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FIDE Women's Candidates: Drawing of lots

by Shahid Ahmed - 02/05/2019

For the first time in almost 22 years, FIDE Women's Candidates will take place at the end of this month in Kazan, Russia at Nogai Hotel from 29th May - 19th June 2019. The drawing of lots for the Women's Candidates Tournament took place on 30th April, in the Chess Museum of the Central Chess Club in Moscow, named after the 6th World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik. The ceremony was attended by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Honorary FIDE Vice President Judit Polgar - the strongest female player of all time. Organized by the Ministry of Sports of the Republic of Tatarstan, FIDE and the Russian Chess Federation, the Candidates has a record prize fund of €200000. But more importantly, the winner of this double round-robin tournament will become the reigning champion Ju Wenjun’s challenger, with half a million euros at stake. Photo: FIDE

8 Women, 14 Rounds to decide the Challenger

The eight women who will play in a double round-robin tournament to determine the challenger for the Women's World Champion | Photo: ChessBase archives

The participants of the FIDE Women's Candidates:

1 - Kateryna Lagno RUS, 2559 (KO World Ch. 2018 finalist)

2 - Mariya Muzychuk UKR, 2560 (KO World Ch. 2018 semi-finalist)

3 - Alexandra Kosteniuk RUS, 2545 (KO World Ch. 2018 semi-finalist)

4 - Anna Muzychuk UKR, 2555 (qualified by rating)

5 - Valentina Gunina RUS, 2515 (qualified by rating)

6 - Nana Dzagnidze GEO, 2513 (qualified by rating)

7 - Tan Zhongyi CHN, 2513 (qualified by rating)

8 - Alexandra Goryachkina RUS, 2505 (1st replacement)

 

According to the rules, the representatives of the same country have to play each other in the first round of each half of the tournament. This means Muzychuk sisters must meet in the Round 1 and Round 8, while four Russian players they have to play each other in the Rounds 1 to 3, and 8 to 10.

Drawing of lots for FIDE Women's Candidates | Video: FIDE youtube channel

 

Based on the drawing of lots, the Chief Arbiter Hal Bond (Canada) created a full tournament schedule:

 

Round 1 (May 31)

Valentina Gunina - Kateryna Lagno

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Alexandra Goryachkina

Nana Dzagnidze - Tan Zhongyi

Maria Muzychuk - Anna Muzychuk

 

Round 2 (June 1)

Kateryna Lagno - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Goryachkina - Valentina Gunina

Tan Zhongyi - Maria Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk - Nana Dzagnidze

 

Round 3 (June 2)

Valentina Gunina - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Goryachkina - Katerina Lagno

Tan Zhongyi - Anna Muzychuk

Nana Dzagnidze - Maria Muzychuk

 

(June 3 is a rest day)

 

Round 4 (June 4)

Nana Dzagnidze - Valentina Gunina

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Tan Zhongyi

Anna Muzychuk - Alexandra Goryachkina

Maria Muzychuk - Kateryna Lagno

 

Round 5 (June 5)

Valentina Gunina - Maria Muzychuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Nana Dzagnidze

Alexandra Goryachkina - Tan Zhongyi

Kateryna Lagno - Anna Muzychuk

 

Round 6 (June 6)

Anna Muzychuk - Valentina Gunina

Maria Muzychuk - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Nana Dzagnidze - Alexandra Goryachkina

Tan Zhongyi - Kateryna Lagno

 

(June 7 is a rest day)

Round 7 (June 8)

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Anna Muzychuk

Alexandra Goryachkina - Maria Muzychuk

Kateryna Lagno - Nana Dzagnidze

Valentina Gunina - Tan Zhongyi

 

Round 8 (June 9)

Kateryna Lagno - Valentina Gunina

Alexandra Goryachkina - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Tan Zhongyi - Nana Dzagnidze

Anna Muzychuk - Maria Muzychuk

 

Round 9 (June 10)

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Kateryna Lagno

Valentina Gunina - Alexandra Goryachkina

Maria Muzychuk - Tan Zhongyi

Nana Dzagnidze - Anna Muzychuk

 

(June 11 is a rest day)

 

Round 10 (June 12)

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Valentina Gunina

Kateryna Lagno - Alexandra Goryachkina

Anna Muzychuk - Tan Zhongyi

Maria Muzychuk - Nana Dzagnidze

 

Round 11 (June 13)

Valentina Gunina - Nana Dzagnidze

Tan Zhongyi - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Goryachkina - Anna Muzychuk

Kateryna Lagno - Maria Muzychuk

 

Round 12 (June 14)

Maria Muzychuk - Valentina Gunina

Nana Dzagnidze - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Tan Zhongyi - Alexandra Goryachkina

Anna Muzychuk - Kateryna Lagno

 

(June 15 is a rest day)

 

Round 13 (June 16)

Valentina Gunina - Anna Muzychuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Maria Muzychuk

Alexandra Goryachkina - Nana Dzagnidze

Kateryna Lagno - Tan Zhongyi

 

Round 14 (June 17)

Anna Muzychuk - Alexandra Kosteniuk

Maria Muzychuk - Alexandra Goryachkina

Nana Dzagnidze - Kateryna Lagno

Tan Zhongyi - Valentina Gunina

 

Closing ceremony and tie-breaks (if needed): June 18

 

ABOUT KAZAN

While being the 7th Russian city by population, with roughly 1.3 million inhabitants, its beauty and rich history makes Kazan often regarded as 'The Third Capital of Russia', only after Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

Laying at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers, the capital of the Tatarstan Republic was founded in 1005, which makes this city at least 150 years older than Moscow.

Kazan is a famous sports center in Russia, having hosted the 2013 Universiade and many national hockey, boxing and swimming championships. It was one of the hosting cities of 2018 FIFA Football World Cup and, of course, it also held the 2011 Candidates tournament, won by Boris Gelfand.

 

Source: FIDE


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