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The Tolerance Games – Asian Chess Women’s Contest

Empowering Women and Promoting Tolerance Through Chess

On February 5-6, 2025, Abu Dhabi hosted the Tolerance Games – Asian Chess Women’s Contest. Co-organized by the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, the International Chess Federation (FIDE), and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF), this event brought together players and speakers to celebrate how chess promotes inclusivity, empowerment, and coexistence. In photo are, from left, H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, IA Abdulrahim Mahdi, Dana Reizniece  (FIDE Deputy Chair of the Management Board and Women Grandmaster) and Asian Chess Federation General Secretary Hisham Al Taher.

One of the biggest highlights was the Little Chess Star tournament, a special competition designed to promote young female talent, organised by the Asian Chess Federation, FIDE, the FIDE Trainers Commission (TRG), and our Commission – FIDE Commission for Women in Chess (WOM).

Dana Reizniece giving a speech during the Leadership Workshop: Women and Chess – Promoting Tolerance & Women Empowerment.

A Grand Opening Ceremony

The event was officially opened by H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, who launched the Global Tolerance and Human Fraternity Summit and announced the start of the Tolerance Games – Asian Chess Women’s Contest, a now well-established tradition. After the opening, distinguished guests, including H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan (President of ACF), Mr. Hisham Al Taher (General Secretary of ACF), and Mrs. Dana Reizniece (FIDE Deputy Chair of the Management Board and Women Grandmaster), joined the ceremonial first move of the Little Chess Star tournament.

Little Chess Star: A Stage for Future Champions

We are very glad that the Little Chess Star tournament took place as well as part of this fantastic event. We organise Little Star series worldwide to support young talented girls passionate about chess, putting them in the spotlight to inspire and motivate them.

The total prize fund for the Little Chess Star tournament was a whopping AED 21,000 (over 5700 USD!), with the first-place winner taking home AED 7,000 – which is likely one of the biggest ever prize funds for girl’s chess tournament!

The format included two qualification rounds followed by a final match to determine the winner. Along with cash prizes, the top three players received trophies and certificates, recognizing their talent and dedication to the game.

In this event eight promising chess talents (born in 2013 or later) were selected by the Asian Chess Federation, FIDE, the FIDE Trainers Commission (TRG), and our Commission – FIDE Commission for Women in Chess (WOM).

Leadership Workshop: Women and Chess – Promoting Tolerance & Women Empowerment

Beyond the competition, the event focused on empowerment through the workshop Women and Chess – Promoting Tolerance & Women Empowerment. This engaging session featured keynote speakers who explored how chess can be a tool for gender equality and personal growth:

  • Dana Reizniece – Women’s Chess Grandmaster, politician, and FIDE Deputy Chair of the Management Board.
  • Gulmira Dauletova – Women’s Chess Grandmaster, member of the FIDE Commission for Women in Chess, and Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
  • Lou Zhou – Founder of Vanquour Wealth Management.

 

Speakers shared personal experiences, discussed challenges in the chess world, and highlighted how the game can inspire confidence, wider understanding of the world around us and give us great tools in life.

More Chess Action and Learning

Alongside the main events, the tournament featured an Open Asian Women Blitz Chess Tournament, where 100 women players competed in an exciting seven-round blitz event (3+2 time control). The competition was fast-paced, thrilling, and full of great moments.

A simultaneous exhibition with women grandmasters was another chance for all present chess lovers to enjoy chess in a unique way. Not everyday you get a chance to challenge top female players!

For those new to the game, the Learn to Play in One Hour session provided an easy and fun introduction to chess, helping parents and guests appreciate the beauty of the game.

A Celebration of Women, Chess, and Tolerance

The Tolerance Games – Asian Chess Women’s Contest is an important and empowering event. Like every year, event not only provided a stage for young talents but also emphasized the role of women in chess and how the game promotes values of tolerance and coexistence.

With such strong support for women in chess, this event continues to pave the way for future generations, proving that chess is a game for everyone, regardless of age, background, or gender.

