Latest news with #FIDEWomen'sGrandPrix
Gulf Today
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Stage set for 8th Sharjah Chess Masters C'ship
The prestigious 8th Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship is set to take place from Saturday to May 26. To be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, this highly anticipated event once again positions Sharjah as a key global hub for competitive chess. This year's championship will feature a remarkable turnout of 350 players representing 60 countries, highlighting the event's strong international appeal and diverse competitive field. Participants range from rising stars and national champions to seasoned grandmasters, all competing for top honors and valuable FIDE rating points. Sheikh Dr. Khaled bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club and President of the Arab Chess Federation, emphasized the tournament's significant global importance, particularly as it is officially accredited by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). He noted that participants earn valuable points toward qualification for the Chess World Cup, which has greatly encouraged player participation. The registration process saw exceptionally high demand. He added, 'Initially, we expected around 260 players to participate, but due to the overwhelming turnout, we increased the number of participants. Even so, the waiting list remains very large. The presence of numerous titled players in the tournament enhances its competitive level and elevates its international prestige.' The top seed is World No. 6, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov. He is joined by fellow 2700+ rated grandmasters GM Anish Giri and GM Parham Maghsoodloo. The field also includes fifteen players rated above 2600, such as GM Sam Sevian, GM Amin Tabatabaei, European champion GM Aleksandar Indjic, local favorite GM Salem Saleh, GM Leon Luke Mendonca, and GM Niko Theodorou. Rounding out the lineup are another 60 highly skilled and promising players, including GM Zhu Jiner—who recently dominated the FIDE Women's Grand Prix—rising star IM Faustino Oro, US prodigy GM Andy Woodward, and last year's Sharjah Challengers champion, IM Divya Deshmukh. Grandmaster Salem Abdulrahman, a member of the UAE national chess team and a player for the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, will lead the UAE contingent in the tournament, which will see full participation from the national team. Among them are Woman Grandmaster Rouda Al Serkal, Arab Champion and player for the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club and the national team, as well as Omar Nouman, Omran Al Hosani, Ibrahim Sultan, and several other national team members. Additionally, a large number of players from chess clubs across the UAE will take part in the event. The organizing committee of the Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship, also increased in the prize fund for the tournament's eighth edition. This year's edition will feature a total prize pool of $75,000. Tournament Director Abdullah Murad Al Mazmi explained that the prize increase was prompted by the introduction of three competitive divisions: the main event for players rated above 2500, a second division for those rated below 2500, and a third division for players rated around 1400. Ensuring fairness and smooth conduct throughout the championship is a panel of 15 internationally accredited arbiters, led by FIDE official Faisal Al Hammadi in his role as Head Arbiter. He will be supported by Deputy Arbiter Salman Al Taher, both renowned for their expertise and dedication to upholding the highest standards of chess officiating.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
India Chess Wrap, May 14: Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh see contrasting fortunes; Nihal jumps to fourth
R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh played out draws in Round 7 of the Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Chess Classic in Romania. However, their standings tell different stories. Praggnanandhaa currently shares the lead with three others on four points, placing him in a strong joint-fourth position. In contrast, Gukesh is yet to score, marking a surprising dip in form following his triumph over Ding Liren in the World Championship. Meanwhile, at the Asian Individual Chess Championships, Nihal Sarin made a significant leap from tenth to fourth place after an impressive Round 8 victory over S.P. Sethuraman. ALSO READ | 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships: Dates, format, prize money and key changes Demonstrating precise calculation and sustained pressure, Nihal converted a promising middlegame into a comfortable win. He now shares second place with Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna on six points, firmly positioning himself in contention as the tournament enters its final rounds. Vaishali draws with Tan In the ongoing FIDE Women's Grand Prix, R Vaishali had a chance to move to the top of the standings in her Round 8 game against World Championship runner-up Tan Zhongyi, but instead settled for a solid draw. She now sits in fourth place, just one point behind Anna Muzychuk, who leads with 5.5 points. Vaishali chose a safe approach with the Ruy Lopez opening and developed her pieces steadily. Tan responded with some sharp kingside play, but Vaishali stayed calm and defended accurately. As the match moved into the middlegame, the positions became simpler. By move 35, queens and several other pieces were off the board, leaving both players with just rooks and pawns. The endgame was balanced, with no clear winning chances for either side. Tan looked for opportunities with her rook, but Vaishali held firm. After a series of repeated moves, the game ended in a draw. It was a well-played encounter with smart decisions and solid play from both sides. Tan is currently third with 5 points. The final round will be played on May 15.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Vaishali makes early gains; Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa remain winless
FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2024–2025 Vaishali R continues to lead with 2.5 points after the third day, remaining unbeaten with two victories and a draw. World Championship runner-up Tan Zhongyi follows in second place with 2 points. The Grosslobming FIDE Women's Grand Prix is the final event in the six-tournament 2024–2025 Women's Grand Prix cycle, which serves as one of the qualification routes for the next Women's Candidates Tournament. The event follows a 10-player single round-robin format. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move one. Players earn Grand Prix points based on their final standings. The prize fund is €80,000. Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025 D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa are yet to score a win, having had to settle for two draws each. Alireza Firouzja currently leads with 1.5 points. The Superbet Classic Romania is the second leg of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour and one of its two classical-format events. It follows a single round-robin structure, with a time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, plus a 30-second increment from the first move. The total prize fund is $350,000. Asian Individual Chess Championships 2025 Following the second day's play, Ilamparthi A R shares the lead with 2 points, tied with fellow Indians Karthikeyan Murali, P Iniyan, M Pranesh, and Prraneeth Vuppala. The next round is scheduled for May 9 at 4 a.m. PDT. The 2025 Asian Chess Championships crown the Asian champions and act as a qualification pathway for the 2025 FIDE World Cup. Over 200 players are registered for this nine-round Swiss event. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move from the start. With a prize fund of $80,000, the top 10 players in the Open section and the top two in the Women's section will qualify for the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women's World Cup, respectively.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Indian Chess Wrap, May 10: Praggnanandhaa in joint lead at Superbet Classic, Gukesh loses to Vachier-Lagrave
Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025 World Champion D. Gukesh lost to France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the fourth round of the Superbet Classic in Romania on Saturday. The other Indian in the competition, R. Praggnanandhaa settled for a draw against Deac Bogdan-Daniel. At the end of four rounds, he had 2.5 points, putting him in the joint-lead Fabian Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave. Gukesh played with the black pieces and his opponent gained advantage through the middle game after a Scottish opening. Vachier-Lagrave managed to weaken Gukesh's queenside and forced a resignation in 31 moves. Gukesh was winless and in eighth place with 1.5 points at the end of the fourth round. Asian Individual Chess Championships 2025 Indian GrandMasters Murali Karthikeyan and P Iniyan were in joint-lead on 3.5 points with Iranian Bardiya Daneshvar after the end of the fourth round at the Asian Continental Chess Championship in Al Ain on Saturday. Karthikeyan defeated Iran's Sina Mohaved while Iniyan got the better of Meng Yihan. Pranav Anand held top seed Nihal Sarin to a draw. Sarin had three points after the result. In the women's section, Srija Sheshadri was the best performing Indian with 3.5 points. FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2024–2025 R. Vaishali lost to China's Zhu Jiner on Saturday at the FIDE Women's Grand Prix in Austria. The Indian opted for the Sicilian defense against the King's Pawn opening by Zhu. The contest eventually moved to the French variation after Vaishali opted for e6 against Zhu's Nf3. The game moved towards a Rook-and-pawn end game, and the Chinese's advanced pawns on the a and f files eventually forced a resignation in 59 moves. The result meant Vaishali conceded her lead, and was joint-second at three points. Ukraine's Anna Muzychuk was leading with four points from as many rounds.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Koneru Humpy wins FIDE Women's Grand Prix chess meet
Koneru Humpy (Image credit: X) Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy clinched the FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2024-25 (Pune leg) title on Wednesday, edging out China's Zhu Jiner on superior tie-breaks after both players finished with identical scores. Humpy secured victory in her final round by defeating Bulgaria's Nurgyul Salimova, ending the tournament with seven points. Zhu Jiner also notched up a win against Russia's Polina Shuvalova in her last game to match Humpy's tally. 'Humpy Koneru and Zhu Jiner both won their final round games and ended the FIDE Women's Grand Prix tied for first, but it's Humpy who takes the top spot thanks to superior tiebreaks!' FIDE posted on 'X'. The day before, Humpy and Zhu were tied at six points each after the penultimate round. Humpy managed to hold Alina Kashlinskaya to a draw in a tense game, while Zhu defeated India's Divya Deshmukh in a sharp tactical contest. In other final-round results, India's R Vaishali was held to a draw by Georgia's Salome Melia, while Divya Deshmukh also drew her game against Poland's top-ranked player Alina Kashlinskaya. Dronavalli Harika shared the point with Mongolia's Munguntuul Batkhuyag in her final round clash. Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India , including match schedules , team squads , points table and IPL live score for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap .
