The first of four legs of the 2019-20 FIDE Women Grand Prix (WGP) kicked off in Skolkovo, Russia. The participation of the current world women’s champion GM Ju Wenjun and the Challenger GM Aleksandra Goryachkina makes the tournament even more interesting.
The opening ceremony was held at the MATREX Center, the venue for the tournament that will stretch over two weeks (September 10-23). The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes to the end of the game, plus a 30-second increment from move one. No draw offers are allowed before move 30. The games start every day at 3 pm (Moscow time). The rest day is scheduled for or September 17. The prize fund amounts to 80,000 Euros, with 15,000 Euros and 160 Grand Prix points for the winner.
General Director of Magnit Company Jan Dunning and FIDE President Vladimir Dvorkovich made speeches in front of the participants and guests.
Jan Dunning: “Planning, taking decisions and strategy – Chess looks a lot like a business. Supporting chess, getting initiative from our employees to start playing this game. Potentially we might invite out employees to the championship, who knows, because18% from 3,000 are women at work. Let the best one win.
Arkady Dvorkovich: “The first series of Grand Prix is very important for us. We start the tournament after a long time of non-existence. Hopefully, all participants will show their best and also to show the beauty of chess and bring intellectual satisfaction to all chess lovers in the world. We will continue to focus on the development of women chess. We are looking forward World championship in January next year, which will be held in Shanghai and Vladivostok. Let me assure you that here in Skolkovo you will see the best possible hospitality. I wish you all success, fair play and yes let’s best win. Gens Una Sumus.”
Women’s FIDE Grand Prix Series 2019-2020 consist of four Women’ Grand Prix tournaments held over two years (2019-20)
Sixteen players compete in four WGP tournaments. Each of the sixteen players participate in three (3) out of four WGP tournaments. Each WGP tournament is played with twelve (12) players round-robin.
In each WGP tournament, every player scores WGP points according to her position in the final standings; the winner of WGP Series is a player who scores the greatest number of cumulative points earned in all three WGP tournaments she participated. Two players who score the most number of cumulative points in WGP Series qualify to the FIDE Women Candidates Tournament to be held in the first half of 2021.
Official website: https://wgp2019.fide.com
