2023 FIDE World Cup Sun 30th Jul 2023 - Thu 24th Aug 2023

[Mick Norris]

2 draws between Pragg & Erigaisi whilst Salimova won with black but then Muzychuk also won with black. Both matches go to the faster rapid.

I thought Salimova was going to hold that one, there's some good fighting chess

[Tim Harding]

Salimova plays Goryachkina in the final and qualifies for the Women's Candidates.

Blitz coming up as Erigaisi strikes back.

[Mick Norris]

I think we established that Salimova and the 2 beaten semi-finalists have qualified for the Candidates as Goryachkina did so before the World Cup

[LawrenceCooper]

Erigaisi equalises but Salimova wins her match against Muzychuk to qualify for the final.

[LawrenceCooper]

I think we established that Salimova and the 2 beaten semi-finalists have qualified for the Candidates as Goryachkina did so before the World Cup

I've been told that's not the case in the women's event and that it defaults to the rating list so 4th allegedly won't qualify for the Candidates.

[Mick Norris]

Well done to Salimova; the 3rd place playoff is pretty important then

Qualification for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024

Eight players shall qualify for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024 by the following criteria:

A. 1 spot – FIDE Women’s World Championship Match 2023, Runner-up

B. 2 spots – FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 2022-23 The players who finish 1st and 2nd in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 2022-23. If one of these players is GM Tan Zhongyi and she is also participant of the FIDE Women’s World Championship Match 2023, the unallocated spot shall be awarded to the next non-qualifying player in the final ranking of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 2022-23.

C.3 spots – FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023 The players who finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023. If the FIDE Women’s World Champion 2023 and/or one of the players qualified via tracks A or B is (are) among these three qualifiers, the unallocated spot(s) shall, in order of priority:
- be awarded by rating*;
- be awarded to the player who finishes 4th in the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023 (if she has not qualified via tracks A or B);
- became (an) additional spot(s) at the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2023.

*The spot shall be awarded to the player having the highest standard rating among non-qualified players in the January 2024 FIDE rating list, provided she has played at least 30 games rated in the FIDE standard rating lists from February 2023 to January 2024.

D. 2 spots – FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2023 The players who finish 1st and 2nd in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2023.

If the FIDE Women’s World Champion 2023 and/or one of the players qualified via tracks A, B or C is (are) among these two qualifiers, the unallocated spot(s) shall be awarded to the next non-qualifying player of the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2023.

If any replacement is needed, the spot shall be awarded to the player having the highest standard rating among non-qualified players in the January 2024 FIDE rating list, provided she has played at least 30 games rated in the FIDE standard rating lists from February 2023 to January 2024.

[LawrenceCooper]

Pragg now 1 up as black continues to dominate.

[Mick Norris]

Yes black has won 5 and drawn the other 2, surprising

[LawrenceCooper]

Pragg now 1 up as black continues to dominate.

Almost inevitably, another win for black so they go on to the 3/2 blitz.

[LawrenceCooper]

Pragg wins the first sudden death 3/2 game with white despite losing 30 seconds by arriving late and going down to one or two seconds in the tense scramble at the end to qualify for the semi-final.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Literally seconds between getting into the Candidates and not.

[Mick Norris]

Magnus confirms to ‘not play’ at Candidates 2024

“Under the current format there is absolutely no chance. I think everybody should operate under the assumption that I will not play at the Candidates and that everybody else who’s in the semifinals is qualified for the Candidates,” said Magnus Carlsen after beating D. Gukesh in the quarterfinals of the FIDE World Cup 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

“Ultimately, the conclusion stands, I am not motivated to play another match. I simply feel that I don’t have a lot to gain. Although I’m sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons and all of that. But, I don’t have any inclination to play, and I will simply not play the match.”

[Mick Norris]

Has Abasov ever played Carlsen OTB (as opposed to online)?

Not as far as I can tell though I only looked for OTB events.

Abasov translated as

Saying that he has no special plans for the rest day, the chess player expressed his opinion about the semi-final: "I have not played classical chess with Magnus Carlsen. There were friendly matches. In other words, we did not compete in the classic party in official tournaments. I will try my best. I hope it will be good."

[Geoff Chandler]

Thanks Mick,

The plan is to watch either Edinburgh City v Hamilton Accies (they are the closest to me) or The Spartans v Elgin. (great atmosphere at The Spartan games) or even go to watch Bonnyrigg Rose v Stranraer (the Bonnyrigg pies are delicious.)

But I think I'll watch the chess.

Sunday the plan is to watch Hibs v Raith Rovers but I may watch chess instead.
Next Wednesday night I will be watching Hibs v Villa and am making plans for the away leg.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

No plans to watch the World Cup final at 11am on Sunday, Geoff?