2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships

Full list of participants for 2024 WRB announced

December 4, 2024 Full list of participants for 2024 WRB announced Around 300 players have registered for the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, set to take place in New York this Christmas, with more names expected in the coming weeks If you happen to be somewhere around Manhattan between Christmas and New Year, don’t be surprised if you bump into a Grandmaster! Consider this a gentle warning for New York’s chess hustlers: the world’s top GMs are descending on the Big Apple for the strongest tournament ever held on U.S. soil. FIDE is pleased to announce the extended list of players confirmed for the event. As of now, the list includes 180 players in the Open and 109 players in the Women’s section. Elite players headline the Open competition All eyes will be on the world’s top-rated player and former world champion in classical chess, Magnus Carlsen, who enters the tournament as the top seed, determined to defend his titles in both Rapid and Blitz formats. Chess fans will also be able to see three former World Championship Challengers in action – current U.S. champion Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi from Moscow, and Israeli GM Boris Gelfand. The U.S. chess elite is taking advantage of playing on home turf as many top Grandmasters have registered, including: Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Jeffrey Xiong, Leinier Domignuez Perez, Hans Niemann, Sam Shankland, and others. The stellar lineup also includes the strongest players from the biggest chess nations in the world, such as India, China, Ukraine, France, Uzbekistan, and others. Women’s Champions past and present join the line-up In the Women’s competition, current World Champion in classical chess Ju Wenjun leads the field. She is joined by four former world champions Tan Zhongyi, Mariya Muzychuk, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Zhu Chen. Representing the U.S. are the nation’s current women’s champion Carissa Yip, as well as former U.S. women’s champions Irina Krush and Jennifer Yu. Other prominent contenders for the top places will also be there, including Kateryna Lagno, Humpy Koneru, Harika Dronavalli, Nana Dzagnidze and Bibisara Assaubayeva.   The full list of participants in both the Rapid and the Blitz can be found here:chess-results.com/tnr1074690.aspx?lan=1&art=0&flag=30. Tickets for both the Rapid and the Blitz as well as for the Wall Street Gambit Conference are available here: tickets.fide.com/  For more information about the event, visit the official website:worldrapidandblitz.fide.com/ Media accreditation: worldrapidandblitz.fide.com/media-registration/  

Wall Street Gambit: Where chess meets finance

November 28, 2024 Wall Street Gambit: Where chess meets finance This December, chess will be all the talk on Wall Street as hundreds of players from around the world will converge to participate in the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships.  As if the excitement of the games was not enough, FIDE is taking the fusion of chess and finance to the next level with the introduction of Wall Street Gambit; a one-of-a-kind chess and finance conference. Featuring an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers, the unique opportunity to play blitz against legends Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, and Fabiano Caruana, a tournament for attendees, and a networking cocktail hour, Wall Street Gambit promises to be an unmissable event—whether you’re from the world of chess or high finance. “I personally believe that Chess and Finance are very close to each other. That’s why we came up with the idea of a unique conference Wall Street Gambit… Our conference will become a great opportunity to exchange the secrets of decision-making, focusing and emotion management skills,” said Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp..   Wall Street Gambit will take place on December 29 at Cipriani 55 Wall Street. This unique conference will bring together two of the world’s most challenging arenas—chess and finance—for a day of strategic thinking, competition, and high-level networking. The event will feature some of the most renowned chess legends, including Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Viswanathan Anand, who will be joined by leading figures from the financial and tech worlds, including Boaz Weinstein, D. Sculley, and Kenneth Rogoff.    The day will begin with a chess tournament for the conference participants, offering a chance to showcase their chess skills while setting the tone for the insightful discussions ahead. After the tournament, the conference will transition to keynote speeches from some of the most influential names in chess, finance, and AI, who will explore the intellectual parallels between the worlds. D. Sculley, CEO of Kaggle, will deliver a keynote titled “Predicting in the Face of Incomplete Knowledge: Chess, Finance, and Other Challenges for AI.” Kenneth Rogoff, economist and chess grandmaster, will speak on the topic “Chess, AI, and Economics”.   One of the most exciting highlights will be the opportunity for VIP attendees to play blitz games against Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, or Fabiano Caruana. This rare chance to test your skills against three of the greatest players ever is sure to be a thrilling experience for all involved. As the day winds down, there will be a photo opportunity and awards ceremony, followed by a networking cocktail hour—an ideal setting to connect with leaders from both the chess and financial sectors.  Wall Street Gambit reflects the growing interest in chess within corporate and financial circles. Events like the World Corporate Chess Championship have shown how chess can enhance decision-making and leadership. Chess is more than just a game; it’s a tool for sharpening analytical thinking, and it will be on full display at Wall Street Gambit.   Whether you are a chess player, a finance professional, or simply someone who enjoys intellectual challenges, Wall Street Gambit promises to be a transformative event. Set in the iconic backdrop of Wall Street, this is your chance to experience the exciting intersection of chess and finance.   Don’t miss out! Tickets are limited, and they’re expected to sell out quickly. Secure yours here.  