Shanghai and Chongqing to host 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match

World Championship Matches are the pinnacle of chess, and this year we will witness the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship, featuring a highly anticipated rematch between two of China’s top Grandmasters: the reigning Champion, Ju Wenjun, and the Challenger, Tan Zhongyi. With regulations set to be finalized soon, here is all the information you need to know about what the match entails.

The Match

The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship match between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi will follow a 12-game format. The first player to score 6.5 points will be declared the winner.

The time control for each game is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1.

If the match is tied at 6-6 after all 12 games, a tiebreak will determine the champion. The tiebreak procedure typically involves a series of rapid and, if necessary, blitz games to ensure a decisive outcome.

The Players

JU WENJUN

Ju Wenjun has been a dominant force in women’s chess, achieving numerous accolades throughout her career. She first claimed the Women’s World Chess Championship title in 2018 by defeating Tan Zhongyi by a score of 5½–4½. Later that year, she retained her title by winning the 64-player knockout tournament. Ju successfully defended her crown twice more: in 2020 against Aleksandra Goryachkina and in 2023 against Lei Tingjie.


Photo: Lennart Ootes

Her versatility is further highlighted by her victories in the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship in 2017 and 2018, and the Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship in 2024. As a key member of the Chinese national women’s chess team, Ju contributed to gold medal victories in the 2016 and 2018 Chess Olympiads, as well as the Women’s World Team Chess Championships in 2009 and 2011.

TAN ZHONGYI

Tan Zhongyi has been a prominent figure in the chess world for over a decade. She began her chess journey at a young age, securing multiple youth titles, which laid a strong foundation for her future in the women’s elite. In 2017, Tan won the Women’s World Chess Championship, defeating GM Anna Muzychuk in rapid tiebreaks. She relinquished the title to Ju Wenjun in 2018 but continued to amass accolades, including winning the Women’s World Rapid Championship in 2022 and the Cairns Cup in 2024. She earned her spot in the 2025 championship by triumphing in the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024 with a dominant performance.


Photo: Michal Walusza

She is a five-time national champion, winning the titles in 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Tan was also part of the 2016 gold-winning Olympiad team, where she also won an individual gold medal for board 4.

This upcoming match between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi is a testament to China’s dominance in women’s chess. Both players have demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, making this championship a highly anticipated event in the chess community.

Schedule and Venues

The title match is scheduled to take place from April 1 to 23, 2025, across two Chinese cities: Shanghai and Chongqing.

Shanghai, the hometown of Ju Wenjun, is a global financial hub with a rich history of hosting international chess events. The city boasts several active chess clubs, including Chess in Shanghai, which organizes weekly tournaments and has been a cornerstone for chess players in the area. The Shanghai Chess League also contributes to the city’s vibrant chess scene by hosting regular competitions. Shanghai provides an ideal setting to commence the championship, and will host the first 6 games of the match.

Chongqing, Tan Zhongyi’s hometown, offers a contrasting yet complementary backdrop to Shanghai. The city has gained recognition for its contributions to the chess community, having hosted significant tournaments such as the 2023 FIDE Women’s Candidates Final. Chongqing is a major center for chess in China, with numerous clubs and academies fostering talent and promoting the game. This makes it a fitting venue for the championship’s conclusion, celebrating the city’s growing prominence in the chess world.

The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship Match not only promises a thrilling contest between two of the world’s best female chess players but also serves as a celebration of chess’s rich cultural heritage in China. Fans worldwide eagerly await this clash of titans, anticipating games that will be analyzed and remembered for years to come.

From Shanghai and Chongqing to host 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match

Begonia Open Chess Tournament 8-10 March 2025 in Ballarat, Australia

To all chess players

The 59th Begonia Open Chess Tournament is now only a few weeks away. It will be held from 8th to 10th March 2025 at Ballarat Tech School situated at 136 Albert Street in Ballarat, Australia.

A reminder to anyone who has not entered yet, that the early bird discount entry fee expires on 21st February. After that date entries are still possible up to Thursday 6th March, but they will be $20 per player more expensive. Leaving it until closer to the event to enter can also be risky since there is a maximum number of entries of 250 players.

