The Asia KL Braille Chess Team Championship (ABC-TECH) 2024 will be held concurrently with the ASEAN Braille Conference & Technology Exhibition from 11th – 14th December 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The event aims to provide a platform for blind and visually impaired chess players to showcase their skills, engage in friendly competition, and foster a sense of community among participants.
Dowbload ASIA (KL) BRAILLE CHESS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 2024
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The Kazakhstan Chess Federation is delighted to invite all International players to participate.
📅 Dates: October 1 – 11, 2024
📍 Location: Ust-Kamenogorsk (Venue details to be announced)
The Oskemen Open 2024 will feature two tournaments:
1. Masters Tournament
2. Tournament A
Download Regulations
Both tournaments will follow a 9-round Swiss system with a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move.
📋 Register by September 20, on the website kazchess.kz/pay
🏆 Prize Fund of Masters tournament: $100,000
📞 Manager: assem.k@kazchess.kz
💼 The organizing committee provides support for invited athletes with a rating above 2550 as of August 1, 2024.
📢 Stay tuned for updates on the Kazakhstan Chess Federation website.
GM Karthik Venkataraman of Andhra Pradesh emerged as the winner of the 61st India Chess Championship thanks to a crucial final-round victory over Guha Mitrabh. Organized by the Haryana Chess Association at RPS International School, Gurgaon, the 11-round Swiss tournament boasting a prize fund of thirty lakhs rupees (approximately USD 35,000) brought together 341 players from all across India.
In addition to winning the title, Karthik lifted a glittering trophy and a cash prize of six lakhs rupees (approximately USD 7,150). The top seed Ganguly, leading throughout the tournament, tied for the first place but had to settle for silver (only 0.5 Buchholz points separated him from the champion) after making four straight draws at the finish. IM Neelash Saha, with nine points, the same as Karthik and Ganguly placed third due to inferior tiebreaks.
As many as six players, including the second seed Abhijeet Gupta, scored 8.5/11 and tied for fourth place. Visit chess-results.com for round results and standings.
Dharmendra Kumar IA, treasurer, All India Chess Federation was the chief guest and awarded the prizes in the presence of Saurabh Jindal, President of Haryana Chess Association, Vishnu Bhagwan Kashyap, Secretary, HCA, Raj Chauhan from the film industry, Naresh Sharma, former treasurer of AICF, Raj Pal Chauhan Secretary, District Chess Association, Gurgaon, Dr. Pooja Sharma Principal, RPS School, and Sushma Chauhan, joint secretary Gurgaon DCA.
Final standings:
| 1 | GM | Karthik, Venkataraman | 2568 | 9 |
| 2 | GM | Ganguly, Surya Shekhar | 2583 | 9 |
| 3 | IM | Neelash, Saha | 2470 | 9 |
| 4 | GM | Ghosh, Diptayan | 2568 | 8½ |
| 5 | IM | Aronyak, Ghosh | 2535 | 8½ |
| 6 | IM | Gusain, Himal | 2511 | 8½ |
| 7 | GM | Lalit, Babu M R | 2494 | 8½ |
| 8 | GM | Gupta, Abhijeet | 2583 | 8½ |
| 9 | IM | Shyaam, Nikhil P | 2442 | 8½ |
| 10 | GM | Sethuraman, S.P. | 2571 | 8 |
Photos: All India Chess Federation
Official website: aicf.in/
From Karthik Venkataraman wins 61st India Championship (fide.com)
Kevin Arquero won the 3rd IBDG Single Knockout Armageddon Tournament (SiKAT) among 50 players last August 23, 2024 at Greenfield District, Philippines. In photo are, from left, CM Genghis Imperial, IIEE Allan Alvarez, Runner Up Ricardo Jimenez, Champion Kevin Arquero, chess Patron Jessie Villasin and NM Marlon Bernardino.
The Russian Championships Superfinals have ended in Barnaul. The ceremonial first move in round 11 in the D. Charochkina vs A. Goryachkina game was made by the President of the Altai Krai Chess Federation, member of the CFR Supervisory Board and tournament director Artem Polomoshnov.
In the open tournament, the main contenders for the title, Vladislav Artemiev and Andrey Esipenko, drew with Daniil Dubov and Artyom Timofeev, respectively. They each had 7 points, so the Regulations required a tie-breaker to determine the champion.
