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The first round of the Women’s World Сhampionship took off.

Prior to the start of the first round, the official flag of FIDE was raised in front of the Ugra Chess Academy. This very flag was presented to Ugra Chess Federation President Vassily Filipenko during the closing ceremony of the Chess Olympiad in Batumi. As Khanty-Mansiysk will host the next Chess Olympiad in 2020, for the next two years the flag of FIDE will reside in the capital of Ugra.

“Raising the flag of FIDE symbolizes a countdown to the 2020 Chess Olympiad, which will take place in Khanty-Mansiysk”, said Vassily Filipenko. “Our city hosts the Women’s World Championship for the second time. It is a great honour and responsibility. Ugra has rich history of organizing major international competitions, and not only in chess. I am very happy to see our young students and future chess champions from Ugra attending this ceremony, while today’s champions are getting ready for their battle in the Ugra Chess Academy.”

Varvara Tsaregorodtseva, the 9-year-old student of the Ugra Chess Academy, U9 champion of Ugra among girls, made a symbolic first move in the game between Zhai Mo from China and the Ugra representative Olga Girya.

Upon the end of the official opening ceremony of the FIDE Women’s World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk, Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich answered the questions of the mass media.

The President of FIDE Arkady Dvorkovich told about the importance of Women’s World Championship.

“I’m happy to attend another big chess competition in Khanty-Mansiysk. This is the first tournament in Russia I’m declaring open as FIDE President, and its is also the first “adult” tournament for me in this role as I’ve already opened the world youth championship in Greece. It’s a great honor that Khanty-Mansiysk is holding one of the most important FIDE competitions. The main change about it is that the semi-finalists of this championship, except for the winner, will take part in the Candidates tournament of the next Women’s Championship cycle. This is the main news of the chess world. And we’re counting on the scenario where chess and women’s chess specifically will get more attention of media. On behalf of FIDE, I want to thank the Government of Ugra, the Organizing Committee, and everyone involved in making this tournament happen”.

The Governor of the region Natalia Komarova thanked FIDE for trusting Khanty-Mansiysk to host major chess tournament:

“I want to note that there is no such thing as too many chess tournaments for Ugra. I would like to thank FIDE for their trust in our region. With all the procedures required to get the right to hold an international competition, FIDE keeps choosing Ugra as a host of its events. Thank you for that. We wouldn’t get that kind of trust if we didn’t put so much effort in chess development such as the introduction of “Chess in Schools” program and the increase in the number of chess classes in the region. For example, today one of new chess clubs was opened and the FIDE President saw with his own eyes how such events usually happen here.

When major international tournaments are held in a particular city of the world, the interest of people in this sport increases. According to statistics, our region has the largest number of children attending chess classes. We are proud of our chess players who are members of the national team: Dmitry Jakovenko and Olga Girya, as well as the most titled chess athlete in Russia among disabled Andrei Obodchuk. I hope that together we will cheer for them and support them.

What is so special about the tournament? Just recently the FIDE President has noted that the prize fund of Women’s World Championship cycle would be increased and this is the right decision for women. Our tournament is first in this renovated cycle. Of course, this makes it unique”.

On November 2, the FIDE Women’s World Championship 2018 officially started. The Opening Ceremony of the event was held in the Organ hall of the Concert and theater center “Ugra-Classic”.

Guests and participants had a chance to enjoy fairy-tale organ melodies performed by Elena Kozemirenko before the official part of the ceremony.

The first part of the ceremony started with the presentation of the participating countries. The flags of them all were carried on the stage: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cuba, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. There are 64 athletes from 28 countries playing in the Championship.

Chief Federal Inspector of Ugra Dmitry Kuzmenko and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich appeared on the scene to welcome all the players on a hospitable Ugra land.