We have received entries from over 100 players to date, so we are expecting a large field, possibly close to last year’s record entry of 224 players. We are very pleased to confirm that Grand Masters Zong-Yuan Zhao and Darryl Johansen will be competing along with a number of strong International Masters.

I have attached a flyer and an information sheet and invite you to participate. Entries and payments can be completed online via the TryBooking link . This is the only way which you may enter the tournament. Further current and historic information about the event can be found on the tournament website at www.begoniaopen.com . Entries can be followed at the ‘Pairings and Results’ tab on the website as well as the pairings and results for each round during the tournament.

Again, this year Box Hill Chess Club are generously adding to the prize pool by sponsoring special prizes of $200 each for the top scoring adult, top scoring female and top scoring junior players who are members of that club and who do not win another prize. We appreciate their support for our event.

Due to the number of entries exceeding 132 players, the pairings will be accelerated. The rationale for this is quite simple, it is to ensure that we do not finish up with 2 players on 7 points after 7 games who have not played each other. The FIDE accepted acceleration system is the Baku Method. In a seven-round tournament, the pairings for four rounds are accelerated. The top half of the players are assigned one virtual point in the first two rounds, and half a virtual point in the next two rounds. The last three rounds will be normal swiss pairings.

The tournament will be both ACF and FIDE rated. FIDE ratings will be used in preference to ACF ratings for pairings when they are available, otherwise ACF ratings will apply.

We are pleased to confirm that Grandmaster Ian Rogers will again provide his very popular live commentary on games. IA Dr Peter Tsai will be our Chief Arbiter supported by 5 national arbiters.

If you have not already secured your accommodation for the weekend, then we encourage you to arrange it immediately since it is always very busy in Ballarat during the Begonia Festival period.

We thank our sponsors for supporting the tournament. These include PPT Accounting and Financial, Federation University, Northern Star Chess, Box Hill Chess Club, and the Friends of Begonia.

Please contact me if you have any queries about the event.

Kind Regards

Kevin Perrin

Tournament Manager

0418 533 517

Ballarat Chess Club Inc

Download Begonia Open 2025 information sheet

Download Begonia Open 2025 Flyer

 

Kyle Jhazmin Clarito and Sebastian Christoff Tan Win Athletic Meet 2025 Chess Event

Kyle Jhazmin Clarito and Sebastian Christoff Tan won the Elementary School Division for girls and boys, respectively, of the Division Athletic Meet 2025 Chess Tournament on February 5 and 6, 2025 in Pasig City, Philippines.
Clarito, looking supremely confident in this biggest gathering of the young chess players, posted a perfect six points to capture the title in the double round tournament, applying 30 minutes plus 30 seconds increment time control format.
The 12-year-old Clarito, a Grade 6 student of Sacred Heart Academy of Pasig, won over Amber Mariana Maravilla of Saint Paul College-Pasig, Micah Ella Andrea Daes of San Lorenzo Ruiz Elementary School and Ezra May Oncita of Manggahan Elementary School, respectively in the first round.
She continued her winning ways after beating Maravilla, Daes and Oncita in the second round to enroute the coveted chess title.
Accompanied by her father/coach Karlycris “Karl” Clarito Sr., who is also an Executive chess champion, Kyle will see action at the 5th AQ Prime Standard Open Chess Tournament to be held on Feb. 15 to 16, 2025 at Robinsons Metroeast Pasig.
Kyle Jhazmin won the gold, Maravilla (4/6) got the silver while Daes (2/6) took home the bronze.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Christoff Tan topped the Elementary Boys with 5.0 points in six outings followed by 2nd place Nathan Keith Alcantara with 3.0 points and third placer Kurt Evan Caliva with 2.5 points.
The top three in the Girls High School division are Frank Stephanie Engles (5.0-pts/6, Eumi Funtera (3.5-pts/6) and Christelle Juliene Abeleda (2.0-pts/6) while the top three in the Boys High School division are Andrew James Toledo (4.5-pts/6), Gabriel Ryan Paradero (4.5-pts/6)and John Carlo Hermosa (2.0-pts/6).
The Top 2 of each category advance to the National Capital Region (NCR) Palaro 2025 which will be held this year.
Final Standings:
(Elementary Girls)
1st: Kyle Jhazmin P. Clarito (6.0-pts/6)
2nd: Amber Mariana Maravilla (4.0-pts/6)
3rd: Micah Ella Andrea Daes (2.0-pts/6)
(Elementary Boys)
1st: Sebastian Christoff Tan (5.0-pts/6)
2nd: Nathan Keith Alcantara (3.0-pts/6)
3rd: Kurt Evan Caliva (2.5-pts/6)
(High School Girls)
1st: Frank Stephanie Engles (5.0-pts/6)
2nd: Eumi Funtera (3.5-pts/6)
3rd: Christelle Juliene Abeleda (2.0-pts/6)
(High School Boys)
1st : Andrew James Toledo (4.5-pts/6)
2nd: Gabriel Ryan Paradero (4.5-pts/6)
3rd: John Carlo Hermosa (2.0-pts/6)
by Marlon Bernardino

