence. I hope that the carpets you see here will have a positive impact on our chess players.” Mahir Mammadov, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, wished the players success and praised the regular organization of such tournaments as a highly positive development. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who attended the ceremony, highlighted the unity of culture and sport: “We see the union of chess and culture in one place. Dear chess players, I am sure you will enjoy playing here and will also inspire the artists.” Following the ceremony, Mammadov presented a souvenir to FIDE President. A drawing of colors then took place, and the competition began. After three rapid games in both matches, the Azerbaijani players seized a 2–1 lead. On April 27, former Women’s World and European Champion Antoaneta Stefanova conducted a masterclass for young Azerbaijani players. The session, attended by 20 young chess enthusiasts, featured Stefanova sharing insights into her journey, career highlights, chess openings, strategic concepts, and an interactive Q&A session. At the end of the masterclass, all participants received certificates and special gifts. The Azerbaijan Chess Federation continues to organize diverse initiatives and events aimed at nurturing a love for chess among youth and promoting their healthy development. Photos: Azerbaijan Chess Federation