The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships will not be held in Kazakhstan in December as originally planned.

The reason is the new COVID restrictions recently enforced by the government of Kazakhstan, which impose mandatory 7 days quarantine for many potential participants, making their participation impossible.

The list of countries affected by this measure has been expanding over the past few days.

The Government of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh Chess Federation regret the inconveniences caused by this cancellation, and they have expressed their willingness to hold the event next year.

FIDE is urgently examining alternative host cities, and will publish an update towards the end of the week.

Photo: Maksym Kozlenko