Dmitry Kuzmenko read a greeting letter from the President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

“We are proud of the history and wonderful traditions of our national chess school, the names of our famous winners and champions. This is why we are sincerely happy that an event of such magnitude is held in Russia again, in Khanty-Mansiysk, a city which is rightfully famous for its great experience in organizing such high-level sporting events. It won’t be an overstatement to say that this Women’s World Chess Championship has brought together the top chess players of the planet. During the qualifying games, they have already demonstrated their outstanding abilities, played beautiful, exciting games. And, of course, the very format of the tournament requires from the participants exceptional concentration, attention, focus on the result. I am convinced that the Championship will be a spectacular, memorable chess festival and will bring true pleasure to everyone who loves this unique, intellectual sport”, – says the letter of the President of Russia.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich took the floor next:

“On behalf of FIDE, let me greet you in Khanty-Mansiysk, at the Opening Ceremony of the Women’s World Championship 2018. Khanty-Mansiysk is the place where major tournaments have been already held: World Chess Olympiad, World Cup, FIDE Grand Prix legs and many others. I am sure that everyone of you enjoys to play and to be here feeling the hospitality of Siberia and its people and a high-level organization of the tournament. I would like to thank organizers, Government of Ugra and its Governor Natalia Komarova in person, local authorities, the Ugra Chess Federation, media, arbiters, Appeals Committee members, and everyone involved in the Championship, everyone who will help you show your best here. You are the most talented, professional, and beautiful ladies playing chess. Of course, there will be one winner, but I would like to wish good luck and fair play to all of you. I would like you to show your best qualities to the whole world as the tournament will be broadcast online and everyone will see you playing.

I will make sure that in the future the Women’s World Championship cycle will be a standard one, and three semi-finalists except for the winner will qualify for the Candidates Tournament which will determine the challenger for the next World Championship Match with higher prizes and better conditions. I would like to reassure you that we will pay more attention to the women’s chess in the future. So everyone could enjoy chess in all its beauty as it is art, sport, and science. Good luck to everyone!”

After his speech, FIDE President declared the Championship open.

Before the start of the entertaining part of the ceremony the drawing of lots was carried out. Chief Arbiter Igor Bolotinsky invited the top seed of the Women’s World Championship, the reigning world champion Ju Wenjun of China, who picked a black pawn. It means that the players with odd starting numbers will start the first game of the first round with the black pieces.

The procedure of drawing lots was followed by bright and spectacular performances of singers and musicians playing accordion, domra and balalaika. Chamber orchestra “Sibir-brass” played a potpourri of famous melodies of the past.

It is to be reminded that the first round of Championship starts on November 3 in the Ugra Chess Academy.

A press-conference dedicated to the start of The FIDE Women’s World Championship took place on November 2, 2018, in the Regional Information Center “RIC Ugra”. Questions from press were answered by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, President of Ugra Chess Federation Vasily Filipenko, Executive Director of the tournament Valery Radchenko and a participant of the Championship representing Ugra, woman grandmaster Olga  Girya.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich:

“Basing on the previous experience of Khanty-Mansiysk, we are fully confident that this Women’s World Championship will be organized at the highest level and to the highest quality standards for all those involved in it: participants, organizers, journalists. Previous tournaments held here proved this well. More than that, Khanty-Mansiysk got the right to hold two more major chess tournaments in the coming years – the World Cup in 2019 and the World Chess Olympiad in 2020. For FIDE this is an absolute mark of high quality. And for me, as a citizen of Russia, it is, of course, an honor that one of the capitals of Siberia hosts the largest chess forums.

Ugra has been one of the leading chess regions in recent years. Here it is developing faster than in most other regions of Russia: both on a professional level and on a level of children and youth. It is a huge progress. I think it was made with the hepl of local authorities, chess federation and all the enthusiasts who work here for the benefit of chess. Therefore, Ugra deserves our support, attention, and an honor of hosting such major chess tournaments.

In Women World Championship cycle we are moving to the system similar to the World Championship. Next year the Women’s Candidates Tournament will be held and then the Women’s World Championship Match between the current world champion, which will be determined here in Khanty-Mansiysk, and the challenger who will win the Candidates Tournament. And, of course, we are now working with partners and possible organizers on increasing the prize fund. It will be higher than it was before. Its increase will be the result of our work in the next few weeks”.