Johnny Wellem Carzano Wins Misamis Occidental Active Open Chess Championship

Johnny Wellem Carzano of Tangub City won the Mayor Bertoldo “Dodong” Murallon Jr. active open chess championship held February 3, 2025 at the Municipal Mess Hall Tuno, Don Victoriano Misamis Occidental, Philippines.

Carzano, tied for first with Jarfinel Amodia at 5.0 points apiece in the active time control event being held to coincide the 43rd Araw ng Don Victoriano and Annual Fiesta Celebration 2025. With the higher tie break points, Carzano took the title plus the top prize P4,000 while Amodia finished second to earn P3,000.

The 36-year-old Carzano finished with 5.0 points in six games on account of five wins and one loss.

Carzano, a former varsity player at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City thanked his mentor Atty. Peter Chin Dur, Engr. Billy Joe Ereno and the NJSB Chess Academy family for supporting his chess campaign.

Rounding up the top 13 were third Rodney Opada (4.5 points), fourth Julius Ablin (4.0 points), fifth Adrian Bohol (4.0 points), sixth Mardonio Fuentes  (3.5 points), seventh Edmund Virgilio Putong (3.0 points), eight  John Rhey Mangubat (3.0 points), ninth Lordan Baco (3.0 points), tenth Roldan Ponce (2.0 points), eleventh Chrispin Lopez (2.0 points), 12th Ian Gudmalin (2.0 points) and 13th Isidro Gumilid (2.0 points).

It shall be recalled that Carzano also won the Gambit Masters Chess Tournament 2025 at the Arabia’s Residence, Carmen Annex in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental last January 25, 2025.

He also won the 10th Carlo and Wendy Chess Tournament held at Barangay Nabilid in Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte last January 17, 2025 and the Pasalamat Festival 2025 Mayor Sammy Co Rapid Chess Tournament held at Plaza Luz Covered Court City Hall Complex in Pagadian City last January 11 to 12, 2025.

He is set to compete in the 2025 Sydney International Open Chess Championship to be held on April 23 to 27, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.-Marlon Bernardino-

WGM Shadi Paridar Elected President of Chess Federation of Islamic Republic of Iran

The elections for selecting the President of Iran Chess Federation took place on Sunday 2nd February 2025 in the Academy of Iranian Olympic Committee in Tehran, Iran. In photo, WGM Shadi Paridar (right) receives the confirmation certificate from Dr. Siroos Ahmadi, Head of office of Iranian Sport Club Associations in the Sport Ministry.
In the election there were 58 members including presidents of 31 provinces of Iranian Chess Associations, and 10 heads of clubs and delegates of Arbiters, Trainers, Players, and delegates of Olympic Committee and sport ministry.
There were 3 candidates in this election and WGM Shadi Paridar got 51 votes out of 58.
The Iranian Chess Federation assembly.
The Electoral Commission
The Candidates for President.