Vladislav Artemiev (above right) was the winner of both games with a “15+10” time control and thus confirmed his status as Russian champion. Our congratulations!
“The tournament has gone well for me in terms of performance. The quality of my games varied from high to not so high. The two games I won at the end of the tournament are of a good level, so I can highlight them in particular. As for poor positions, I don’t remember having any. I don’t think there were any. In my opinion the tournament saw a high level of organisation”, Vladislav Artemiev said.
The other games of round 11 ended in a draw: Dreev – Najer, Ponkratov – Grebnev, Matlakov – Makarian, and Nesterov – Grischuk.
In the open tournament, the Top-5 players have qualified for the 2025 FIDE World Cup. Daniil Dubov, the bronze medalist of the Superfinal, as well as Evgeniy Najer and Arseniy Nesterov got the spots in the World Cup.
Final standings:
1. Vladislav Artemiev – 7 points
2. Andrey Esipenko – 7
3-5. Daniil Dubov, Evgeniy Najer, Arseniy Nesterov – 6
6-7. Aleksey Grebnev, Rudik Makarian – 5.5
8-9. Aleksey Dreev, Alexander Grischuk – 5
10-11. Maxim Matlakov, Artyom Timofeev – 4.5
12. Pavel Ponkratov – 4 points.
In the women’s section, Kateryna Lagno (photo above) saved a difficult position as Black against Ekaterina Goltseva and forced a draw from a position of strength. This result was enough for her to become Russian Women’s Champion for the first time in her career. Our congratulations!
“When you win, everything is good. It is as simple as that. How can a champion complain about anything? So, everything went well for me, and I have come to like Barnaul,” Kateryna Lagno said.
Polina Shuvalova defeated Natalija Pogonina as White, and Olga Karmanova won her only tournament victory in a game against over Valentina Gunina. The games Charochkina – Goryachkina, Kovanova – Girya and Garifullina – Voit ended in a draw.
The second and third places are shared by Daria Charochkina and Aleksandra Goryachkina with 6.5 points apiece. Better tiebreakers landed Charochkina in second place.
In the women’s competition, the top three players qualified for the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
Final standings:
1. Kateryna Lagno – 7 points
2-3. Daria Charochkina, Aleksandra Goryachkina – 6.5
4-5. Polina Shuvalova, Leya Garifullina – 6
6-7. Daria Voit, Ekaterina Goltseva – 5.5
8-11. Valentina Gunina, Natalija Pogonina, Olga Girya, Baira Kovanova – 5
12. Olga Karmanova – 3.
The Superfinals were organised by the Chess Federation of Russia with support of the Russian Ministry of Sport and Timchenko Foundation in cooperation with the Government of the Altai Territory and the Chess Federation of the Altai Territory.
The CFR general partner is PhosAgro. The CFR partners are Aeroflot and Sima-land.
The ceremonial first move in A. Esipenko vs A. Nesterov was made by the Director of the State Museum of History of Literature, Art and Culture of Altai, Igor Korotkov in round ten of the Russian Superfinal in Barnaul.
The men’s tournament was the most competitive of all the previous rounds. Four of the six games were decisive.
The duel of the young leaders – Andrey Esipenko (photo above) against Arseniy Nesterov – was one of the key matchups. Playing White in the QGD Carlsbad, Esipenko first gained a positional advantage by taking space in the center and then a material advantage as he managed to capture the isolated d5-pawn. But then White’s indecisive play allowed Black to defend himself. The queen ending soon arose with White having an extra doubled pawn. It was a theoretical draw, but Black needed to defend very precisely. In time trouble, Nesterov made a mistake and Esipenko created a passed pawn and his advantage became decisive.
Vladislav Artemiev (above right) defeated Maxim Matlakov with the white pieces and thus did not allow Esipenko to grab the sole lead. The opponents opted for the Queen’s Gambit, in which Black gave up a pawn and got a decent compensation in the middlegame. However, Artemiev then managed to successfully regroup his forces and simultaneously fend off all of his opponent’s threats, and his advantage became tangible as he approached the time control limit. White pressed his advantage home with precise execution.
