On behalf of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess (WOM), it is my pleasure to announce a new world class initiative to promote and further women’s chess. It is co-sponsored by FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, WOM, Webster University, and the Susan Polgar Foundation.
As part of this “Chess for Girls” project, there will be two events this summer. The first one will take place at Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland, June 22 -29, followed by a second one in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam July 1-8.
The schedule for the Geneva “Chess for Girls Europe” event will be:
June 22 Arrival Day
June 23 – 26 Training sessions
June 27-28 Rapid competition
June 28 Closing Ceremony 5pm
June 29 Departure
Housing (based on double occupancy with another participant) and meals will be complimentary for all invited participants at Webster University’s campus in Geneva. Meals will be provided starting with dinner on the 22nd and end with lunch on the 29th.
Parents (or other accompanying persons) may join (and share room with their daughters), but will have to pay for their own expenses. That cost will be: Sfr 120 (or about 100 EUR)/day including 3 meals a day, a total of about 700 EUR for the week.
Ten of the top young talents from around the world are invited for each of the two events. For the event in Geneva, only top girls from Europe will be invited, based on the April 2014 Top Girls’ rating list, with the restriction that only one player per federation is invited (other than the host federation).
Also a nominee from the host federations plus a “wild card” participant will be invited.
The idea is to raise the playing level of the elite young female talent. First, a four-day training session will take place with former World Champion Susan Polgar (and her team), followed by a 2-day round-robin competition in Rapid Chess G/15 10.
Prizes:
1st 2,000 EUR
2nd 1,250 EUR
3rd 750 EUR
4th 500 EUR
5th 400 EUR
6th 300 EUR
7th 250 EUR
200 EUR each for the remaining participants
The invitees are:
Goryachkina RUS 2423
Ziaziulkina BLR 2407
Arabidze GEO 2406
Shvayger ISR 2330
Schut NED 2313
Baciu MDA 2294
Brunello ITA 2281
Aranaz ESP 2279
Foisor ROU 2274
Osmanodia GER 2269
Invitees need to confirm their participation by May 15.
Why Geneva? Why not Moscow?