Chess stars come to New York for the strongest chess tournament in U.S. history

November 22, 2024 Chess stars come to New York for the strongest chess tournament in U.S. history Most of the world’s top players – including world number one Magnus Carlsen – have confirmed their participation in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship. With a spectacular line-up, a prize fund of nearly $1.5 million, and the electrifying rapid format, this promises to be the most thrilling chess event of the year. One of the most popular and most prestigious chess tournaments held by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the World Rapid & Blitz will see many of the best players on the planet fight for the world crowns in two popular speed chess formats – Rapid and Blitz. Coming to the U.S. for the first time ever, the event will take place in the heart of Wall Street from December 26 to 31, setting the backdrop for a spectacular showdown in New York. This year’s event introduces a thrilling twist: a knockout stage in the later rounds, making it even more challenging for the players. This new format raises the stakes, ensuring dramatic finishes and keeping players and fans on edge until the final move. Altogether, some 300 players are expected to turn up in New York, with many of the biggest names in chess already confirming their participation, making this event the strongest tournament ever played in the U.S. With its scale and caliber, this tournament is expected to draw significant attention. Fans wishing to experience the event in person, can now purchase tickets, available at https://tickets.fide.com/   Magnus Carlsen leads a star-studded line-up The list of participants is led by Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-rated player and reigning World Champion in both the Rapid and the Blitz. Carlsen, who has won five Rapid and six Blitz World Championships, will be coming to the Big Apple seeking to set a new world record.   Joining the lineup is Ian Nepomniachtchi, a two-time World Championship challenger, and two-time World Rapid Championship runner-up, currently ranked eighth in the world. Despite his near misses at the classical crown, Nepomniachtchi remains one of the most dangerous players in rapid and blitz formats. Also looking to make history is 21-year-old Alireza Firouzja. The youngest player ever to break the 2800 ELO barrier, Firouzja was tipped by Carlsen as his most likely successor. In New York, the Iranian-born Frenchman seek to fulfil that promise. Additionally, 2021 World Blitz Champion Maxime Vachier-Lagrave will be representing France and aiming to regain the crown he won in Warsaw three years ago.   The U.S. brings out its best World number two Fabiano Caruana headlines the list of home players. The former world championship challenger recently claimed his fourth (!) U.S. championship title, bringing him one step closer to the legendary Bobby Fischer’s record of eight wins. Another U.S. heavyweight, Wesley So, has confirmed he will be competing. A key member of the U.S. national team and widely respected as a blitz player, So is among the favorites to perform well in both the Rapid and Blitz events.   Joining them will be Levon Aronian, one of the most experienced players, known for his creativity and charisma, his fellow team-member Leinier Dominguez Perez and Samuel Sevian – a chess prodigy from New York who won the 2017 American Continental Chess Championship.   The world’s strongest women players coming to New York In addition to the Open competitions, there will be separate events for women players. The Women’s World Rapid & Blitz will bring together World Champions, top contenders, and some of the brightest emerging talents in women’s chess. Among the stars competing are former world champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland), also known as “The Chess Queen,” and Mariya Muzychuk from Ukraine. Former challengers China’s Lei Tingjie and India’s Humpy Koneru have also confirmed their participation.   Other elite women players coming to New York include three-time Women’s World Blitz Champion Kateryna Lagno, two-time Women’s World Blitz Champion Anna Muzychuk, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali R and Zhu Jiner.   A global chess stage Players will be coming from every continent, representing countries all around the world. India, currently holding the World Olympic crown in both the open and women’s categories, is also expected to make a strong showing with several of their top players coming to New York, including world number four Arjun Erigaisi as well as the formidable Praggnanandhaa R.   Many other top players have confirmed participation, including China’s Yu Yangyi, Wei Yi, and Bu Xiangzhi, as well as Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Anish Giri from the Netherlands. “There is still some time to go before the event, but we are excited that many of the world’s best players have already confirmed they will be coming”, said Emil Sutovsky, CEO of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). “We are preparing a grand chess spectacle at the highest level for the audience. Whether you’re watching in person or online, the action promises to be thrilling from start to finish”. With more top players expected to join in the coming weeks and special events planned for visitors, the 2024 World Rapid & Blitz Championship in New York is set to feature one of the strongest lineups in the event’s history. For the first time ever, there will be a free day between the events, which will be used to host a Conference on Chess and Finance, bringing together chess legends and financial leaders to explore the fascinating intersections between the two worlds.  