Daniil Dubov (photo above) has scored his first tournament victory. Playing Black, he defeated Evgeniy Najer in the sharp line of the Sicilian Dragon. Black sacrificed two pawns and an exchange and created the most dangerous threats to the enemy king. White’s mistake on move 25 was a decisive one, and after that there was no saving of his position. What a wonderful creative achievement by Daniil Dubov!
Playing Black against Alexander Grischuk, Alexey Dreev (photo above) stayed true to his trademark c6-c5 in the Caro-Kann Defense. He also came up with an interesting idea that proved to be an unpleasant surprise for his opponent. Faced with a must-win situation in terms of his tournament standings, Grischuk invested a lot of time in his opening. Grischuk did not want to settle for any drawish continuations, but in the end Dreev managed to force the transition to a better endgame. White put up a stubborn defense, but gradually Black overcame his resistance and won.
Grebnev vs Timofeev and Makarian vs Ponkratov ended in a draw.
Tournament standings after round 10:
1-2. Andrey Esipenko, Vladislav Artemiev – 6.5 points; 3-5. Daniil Dubov, Evgeniy Najer, Arseniy Nesterov – 5.5, 6-7. Aleksey Grebnev, Rudik Makarian – 5, 8-9. Alexey Dreev, Alexander Grischuk – 4.5; 10-11. Maxim Matlakov, Artyom Timofeev – 4; 12. Pavel Ponkratov – 3.5 points.
Pairings of round 11:
Dreev – Najer, Nesterov – Grischuk, Timofeev – Esipenko, Ponkratov – Grebnev, Matlakov – Makarian, Dubov – Artemiev.
In the women’s section, Olga Girya vs Ekaterina Goltseva (photo above) was a sharp Vienna variation of the Queen’s Gambit. White took the “poisoned” e6-pawn out of the opening, upon which his position immediately became very dangerous due to his lag in development. Black attacked vigorously. She gained a decisive material advantage and celebrated victory on move 27.
Valentina Gunina, playing White with Baira Kovanova (photo above), got a very promising position in the opening with a spatial advantage. However, she then lost the thread of the game. Kovanova first equalized, and then delivered a nice tactical blow to win two pawns and convert her extra material.
Lagno vs Garifullina, Voit vs Shuvalova, Goryachkina vs Karmanova, and Pogonina vs Charochkina ended in a draw.
Tournament standings after round 10:
Pairings of round 11:
Karmanova – Gunina, Charochkina – Goryachkina, Shuvalova – Pogonina, Garifullina – Voit, Goltseva – Lagno, Kovanova – Girya.
A chess player has been honored as the youngest to receive the Pasig City Award in the Field of Sports and Sports Development last 26th August 2024 in celebration of National Heroes Day in the Philippines. In photo are, from left, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, Awardee Nika Juris Nicolas, Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo and Pasig Vice-Mayor Dodot Jaworski.
Twelve-year-old Nika Juris Nicolas of Pasig City, Philippines was born, raised and educated in Pasig City. Nicolas is an incoming Grade 7 student at Victory Christian International School. She is the Philippines’ first and only National Chess Master who is female, a title given only to those who emerge triumphant in the Open Division of chess tournaments as opposed to the Women’s Division. In an astonishingly short span of two years, this chess beginner blossomed into a National Youth Champion, Asian Youth Medalist, Eastern Asia Silver Medalist, Batang Pinoy Champion and National Master.
In her acceptance speech, Nicolas thanked her family, nominators Franco Camillo of Pasig Grassroots and Raymond Samson of the Valle Verde 6 Homeowners‘Association, Coaches Raul Damuy, Lourecel Ecot, Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. She made special mention of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo who supported her journey from the time she started competing in tournaments up to present time.
For this reason, she offered her Double Gold Medals secured from the Chinese Taipei Chess Association International Open Tournament held in Taoyuan, Taiwan last July 22 – 27, 2024 where she made history as the First Filipina to achieve such feat.
The other awards categories are for Education and the Academe, Civic Involvement and Volunteerism, Youth Leadership, Culture and the Arts – Music, Culture and the Arts – Theatre, Culture and the Arts – Fashion Design and Culture and the Arts – Painting). -Marlon Bernardino –
Round 9 of the Russian Championships Superfinals was played in the city of Barnaul on 26 August. The ceremonial first move in the P. Shuvalova vs K. Lagno game was made by the General Director of Gazprom Gazoraspredelenie Barnaul, member of the Board of Trustees of the Altai Krai Chess Federation Evgeny Grigorenko.