President of Ugra Chess Federation Vasily Filipenko:

Since the establishment of Ugra Chess Federation in 2005 we have made great progress in developing chess in the region. At the moment about 100 thousand people play chess in Ugra. Of course, not all of them are professionals, the number of professional players is not so big. But I mean those who are engaged in chess in various schools and educational institutions, take part in regional and local chess competitions. In Ugra national and international chess tournaments are held on a regular basis. Besides, both in the men’s and women’s national teams of Russia there are representatives of Ugra. They are Dmitry Jakovenko and Olga Girya. Of course, the dynamics of development is significant: both in terms of quantity and quality. ”

Executive Director of the tournament Valery Radchenko:

The experience gained by Khanty-Mansiysk in hosting international chess tournaments is quite big. If we talk about the peculiarities of holding international tournaments with representatives of different countries and continents we got a great experience while hosting the World Youth Championships U14, U16 and U18 in 2016. It concerns different time zones from which participants arrive, cuisine of different countries and issues of accommodation and communication. The hotel “Olympiyskaya” was modernized for the World Championship, specially for this event we made a special degign of three floors  with the photos of chess players who had already come to Khanty-Mansiysk in previous years. I think they will be pleased to see themselves in the walls of the hotel.

Most of the participants of the championship have been in Khanty-Mansiysk many times. Nevertheless, we will be happy to organize sightseeing tours for them, visits to museums and acquaintance with local traditions and cuisine. A symbolic face-off will be made by the finalists of the tournament at the ice-hockey game between “Ugra” and “Lada” clubs.

In order to attract more public attention to the World Championship, the press service of the tournament together with FIDE launched a big PR campaign, which involved not only famous chess players, but also representatives of other sports. Among them were such famous chess players as Nigel Short, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Susan Polgar, basketball players Sergey Bykov, Lazaros Papadopoulos and Andrei Kirilenko, sabre fencer Sofya Velikaya, athlete Sergey Shubenkov, skier Alexander Legkov, football players Dmitri Sychev and Dmitri Bulykin and many others”.

Woman grandmaster Olga  Girya:

“Knock-out system championship is not a tournament where you can plan with which of the players it will be more difficult or easier to play. Here you need to play well from the very first games. So, first of all, I prepared for my first opponent, Zhai Mo of China. She is a strong chess player who played for her team at the recently concluded Olympiad in Batumi.

The autumn tournament schedule was very tight, but, fortunately, I had 10 free days before the competition. All the players have been waiting for them for a very long time. I was able to rest for a week and prepare for the World Championship”.

The land of Ugra met the participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship with bread and salt.

Early in the morning today the flight from Moscow brought most of the contenders for the chess crown to the capital of Ugra. Among them were sisters Muzychuk, Antoaneta Stefanova, Chinese women’s team led by current world champion Ju Wenjun, Harika Dronavalli from India, Russian Marina Guseva, Natalia Pogonina and Olga Girya from Ugra, as well as many others.

Despite the long night flight, girls felt excited, tasted the traditional food of Ugra and enjoyed folk songs and dances.

“It’s my third time here in Khanty-Mansiysk, – says American chess player Sabina-Francesca Foisor. – I played in 2010 in the Chess Olympiad which was great and then I was here last year for the Women’s World Team Championship. Hopefully third time is a charm I don’t know but I am looking forward to playing here once again. I love people we are always welcomed with, very nice traditional music. Obviously, I am happy to be here again”.

The participants of the World Championship were not disappointed by the cold Siberian weather and snow that covered Khanty-Mansiysk a couple of weeks ago. “It happens. We travel so often and got used to the constant change of climate. As far as I remember this is my fourth or fifth time in Khanty-Mansiysk”, – says Nana Dzagnidze.

The only local among 64 participants of the event is Olga Girya. “The fact that the Women’s World Championship is held in Ugra gives me additional positive motivation. It is always nice to play at home. Luckily before the championship I had a 10-day break between the tournaments. At last! So I managed to have some rest and to work a bit. I feel calmer. In the championship I try not to look ahead. Need to go step by step. For now, the goal is the first round”.

The second part of chess players will arrive in Khanty-Mansiysk on the morning of November 2, and in the evening of the same day, at 19:00, they will all take part in the opening ceremony, where the drawing of lots will take place.

It is to be reminded that the FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship, in which 64 strongest chess players of the world will take part, will be held at the Ugra Chess Academy from November 2 to 23.

The Women’s World Chess Championship will start this week, which means it’s time to guess who will soon become the owner of the chess crown! Will the current champion, Ju Wenjun from China keep this title or will it go to someone else? Which of the participants will be able to reach the semi-finals and be qualified for the Candidates Tournament? Which of our commentators will be the most far-sighted and give the most accurate prediction for the upcoming tournament?

