Women's Grand Prix starts in Geneva

by ChessBase
5/3/2013 – The first leg of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix series will take place from May 3 to 15, with twelve top players, three of them reigning or former Women's World Champions (and eight with full GM titles). In the first round IM Bela Khotenashvili defeated WGM Wenjun Ju and GM Anna Muzychuk outplayed WGM Olga Girya. We bring you a big report with photos from the opening ceremony.

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World's best women players get together in Geneva
for the Fondation Neva Women's Grand Prix

The Neva Foundation in partnership with the Internation Chess Federation (FIDE) has organised the first leg of the official Women's Grand Prix series for the first time in Geneva. From May 3 to May 15, twelve of the best women players featuring current Women World Champion Anna Ushenina from Ukraine, will confront each other at the N'vY Manotel. The tournament is an eleven-round all-play-all at classical time controls. The participants are:

No.
Name Title
Country
Rating
w-rank
1
Hou, Yifan gm
CHN
2617
2
2
Muzychuk, Anna gm
SLO
2585
4
3
Lagno, Kateryna gm
UKR
2548
6
4
Dzagnidze, Nana gm
GEO
2545
7
5
Ju, Wenjun wgm
CHN
2544
8
6
Cmilyte, Viktorija gm
LTU
2522
13
7
Kosintseva, Tatiana gm
RUS
2517
14
8
Khotenashvili, Bela im
GEO
2505
16
9
Ushenina, Anna gm
UKR
2491
19
10
Kosteniuk, Alexandra gm
RUS
2491
20
11
Girya, Olga wgm
RUS
2463
34
12
Batchimeg, Tuvshintugs wgm
MGL
2298

Average rating: 2511

Opening ceremony

FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, sponsor Elena Timtchenko and the sixth Women's World Champion GM Nona Gaprindashvili, who dominated women's chess for a long time in the Soviet era

The Neva Foundation
For over fifteen years, Elena and Gennady Timtchenko have been actively and personally engaged in philanthropic activities. In order to better manage the growing complexity of these projects, they created three foundations, among which the Neva Foundation established in Geneva in 2008. Its core mission is to strengthen historical ties between Switzerland and Russia, two nations which share many common values and the same classical culture. By supporting projects promoting excellence in the field of culture, science and sport, the Neva Foundation is helping to promote the Russian cultural diversity among the Swiss, to multiply exchanges between the two countries and to encourage their connection. Since 2013 the Neva Foundation extends its partnerships to France.

Regarding future Women Grand Prix events Ilyumzhinov said: "This year we will have another two tournaments. The next one is in Dilijan, Armenia. They are excellent hosts and have shown that under the President of the country and the Federation, H.E. Serge Sargissian, they are committed to supporting FIDE and the Women Grand Prix series. After this we will go to Tashkent, Uzbekistan and we will have the second event in a space of twelve months. The Grand Prix in 2012 had excellent organisation and we expect another superlative event this year."

And perhaps more interestingly: "Today I can officially confirm that the next Men's Grand Prix will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece between the 21st of May and 4th of June 2013. The location will be the luxurious five-star Makedonia Palace Hotel in downtown Salonika. This could happen thanks to the active support of the well known philanthropist Ivan Savvidi."

Group photo: Anna Muzychuk, Viktorija Cmilyte, Hou Yifan, Bela Khotenashvili, Anna Ushenina, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, Elena Timtchenko, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Nana Dzagnidze, Kateryna Lagno, Tuvshintugs Batchimeg, Ju Wenjun, Olga Girya and Tatiana Kosintseva

The drawing of colours – here acutally quite literally – was conducted with Swatch watches

The numbers were on the back: Tatiana Kosintseva got the two

Ukrainian GM Anna Ushenina, current Women's World Champion...

