The 2025 FIDE calendar kicks off with the third leg of the Women’s Grand Prix, hosted in the beautiful setting of Monaco. Renowned as a global hub for women’s chess, Monaco recently staged the European Women’s Rapid and Blitz Championship, further solidifying its status as a top chess destination. This luxurious venue sets the stage for an elite competition, as ten of the world’s strongest female chess players battle for crucial Grand Prix points.

Venue 

The tournament will take place at the Novotel Hotel Monte Carlo. Ideally located in the heart of Monaco, near iconic landmarks, this Green Key-certified venue is the perfect setting for this prestigious chess event. 

Photo: https://all.accor.com/

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.

Participants

Aleksandra Goryachkina
Goryachkina enters Monaco riding high after her dominant performance in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, where she won the second leg of the Grand Prix with an undefeated run, earning 130 Grand Prix points.

Kateryna Lagno
Lagno, a consistent force in the Women’s Grand Prix series, will compete in her second leg of the 2024-25 cycle after Shymkent. As the winner of the first leg of the 2022–23 series, she remains a formidable contender.

Bibisara Assaubayeva
Bibisara has excelled in her Grand Prix debut, finishing second in Tbilisi and third in Shymkent. Leading the standings with 182.5 points, she has her final opportunity to secure additional points, as players participate in only three of the six legs. With her strong form, she is undoubtedly one to watch.

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh
Sara, another debutant in the 2024–25 series, replaces Ju Wenjun, who opted not to participate. While her first leg in Tbilisi didn’t go as planned, she recently claimed silver at the European Women’s Rapid Championship in Monaco, a result that could boost her confidence on familiar ground. 

Harika Dronavalli 
Making her first appearance in this series, Harika enters fresh off her triumph as a member of the gold-medal-winning Women’s Olympiad team. A consistent performer in past Grand Prix cycles, she is expected to put in another strong performance in Monaco.

Humpy Koneru
Humpy delivered a mixed performance in Shymkent, finishing fifth despite a strong start. However, she capped off 2024 by winning the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship, a significant boost to her confidence ahead of Monaco.

Elisabeth Paehtz
A veteran of the Women’s Grand Prix, Paehtz is participating in her third consecutive series. She previously competed in the Shymkent leg and continues to be a steady presence among the women’s elite.

Tan Zhongyi
Former World Champion Tan Zhongyi had a stellar 2024, beginning with her victory in the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament. In Shymkent, she narrowly missed out on first place, finishing just behind Goryachkina.

Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Munguntuul earned her spot in this series with a standout performance at the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss. Monaco marks her second leg after a challenging outing in Shymkent.

Alexandra Kosteniuk
The former World Champion is playing her second leg in this cycle after competing in Tbilisi. Recently, she won bronze at the European Women’s Blitz Championship in Monaco, showing she is still a force to be reckoned with.

2024–25 Women’s Grand Prix Schedule:

Tbilisi, Georgia: August 14-25, 2024

Shymkent, Kazakhstan: October 29 – November 9, 2024

Monaco: February 17-28, 2025

Cyprus: March 14-25, 2025

India: April 13-24, 2025

Austria: May 6-17, 2025

The third leg of the Women’s Grand Prix in Monaco is set to deliver world-class chess as the strongest female players compete. With crucial Grand Prix points and qualification spots for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament at stake, the tournament is set to showcase the very best of competitive chess in a stunning venue. 

For all the information, visit the official website.

You can also follow the games live and watch the action with our wonderful commentators GM Alojzije Jankovic & IM Almira Skripchenko on YouTube.