The organizing committee of the Women’s World Chess Championship starts the prediction contest. Test your intuition and knowledge of women’s chess!

The winner will get a unique prize – a chessboard signed by the participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship. Consolation prizes are also prepared for the top-3 prognosticators. It is worth noting that famous chess players, commentators of the tournament, press team and FIDE representatives will also take part in the contest. Let’s see whose prediction will be the most accurate!

Send your prediction

The Women’s World Championship is not only one of the most important events in the chess calendar, but also a very long tournament. That’s why there will be five well-known grandmasters commenting on the games of the championship for our spectators.

We are glad to announce that a former European champion Pavel Tregubov and a two-time Russian champion, three-time winner of World Chess Olympiads Alexander Morozevich will be following the games in the English language at different days.

One of the leading commentators of the world, coach and analyst Sergey Shipov, a former European champion, coach of the Russian national women’s team Evgeniy Najer, and a two-time Ukrainian champion, well-known coach and commentator Evgenij Miroshnichenko will be working for the Russian-speaking audience by turns.

The FIDE Women’s World Championship will be held in Khanty-Mansiysk on November 2-23, 2018. 64 chess players from 28 countries will determine the strongest one according to the knock-out system.

The top seed is the incumbent world champion Ju Wenjun (2561, China). Former world champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (2551, Russia), Mariya Muzychuk (2533, Ukraine), Tan Zhongyi (2527, China), Antoaneta Stefanova (2490, Bulgaria), and Anna Ushenina (2451, Ukraine) are taking part in the event as well. The tournament will also see such chess stars as Humpy Koneru (2557, India), Kateryna Lagno (2556, Russia), Anna Muzychuk (2555, Ukraine), Aleksandra Goryachkina (2536, Russia), Valentina Gunina (2525, Russia) and many others.

There shall be five rounds of matches, comprising two games per round, with the winners progressing to the next round. The 6th (final) round shall be played over four games. If the score is equal after regular games of each match, tie-break games shall be played.

The winner of the final match will be declared Women’s World Champion.

The FIDE Presidential Board members have unanimously supported the proposal of the FIDE President A. Dvorkovich which has been approved by the FIDE Commission on World Championships and Olympiads.

Following the change in the system of the Women’s World Championship, the amendment to the regulations of the Women’s World Championship 2018 has been made: all semi-finalists except for the eventual winner will qualify to the forthcoming Women’s Candidate Tournament of the 2019-2020 cycle.

The venue of FIDE Women’s World Championship is a famous Ugra Chess Academy, a modern building located in the city centre. The Opening Ceremony will take place in the Concert and theatre centre “Ugra-Classic”. Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich are expected to attend the ceremony.

Schedule: November 2 – Players Meeting / Opening Ceremony, November 3-5 – Round 1, November 6-8 – Round 2, November 9-11 – Round 3, November 12-14 – Round 4 (Quarterfinals), November 15-17 – Round 5 (Semi-final), November 18 – Free day, November 19-23 – Round 6 (Final), November 23 – Closing Ceremony.

Prize fund is USD 450,000.

Chief Arbiter is IA Igor Bolotinsky (Russia).

Pairings tree

Regulations

The Opening Ceremony of the FIDE Women’s World Championship will be held in the concert and theater complex “Ugra-Classic” on November’02.

An unforgettable show will be performed by the best singers and musicians of Khanty-Mansiysk. Guests will be greeted by fairy-tale organ melodies performed by Elena Kozemirenko. The program of the Opening Ceremony will include both classical and modern performances that will tell the guests of the city about the traditions, history and culture of Khanty-Mansiysk.

The ceremony will be attended by the governor of Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous region Natalia Komarova and FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich.

On stage the audience will see musicians playing accordion, domra and balalaika, chamber orchestra “Sibir-brass” will play a potpourri of famous melodies of the past while the ensemble “The singers of Ugra” will sing opera.

Khanty-Mansiysk is well-known in the world chess community by its spectacular and bright shows made in the beginning and at the end of every tournament. The organizers of the FIDE Women’s World Championship hope that this tradition will be carried on and guests of the ceremony will be impressed by the show.