There was only one decisive game in the open section. Pavel Ponkratov and Vladislav Artemiev (photo above) were sorting things out in one of the Ruy Lopez’ Anti-Marshall lines. White was inventive in the middlegame and an unexpected rook sacrifice helped him create dangerous threats to the opponent’s king. Black thwarted the attack and levelled the position after returning some of his extra material. In a strong time pressure on both sides Ponkratov was acting quite hazardously and found his king in the mating net. Artemiev won on move 43 to join the leaders.
The games Timofeev vs Makarian, Matlakov vs Dubov, Dreev vs Esipenko (photo above), Nesterov vs Grebnev, and Grischuk vs Najer ended in a draw.
Tournament standings after Round 9:
1-4. Andrey Esipenko, Evgeniy Najer, Vladislav Artemiev, Arseniy Nesterov – 5.5 points
5-8. Aleksey Grebnev, Rudik Makarian, Alexander Grischuk, Daniil Dubov – 4.5
9. Maxim Matlakov – 4
10-11. Aleksey Dreev, Artyom Timofeev – 3.5
12. Pavel Ponkratov – 3.
Round 10 pairings:
Najer – Dubov, Artemiev – Matlakov, Makarian – Ponkratov, Grebnev – Timofeev, Esipenko – Nesterov, Grischuk – Dreev.
In the women’s section, the tournament leader Kateryna Lagno suffered a defeat. Playing White in the Giuoco Piano, Polina Shuvalova (photo above) managed to take the initiative on the queenside. Black played extremely poorly out of the opening, resulting in her dark-squared bishop and rook being trapped. Lagno’s attempts at a kingside attack were thwarted by precise play: White temporarily sacrificed a piece and went on the offensive on this part of the board as well. Black resigned on move 36 in the face of inevitable material losses.
Daria Voit, playing black against Daria Charochkina (photo above), failed to solve her opening problems in the Saemisch Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. The white pieces launched a massive attack on her king, which was stuck in the centre of the board. Charochkina’s attack was full of inspiration and ingenuity, and her success came on move 43.
Ekaterina Goltseva (photo above) and Baira Kovanova opened the game into the classic Rubinstein System of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. Gradually, Black took the initiative over: she mounted her knight to the central d4-outpost and then won a pawn as well. However, White managed to advance the f-pawn far, and it gave her a chance to counterattack. Shortly after passing the time control, Black committed a blunder and the passed f6-pawn advanced to the promotion square. Baira Kovanova gave up in the face of huge material losses.
The games Goryachkina vs Gunina, Garifullina vs Girya, and Karmanova vs Pogonina ended in a draw.
Tournament standings after Round 9:
1. Kateryna Lagno – 6 points
2-3. Aleksandra Goryachkina, Daria Charochkina – 5.5
4-5. Valentina Gunina, Leya Garifullina – 5
6-9. Polina Shuvalova, Natalija Pogonina, Olga Girya, Daria Voit – 4.5
10. Ekaterina Goltseva – 4
11. Baira Kovanova – 3.5
12. Olga Karmanova – 1.5.
Round 10 pairings:
Gunina – Kovanova, Girya – Goltseva, Lagno – Garifullina, Voit – Shuvalova, Pogonina – Charochkina, Goryachkina – Karmanova.
The Russian Championships Superfinals are played separately for men and women in a round robin system in 11 rounds with one rest day. Game days: August 17-22 and 24-28. All rounds start at 3 PM local time (11 AM Moscow time). In case of a tie for the 1st place, an additional competition will be held.
Five best players of the open event will qualify for the FIDE World Cup, while three best players of the women’s tournament will get the right to play in the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
The Superfinals are organised by the Chess Federation of Russia with support of the Russian Ministry of Sport and Timchenko Foundation in cooperation with the Government of the Altai Territory and the Chess Federation of the Altai Territory.
The CFR general partner is PhosAgro. The CFR partners are Aeroflot and Sima-land.
GM Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzkbekistan (holding trophy) won the 30th Abu Dhabi Masters held 15-24 August 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, earning the top prize of US$30,000. Yakubboev finished with 7 points and the best tie break among a six tied players as shown below. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and to download games.