2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships: Registration Open

FIDE invites all eligible players to take part in one of the most exciting events of the chess calendar—the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, set to take place in New York City from December 26 to 31, 2024.   The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships offer an opportunity to play fast-paced, high-stakes chess, in an incredible venue—right in the heart of New York’s Wall Street. With an increased prize fund of $1,428,500 spread across the four events, this is a chance to contend for the World Rapid and Blitz titles.   Tournament Overview   ● World Rapid Championship: Swiss-system tournament. The Open section will have 13 rounds, and the Women’s section will feature 11 rounds. The time control is 15 minutes + 10 seconds per move.   ● World Blitz Championship: The Blitz event starts with a 13-round Swiss tournament (Open section) and 11 rounds (Women’s section), followed by a knockout stage for the top 8 players. The time control is 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move.   Both tournaments will bring together the top players from around the world.   Prize Fund   ● Open Rapid Championship: $550,000 prize fund● Open Blitz Championship: $450,000 prize fund● Women’s Rapid Championship: $228,500 prize fund●  Women’s Blitz Championship: $200,000 prize fund   The Open champions will walk away with $90,000, while the Women’s champions will take home $60,000.   Registration process   Players with FIDE rating of 2550 (Open section) or 2250 (Women’s section) or higher in any recent FIDE rating list (Standard, Rapid, or Blitz) are eligible to participate. Reigning national champions also qualify regardless of rating.   Registration can be done HERE. The deadline for submitting entries is December 01, 2024.   ● Entry fee: $100 for the Open section and $50 for the Women’s section.● Late entry fee: Double the original fee if paid less than 10 days before the tournament.   FIDE has secured discounted hotel prices for the participants of the Championships. Official hotels can be booked while filling out the registration form.   Regulations   FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships Regulations (PDF)   FIDE Women’s World Rapid & Blitz Championships Regulations (PDF)  

Iconic Wall Street venues to host 2024 World Rapid & Blitz Championship

FIDE is pleased to announce the venues for both the Open and Women’s competitions of the 2024 World Rapid & Blitz Championship, which will take place from 26 to 31 December. For the first time, this prestigious event – one of the most prominent chess tournaments in the world – will be held in New York City. The Open tournament will take place at Cipriani Wall Street, a historic architectural landmark located in the heart of New York’s financial district. Built in 1841 in the Greek Revival style, the building has previously housed the New York Merchants’ Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the U.S. Customs House, and served as headquarters for the National City Bank. Today, Cipriani Wall Street is renowned as a grand and luxurious venue, and this will mark the first time it hosts a chess tournament of this scale. The Women’s tournament will be held right across the street at 48 Wall Street, another historic venue that once housed the Bank of New York & Trust Company Building and the Museum of American Finance. Wall Street is synonymous with global financial power and is home to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the world’s largest stock exchange. The area also hosts the headquarters of several Fortune 500 companies across industries like media, technology, and real estate. “The Championships will be held in world-class venues, which underlines the unique place chess occupies in the society. I see this event as a potential landmark moment for our game,” said Emil Sutovsky, CEO of FIDE. “We are thrilled to organize an event of this scale in the heart of global finance, and we believe shares of Chess are to rise globally as a result of it. FIDE is grateful to our partners and sponsors at Freedom Capital Markets for their support,” Sutovsky added. FIDE first announced in June that the World Rapid & Blitz Championship will take place in New York. In early September it was revealed that the event will feature a new two-stage format combining the Swiss System with knockout finals. For the first time, a rest day will be included, during which the Chess on the Wall Street Conference will explore the intersections of chess, finance, and business. Venues – Open tournament: Cipriani Wall Street 55 Wall Street, between William & Hanover Streets, New York, NY 10005 – Women’s tournament: 48 Wall Street 48 Wall Street, New York, NY, 10005 More information about tickets, prize pools, and event details will be released soon.