Today, on October’17, Assistant to the FIDE President Berik Balgabaev had a working visit to Khanty-Mansiysk. The aim of the visit was to check the readiness of Ugra capital to host the FIDE Women’s World Championship, that will start in Khanty-Mansiysk on November’02’2018.

To host such a big international chess tournament the organizers need to foresee a lot of nuances and peculiarities of this intellectual sport: protocol issues, transportation, catering, accommodation, live broadcast of the games and anti-cheating measures.

Thus, providing catering to the participants of the event the organizers need to keep in mind the religious and cultural peculiarities of different countries. Menu in the hotels shall contain food for vegetarians and dishes without some specific types of meat.

To conduct an event like this 32 electronic boards are needed. Some of them will be taken on lease and delivered to the capital of Ugra from Athens.

It is expected that the opening ceremony of the FIDE Women’s World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk will be attended by the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.

It is to be reminded that the FIDE Women’s World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk will be held on November’02-23. 64 strongest female chess players from all continents will be participating in it.
There are 28 countries in the list: China, Russia, Ukraine, India, Kazakhstan, Spain, Bulgaria, Armenia, Germany, Turkey, Poland, Israel, Great Britain, Hungary, Peru, Cuba, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Iran, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Australia, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa.

The host country will be represented by Anastasia Bodnaruk, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Alisa Galliamova, Kateryna Lagno, Marina Guseva (Nechaeva), Natalija Pogonina, Alina Kashlinskaya, Valentina Gunina, Alexandra Kosteniuk and a player from Ugra Olga Girya.

The opening ceremony will be held on November’02 in the concert and theater center “Ugra-Classic”. Games of the first round will start on November’03. The tournament will take place in Ugra Chess Academy. Closing ceremony of the World Championship is planned on November’23. Then the name of the next Queen of Chess will be announced.

A press conference of FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich was held in RIA Novosti on October 12th. The head of the World Chess Federation told about the FIDE presidential elections in Batumi and answered numerous questions of journalists.

In particular, Dvorkovich shared his opinion about the Women’s World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk and future changes in the Women’s World Championship cycle in general.

“We have started the discussion of the possibility to change the Women’s World Championship Cycle. Now this title belongs to Ju Wenjun of China, she got it this spring. The next Women’s knock-out system tournament will be held in Khanty-Mansiysk in November. Either the same champion will remain or the new one will be announced.

Of course, such a frequent change of world champions does not give this cycle enough credibility and high profile. We promised and we will keep our promise to improve this cycle and to make it similar to Men’s World Championship Cycle. This could be done in 2-year period. I hope in the nearest few weeks we will be ready to announce the specific changed that will be made.

In any case, it will include the Candidate’s tournament and the Women’s World Championship Match. We will announce the exact dates and format a bit later. The forthcoming Women’s World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk will be the beginning of this new cycle. The major decisions about it has already been taken”.

During the press conference, FIDE President determined (by drawing of lots) the starting numbers of the participants of the World Women’s Championship Zhansaya Abdumalik (Kazakhstan) and Nino Batsiashvili (Georgia) as well as Inna Gaponenko (Ukraine) and Marina Guseva (Russia) who have identical ratings and other additional criteria. Abdumalik got number 15, Batsiashvili – 16, Gaponenko – 33, and Guseva – 34.

Arkady Dvorkovich has been elected FIDE President for the coming four years at the World Chess Federation’s General Assembly in Batumi, Georgia. He defeated Georgios Makropoulos with 103 votes to 78 after Nigel Short withdrew his candidacy at the last minute.

It is to be reminded that 3 days ago Dvorkovich had a meeting with the governor of Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug Natalia Komarova. During the meeting they discussed the ways for Ugra and FIDE to develop chess and the World Chess Olympiad that will take place in Khanty-Mansiysk in August 2020.

In Batumi, where the World Chess Olympiad is taking place these days, the host of the next, the 44th chess Olympiad – Ugra had a reception. Many chess players, representatives of FIDE and national chess federations, judges and officials wanted to get acquainted with Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug.

Among the guests were chess legends such as the fifth female world champion in the chess history, the first female international grandmaster, the first female international grandmaster among men Nona Gaprindashvili and Polgár sisters – Judit, Susan and Sofia.

