ASTANA – The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships kicked off on Dec. 25 at the Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports in Almaty, reported the press service of the Kazakh Chess Federation.
The opening ceremony of the championships. Photo credit: David Llada
Some 176 chess players from 50 countries are taking part in open tournaments. Ninety-eight players compete in the women’s tournament.
World champion Magnus Carlsen at the opening ceremony. Photo credit: David Llada
Norwegian grandmaster and reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen arrived in Almaty on Dec. 24 to compete in the championship along with U.S. chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, Italian-American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, 2022 FIDE candidates winner Ian Nepomniachtchi and others.
The opening ceremony of the championships. Photo credit: David Llada
Kazakhstan’s Zhansaya Abdumalik and Bibisara Assaubayeva, Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina, India’s Koneru Humpy, China’s Tan Zhongyi, Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze are among the female participants.
The championship, with its $1 million prize fund, will run through Dec. 30.
