28 November 2022

Pool B of FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament Officially Opened in Khiva

The drawing of colours was held.


Pool B of the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament has kicked off in Khiva, Uzbekistan. The event features the Russians Aleksandra Goryachkina, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Kateryna Lagno, and Tan Zhongyi from China. The Russian players will compete under the FIDE flag. 

Delivering speeches at the Opening Ceremony were Alisher Sadullaev, President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, Sanatbek Salayev, Deputy Governor of the Khorezm region, and Husan Turdialiev, Chief Arbiter of the tournament. 

A drawing of colours was held. Alexandra Kosteniuk and Tan Zhongyi will start with the white pieces their matches against Aleksandra Goryachkina and Kateryna Lagno, respectively.
The tournament is a knock-out event with four-game matches plus tie-breaks, if needed. The winner of Pool B advances to the Final, which will be held in the first quarter of 2023, where she will face Lei Tingjie (China), who won Pool A in Monaco. 

The match days: 
29-30 November, 2-3, 4 December - tie-break, if needed, 6-7, 9-10, 11 December - tie-break, if needed. The games will start at 1 PM Moscow time; the tie-break on 11 December is scheduled for 12 PM Moscow time. 

The total prize fund is 250,000 euros. The winner will get 60,000 euros and qualify for the match against the reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun (China). 

Photos by Eteri Kublashvili