The Governer of Ugra Natalia Komarova greeted everybody attended:

“We welcome participants of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad, colleagues, friends. Thanks to the host for the invitation and hospitality. In Batumi, we presented an expo panel about the accessibility and popularity of chess in Russia and Ugra, showed innovative developments related to the games, told about the 39th World Chess Olympiad held in 2010 in Khanty-Mansiysk.

A month later, Ugra will host the World Women’s Championship, in 2019 – the Chess World Cup, in 2020 – the 44th World Chess Olympiad.

We thank FIDE and the Russian Chess Federation for trusting us and choosing Khanty-Mansiysk as the city of the 44th World Chess Olympiad. In 2020, at the Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, we will do our best to meet all FIDE standards and, I hope, will make this work slightly better than Batumi”.

According to the Georgian tradition, after the Governor of Ugra, the floor was taken by the representative of the hosts of the present Olympiad, the president of the Georgian Chess Federation, the chairman of the organizing committee of the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi Georgi Giorgadze:

“Khanty-Mansiysk is well-known to every chess player, because it holds a huge number of major international chess tournaments. I took part in the World Chess Olympiad in 2010, which also took place in Khanty-Mansiysk, and returned from there with the warmest and kindest memories. I can agree with Natalia Komarova in two points. First, chess is a confrontation, but it never goes beyond the chessboard. We, as organizers, should do everything we can to ensure that it has been and will always be so. Only chess will show who is the best and who is the winner. And secondly, I wholeheartedly wish Khanty-Mansiysk to hold the chess Olympiad even better than we do in Batumi, because everything that we do as organizers is done for chess. Good luck with your hard work! I’ll see you in Khanty-Mansiysk!”

President of the Russian Chess Federation Andrey Filatov admitted that Khanty-Mansiysk can be called the chess capital of Russia:

“I want to say thank you to Khanty-Mansiysk, that is now the chess capital of Russia. This is one of the few cities in the world that will host the World Chess Olympiad for the second time. It is a great honor for the Russian Chess Federation. We are grateful to FIDE for the fact that our country is given such an opportunity. As you know, Russia perfectly conducts sports events, such as the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and the FIFA World Cup. I am sure that the chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk will be held at the same level!”

The fifth female world champion Nona Gaprindashvili talked about the Siberian hospitality of Khanty-Mansiysk and its inhabitants:

“Of course, the Olympiad is always a struggle, competition, sport. But beyond that, it’s friendship, respect and a warm relationship. I think this is the most important thing. Years are flying fast, Khanty-Mansiysk will host the World Chess Olympiad in just two years. I’ve already been to Ugra and I know how hospitable are the people living there. I wish you luck in doing of this difficult, but honorable work!”

It is to be reminded that the 44th World Chess Olympiad will be held in Khanty-Mansiysk in August 2020.

The delegation of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, led by the governor Natalia Komarova, visited the World Chess Olympiad, which is currently taking place in Batumi, Georgia. On a trip, the head of Ugra is accompanied by Deputy Governor Yuri Yuzhakov, President of the Ugra Chess Federation Vasily Filipenko, Director of UgraMegaSport Valery Radchenko and other members of the Organizing Committee of the Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk.

Upon arrival at the Sport Palace of Batumi, where the matches of the main chess tournament of the biennium take place, Natalia Komarova first went to the playing hall to watch the games of the world’s strongest chess players, including Russian men’s and women’s teams, that include two representatives of Ugra – Dmitry Jakovenko and Olga Girya.

After visiting the playing hall, the head of the region attended the exposition of Ugra – host of the next, 44th World Chess Olympiad. The stand of the region shows the history and traditions of the Ugra land, the high popularity of chess in Russia and Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra. The expo panel of Ugra attracts much attention of the international chess community due to original decorations, colorful national costumes, use of modern multimedia equipment that allows to make a virtual trip through Khanty-Mansiysk.

