The opening ceremony of the fourth and final Cyprus leg of the 2022-2023 Women’s Grand Prix was held this evening at the Hilton Hotel, located in the capital Nicosia. 

The twelve players in the event, authorities, arbiters and officials, enjoyed a one-hour series of traditional dances and musical performances, national anthems, speeches and videos, culminating in a family group photo.

Representing FIDE, President Arkady Dvorkovich, welcomed the players to Nicosia and congratulated them on their participation in the Women’s Grand Prix. At the press conference held minutes before, he stated: “This event is really important for us, and we are very thankful for the continuous support of our sponsor Freedom Holding. This type of tournaments helps our efforts to close the gap between men and women in the last few years, in which we have already had some tangible results, but there is still a long road to go”.

The President of the Cyprus Chess Federation, Criton Tornaritis, took the floor, announcing many new events for next year in Cyprus, for the more than 2000 members, a number which has been increasing as of late.

The General Partner of the event, Freedom Finance Europe, was represented by Freedom Corp CEO Timur Turlov. In his welcoming speech, Turlov was grateful for the opportunity to enjoy so many great players in Cyprus, and he thanked the Cyprus government for their trust and support. 

“A new chapter in the sports history of Cyprus has been written, which will inspire the new generation of players,” were his final words. 

Five-time World Champion and legend of the game Vishy Anand also took part in the ceremony. After confirming with amazement that it was his first time in Cyprus, Anand told an anecdote about his own participation in the qualifying stages of the Candidates Tournament. 

Just before the National Cypriot Dance Company performed one of the country’s traditional dances, the Minister of Justice declared the tournament open, reminding all present that her department also deals with issues of gender equality.  

The first round is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16th, at 3 pm. As per the rules, players representing the same federation must face each other at the start of the event. 

ROUND 1 PAIRINGS

Text: IM Michael Rahal (Nicosia, Cyprus)

Photos: Mark Livshitz

About Freedom Finance Europe 
Freedom Finance Europe, a subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp., is a leading European stockbroker. The company's Freedom24 web and mobile app investment platform provides traders with direct access to 15 global stock exchanges, including NYSE, Nasdaq, LSE, Euronext and others. Freedom Finance Europe is licensed by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with the right to cater clients from EU and EEA countries. The company is rated "B/B" by S&P Global Ratings. Headquartered in Limassol, the company has tied agents and representative offices in Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Vienna, Warsaw, and Athens. 

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