In above photo are, from left, FIDE Deputy Chair Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Abu Dhabi Sports Council Representative Abdulrahim Alzarouni, Champion Yakubboev, Abu Dhabi Chess Club Chairman Husain Khoury, Abu Dhabi Chess Club Vice President Aref Al Khoury and UAE Chess Federation General Secretary Abdulkareem Al Marzouqi.
Organizers and winners of the 30th Abu Dhabi Chess Festival gather for posterity.
The head of the Altai branch of PJSC Sberbank, Ivan Sheshikov, made the ceremonial first move in the E. Najer vs M. Matlakov game in Round 8 of the Russian Championships Superfinals in the city of Barnaul.
Andrey Esipenko (left) and Alexander Grischuk (right) opened the game with a well-known line in the QGD’s Carlsbad, in which the play immediately transposes into an endgame with a pair of bishops but doubled pawns for Black. Esipenko soon exchanged the “poor” g6-bishop, correcting his opponent’s pawn structure, but gaining control over the light squares with a stable advantage as a result. Grischuk’s attempts at counterplay on the queenside only created more weaknesses. Little by little, White improved his pieces and outplayed his opponent with great skill. Esipenko had a pawn to his good and went on to win the game on move 54.
Evgeniy Najer
The games Makarian vs Nesterov, Grebnev vs Dreev, Najer vs Matlakov, Artemiev – Timofeev, and Dubov – Ponkratov ended in a draw; the latter game was extremely complicated and full of events.
Andrey Esipenko
Tournament standings after Round 8:
1-3. Andrey Esipenko, Evgeniy Najer, Arseniy Nesterov – 5 points
4. Vladislav Artemiev – 4.5
5-8. Aleksey Grebnev, Rudik Makarian, Daniil Dubov, Alexander Grischuk – 4
9. Maxim Matlakov – 3.5
10-12. Aleksey Dreev, Pavel Ponkratov, Artyom Timofeev – 3.
Round pairings 9:
Grischuk – Najer, Dreev – Esipenko, Nesterov – Grebnev, Timofeev – Makarian, Ponkratov – Artemiev, Matlakov – Dubov.
In the women’s section, Valentina Gunina (above) defeated Ekaterina Goltseva as White. In order to protect her king, Black, who had opted for the Queen’s Indian Defence, decided to give up an exchange for two pawns in the middlegame. After that, however, White completely seized the initiative and methodically increased her pressure, not shying away from exchanging pieces and pawns. Valentina Gunina won on move 55.
Daria Voit (above) defeated Olga Karmanova as White. In a slightly worse position, the chess player of St. Petersburg plunged with her queen into the enemy camp, lost the thread of the game due to time trouble, lost a pawn, and finally resigned on move 28.
Natalija Pogonina (above, left) defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina as White in what happened to be a long battle. Pogonina persistently tried to convert her extra pawn in the endgame, where the position was sometimes a win for White, and sometimes a draw. Goryachkina was the last to make a mistake and White won the game on move 109.
The games Kovanova vs Garifullina, Lagno vs Charochkina and Girya vs Shuvalova (above) were drawn.
Tournament standings after Round 8:
1. Kateryna Lagno – 6
2. Aleksandra Goryachkina – 5
3-6. Valentina Gunina, Daria Voit, Daria Charochkina, Leya Garifullina – 4.5
7-8. Natalija Pogonina, Olga Girya – 4
9-10. Polina Shuvalova, Baira Kovanova – 3.5
11. Ekaterina Goltseva – 3
12. Olga Karmanova – 1.
Round 9 pairings:
Goryachkina – Gunina, Karmanova – Pogonina, Charochkina – Voit, Shuvalova – Lagno, Garifullina – Girya, Goltseva – Kovanova.
The Russian Championship Superfinals are played separately for men and women in a round robin system in 11 rounds with one rest day. Game days: August 17-22 and 24-28. All rounds start at 3 PM local time (11 AM Moscow time). In case of a tie for the 1st place, an additional competition will be held.
Five best players of the open event will qualify for the FIDE World Cup, while three best players of the women’s tournament will get the right to play in the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
The Superfinals are organised by the Chess Federation of Russia with support of the Russian Ministry of Sport and Timchenko Foundation in cooperation with the Government of the Altai Territory and the Chess Federation of the Altai Territory.
The CFR general partner is PhosAgro. The CFR partners are Aeroflot and Sima-land.