“We are certainly grateful to FIDE for trusting us,” – the head of the region said. – “This is a worldwide organization that unites chess players around the world, which trusts Khanty-Mansiysk to conduct various competitions. We do not ponder why. I believe, because we love chess and create conditions for chess to love the whole Ugra people. You know that our teaching of chess is included in the compulsory educational program, and for the 2016-2017 school year more than 110,000 schoolchildren have passed through these programs. It is a universal understanding that chess is a platform where you can develop yourself, achieve success and the opportunity to tell the world about yourself, including the place where we live – about Khanty-Mansiysk, Ugra, about Russia. Of course, this motivates us to unite and offer our capabilities to FIDE so that various events and competitions are held in our country and in Ugra.”

The head of the region also had a chance to talk to the organizers of the Olympiad in Batumi, FIDE officials, representatives of chess federations of different countries, arbiters, commentators, players and journalists covering the tournament. Everyone wanted to know more about the region where the next Olympiad will take place. Thus, the sixth World Chess Champion Maia Chiburdanidze admitted that she had never been to Khanty-Mansiysk. The legendary chess player was surprised when Natalia Komarova informed her that it is possible to reach the capital of Ugra by plane from Moscow in just three hours, because in the eyes of many foreigners, Western Siberia is a remote and hard-to-reach land.

It should be noted that the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi has a record number of participating countries. Representatives of 189 countries from all over the world are fighting for victory in it.

The governor admitted that the rich experience of Ugra in conducting chess competitions of the highest level does not mean that the organizers do not need to adopt the experience of other organizing committees and host countries. “We have arrived to Batumi so that the experience that the organizers have developed here is used in Khanty-Mansiysk. This is a very useful meeting, because if you organize some kind of competition, you should definitely know what has already been done to move on. We know what needs to be done in Khanty-Mansiysk to move forward and to conduct the best possible event.”

It should be noted that, in addition to the 2020 Olympics, two more major tournaments will be held in the next two years in Khanty-Mansiysk: the FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship in November 2018, and the FIDE World Cup in 2019.

This Sunday, March 23, in the vicinity of Batumi at the stadium “Black Sea Arena” the opening ceremony of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad took place. Participants and guests were greeted by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and other officials.

Besides the main games of the Olympiad that attracted players from 189 countries, the program of the event includes tournaments for amateurs, exhibitions and presentations. In particular, the host of the next, 44th World Chess Olympiad – Ugra, presented its expo panel at the tournament. Many chess players, participants, organizers and representatives of FIDE from different countries wanted to become acquainted with the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug ahead of schedule.

For instance the panel was visited by the FIDE President Candidate Arkady Dvorkovich, the fifth female world champion in the chess’ history, the first female international grandmaster, the first female international grandmaster among men Nona Gaprindashvili and the sixth female world champion, nine-times winner of the Chess Olympian Maia Chiburdanidze.

The Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova will join the delegation later. As a part of the closing ceremony there will be the handover of the FIDE flag to the next Olympiad host – Khanty-Mansiysk.

The right to host the Olympiad was given to Khanty-Mansiysk in Baku in September 2016. The participants of the General Assembly of FIDE unanimously voted for the candidacy of the Ugra capital. It should be noted that in addition to the 2020 Olympiad, in the next couple of years Khanty-Mansiysk will host two more major tournaments: the Women’s World Chess Championship, which will be held in November 2018, and the World Cup in 2019.

The 43^rd World Chess Olympiad has been taking place in Batumi (Georgia) from September 23 to October 6. Men’s team of Russia represented by Vladimir Kramnik, Ian Nepomnyashchiy, Sergey Karyakin, Nikita Vitiugov and a player from Ugra Dmitry Jakovenko, has the second starting number. The first place belongs to USA team, the reigning champion of Chess Olympiad. The main rivals of our chess players are teams of China, India, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, France, Armenia, Great Britain and Israel. Meanwhile the Russian chess players top the rating list of the women’s tournament. Team Russia is represented by Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandra Goryachkina, Valentina Gunina, Natalia Pogonina and Ugra chess player Olga Girya. Their main competitors are teams of China, Georgia, Ukraine, India, France, Poland and Kazakhstan.

Recently the first round of the 43^rd World Chess Olympiad has ended. In men’s tournament team Russia won the match against team Uganda with a shutout. During the second round team Russia will face Ireland. Women’s team Russia defeated Costa Rica with a score 3,5:0,5. Valentina Gunina, Natalia Pogonina and Olga Girya won, Alexandra Goryachkina had a draw.

Photo: David Llada, Goga Chanadiri