... will be challenged later this year by former Women's World Champion Hou Yifan,
above with her mother Wang Qian (left) and second seed Anna Muzychuk (right)

Round one report

Round 1 on Friday, May 3rd 2013 at 14:00
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
½-½
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
½-½
GM Yifan Hou 2617
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
1-0
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
½-½
GM Anna Ushenina 2491
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
½-½
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
1-0
WGM Olga Girya 2463

The playing hall, before the start of round one

Elena Timtchenko ceremonially executes the first move of the game Kosinseva-Hou Yifan

Top Chinese female and world number two: GM Hou Yifan

IM Bela Khotenashvili of Georgia scored a fine 37-move win over...

... Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun, rated 40 points above her

Second seed GM Anna Muzychuk defeated WGM Olga Girya in the first round

GM Anna Ushenina, 2491, playing WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg: draw

Third seed GM Kateryna Lagno, Ukraine, rated 2548, drew ...

... sixth seed GM Viktorija Cmilyte of Lithuania, rated 2522

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, Russia, 2491 vs GM Nana Dzagnidze, Georgia, 2545: ½-½

Former Women's World Champion and "Chess Queen"© Alexandra Kosteniuk

Replay all games of the round

Select games from the dropdown menu above the board

Information and photos supplied by FIDE Press Officer Anastasiya Karlovich

Schedule and results

Round 1 on Friday, May 3rd 2013 at 14:00
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
½-½
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
½-½
GM Yifan Hou 2617
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
1-0
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
½-½
GM Anna Ushenina 2491
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
½-½
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
1-0
WGM Olga Girya 2463
Round 2 on Saturday, May 4th 2013 at 14:00
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491   WGM Olga Girya 2463
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548   GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
GM Anna Ushenina 2491   GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544   WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
GM Yifan Hou 2617   IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545   GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
Round 3 on Sunday, May 5th 2013 at 14:00
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517   GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505   GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298   GM Yifan Hou 2617
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522   WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585   GM Anna Ushenina 2491
WGM Olga Girya 2463   GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
Round 4 on Monday, May 6th 2013 at 14:00
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491   GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
GM Anna Ushenina 2491   WGM Olga Girya 2463
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544   GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
GM Yifan Hou 2617   GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545   WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517   IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
Round 5 on Wednesday, May 8th 2013 at 14:00
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505   GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298   GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522   GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585   GM Yifan Hou 2617
WGM Olga Girya 2463   WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548   GM Anna Ushenina 2491
Round 6 on Thursday, May 9th 2013 at 14:00
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491   GM Anna Ushenina 2491
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544   GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
GM Yifan Hou 2617   WGM Olga Girya 2463
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545   GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517   GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505   WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
Round 7 on Friday, May 10th 2013 at 14:00
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298   GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522   IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585   GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
WGM Olga Girya 2463   GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548   GM Yifan Hou 2617
GM Anna Ushenina 2491   WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
Round 8 on Saturday, May 11th 2013 at 14:00
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491   WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
GM Yifan Hou 2617   GM Anna Ushenina 2491
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545   GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517   WGM Olga Girya 2463
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505   GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298   GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
Round 9 on Monday, May 13th 2013 at 14:00
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522   GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585   WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
WGM Olga Girya 2463   IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548   GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
GM Anna Ushenina 2491   GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544   GM Yifan Hou 2617
Round 10 on Tuesday, May 14th 2013 at 14:00
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491   GM Yifan Hou 2617
GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545   WGM Wenjun Ju 2544
GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517   GM Anna Ushenina 2491
IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505   GM Kateryna Lagno 2548
WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298   WGM Olga Girya 2463
GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522   GM Anna Muzychuk 2585
Round 11 on Wednesday, May 15th 2013 at 12:00
GM Anna Muzychuk 2585   GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 2491
WGM Olga Girya 2463   GM Viktorija Cmilyte 2522
GM Kateryna Lagno 2548   WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg 2298
GM Anna Ushenina 2491   IM Bela Khotenashvili 2505
WGM Wenjun Ju 2544   GM Tatiana Kosintseva 2517
GM Yifan Hou 2617   GM Nana Dzagnidze 2545

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


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