Iranian Chess Federation President Shadi Paridar (left) at a courtesy call on Minister of Sports Ahmad Donyamali after her election.

 

FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar Held in Melbourne, Australia

From 6th to 10th January 2025, a FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar was organized in Melbourne, by the Chess Victoria Inc (CV) and Australian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer was IA Tsai, Peter (AUS), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer was IA Press, Shaun (PGN), Lecturer Training Programe.

The language of the Seminar was English.

Ten (10) participants from Australia participated in the Seminar and nine (9) of them participated in the examination test, held after the end of the lectures.

The following succeeded in the test and they will be awarded a norm for the title of the FIDE Arbiter, after the approval of the next FIDE Council:

FIDE ID Name (as on FIDE Profile) FED
3266150 Batyrbekov, Kuanysh AUS
3258050 Bouchaud, Michael AUS
3265706 Muchhala, Sohil AUS
3249247 Hyde, Geoff AUS
3222489 Walls, Jason AUS
3256456 Shaw, Hayden AUS
54146810 Khamatgaleev, Michael AUS

FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar Held In Mekkah, Saudi Arabia

From 14th to 18th January 2025, a FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar was organized in Mekkah, by the Saudi Arabia Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer was IA/IO Abdulrahim, Mahdi (UAE), FIDE Lecturer, and the Assistant Lecturer was IA IA Al Otaibi, Yaser Motlaq (KSA).

The language of the Seminar was English with translation into Arabic.

Seven (7) arbiters from Saudi Arabia participated in the Seminar and all of them participated in the examination test, held after the end of the lectures.

The following succeeded in the test and they will be awarded a norm for the title of the FIDE Arbiter, after the approval of the next FIDE Council:

FIDE ID Name (as on FIDE Profile) FED
21500355 Milibari, Siraj KSA
21543690 Alkhuzaei, Sahar Mutlaq KSA

GM Temur Kuybokarov and WGM July Ryjanova Top Oceania Zone 3.6 Zonals

 

GM Temur Kuybokarov and WGM July Ryjanova, both of Australia, receiving their trophies from Chief Organizer Peter Tsai in the 2025 Oceania Zonal 3.6 Open and Women’s Championships, respectively, held 24th to 29th January, 2025 at the Huntingdale Golf Club, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
There were 117 players in the Open division and 49 in the Women’s division from the following Federations
The winners were:
Zone President Shaun Press of Papua New Guinea (third from left) and Chief Organizer Peter Tsai (second from right) with the Arbitration team.

International Organizers’ Seminar December 2024 Results

A FIDE IO Online Seminar was held via Zoom from 27th to 30th December 2024 under the auspices of FIDE Events Commission. It was organized by the Asian Chess Federation supported by the FIDE Planning and Development Commission.

The event was opened by the Honorary Chairman of FIDE Events Commission, FIDE Lecturer Ozgur Solakoglu. On behalf of the Events Commission Mr. Ozgur Solakoglu welcomed the participants of the Seminar and wished them full use of the information that the lecturer would provide and wished good luck to everyone.

FIDE Lecturer Casto Abundo, ACF Executive Director, welcomed everyone and wished participants success. The other Lecturers of the Seminar were FIDE Lecturer IO/IA Mahdi Abdulrahim (UAE) and FIDE Lecturer IO/IA Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh (IRI).

The Language of the Seminar was English. Daily lectures were from 10.00 to 14.00 Dubai Time (+4 GMT).

The seminar examination test (3 Hours) was held  30th December 2024. Thirty-seven (37) participants from Twenty-two (22) federations registered, namely BAN, CIV, EGY, IND, IRI, IRQ, KAZ, KEN, LBA, LBN, MAC, MAR, MAS, PAK, PHI, SGP, SUD, SYR, TUN, VIE, ZAM and ZIM.

All of them attended the exam, and Twenty-six (26) of them passed the examination test. The students who passed the exam will be awarded a norm certificate by the FIDE Events Commission. Visit Asia-Online.pdf