The King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Championships-2018 (Open and Women) will be held in Saint Petersburg from December 25 (arrival) till December 31 (departure), 2018. The guaranteed prize fund is USD 1,150,000: FIDE Open World Rapid Championship - USD 350,000, FIDE Open World Blitz Championship - USD 350,000, FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship - USD 150,000, FIDE Women’s World Blitz Championship - USD 150,000.

Official website 

Lists of participants are being updated daily at 6 p.m. (Moscow time)


Rapid

Blitz 


Participation 

The following players are eligible to participate in R&B:

- The players rated at least 2500 (2200 in the women's events) in any of the FIDE rating lists (Standard, Rapid or Blitz) from January 1st to December 1st 2018;

- The reigning National Champions representing their National Federation regardless of their title or rating.

Accommodation with full board in a standard room (4-star hotel minimum) from December 25th to 31st 2018 is offered by the Organizer to players rated at least 2750 (men) and 2500 (women) in any of the FIDE rating lists (Standard, Rapid or Blitz) from January 1st to December 1st 2018.

Registration and Fees

Each participant shall pay an ENTRY FEE to the Organizer. A player’s entry fees are USD 100 before December 15th, 2018. The late registrations will be accepted till December 22, and will cost 200 USD.

Rate of Play

Open events:

Rapid: Swiss system, 15 rounds (15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1); 

Blitz: Swiss system, 21 rounds (3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1).

Women's events:

Rapid: Swiss system, 12 rounds (15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1);

Blitz: Swiss system, 17 rounds (3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1).


The Opening Ceremony will take place on December 25. 

The registration system for the King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships-2018 is working. Please use the following link: https://wrbc2018registration.fide.com/.


VISA SUPPORT 

Dear chess friends, 


Please be informed that the invitation letter for Russian Embassies will be available for download at the online registration system https://wrbc2018registration.fide.com, under section B. Registrations. Please note that the download option will be available only for accredited participants that based on the submitted country of passport, they are required to have a visa to enter Russia


You will be able to proceed with the visa procedure from December, the 10th. 


·      A participant may apply for visa either in his home country or abroad.  

·      The main condition is to apply for a Russian visa only in official institutions, such as the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy, Consulate-General or an official Visa Application Center.
·      Other institutions and travel agencies offering their services will have no access to the information regarding the World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships. 
·      When applying for a Russian visa, alongside with a complete set of documents requested by the Embassy, participants must provide the official invitationfrom the Russian Chess Federation.This invitation was approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. It is the main basis for issuing a visa that substitutes for a telex/ reference number


Registration of the Reigning National Champions 2018 


Dear chess friends, 


Please note, that each Reigning National Champions 2018 should provide a proof of the title via National Federations. 


The official letter from your National Federation need to be sent to RCF official representative Artem Pugachev pugachev@ruchess.ru in order to be accredited. 


VENUE & OFFICIAL HOTELS

 

The venue is Manege, the largest exhibition space in central Saint Petersburg. Address: 1, St. Isaac’s Square.

Information about tickets, hotels and transfers is attached. 

 

SCHEDULE


Date

Event 

Rounds

Time

25 Dec 2018

Arrival, 

 

 

25 Dec 2018

Opening Ceremony

 

19:30

25 Dec 2018

Technical Meeting

 

20:30

26 Dec 2018

Rapid - day 1

1-5

15:00

27 Dec 2018

Rapid - day 2

6-10

15:00

28 Dec 2018

Rapid - day 3

11-15

15:00

29 Dec 2018

Blitz - day 1

1-12

15:00

30 Dec 2018

Blitz - day 2

13-21

14:00

30 Dec 2018

Closing Ceremony

 

18:00*

31 Dec 2018

Departure

 

 

    

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND CONTACT INFORMATION

 

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

Mark Glukhovsky, IO

 

RCF contact person

Artem Pugachev, 

Email: pugachev@ruchess.ru

 

PRESS OFFICER

Eteri Kublashvili

Tel.: +7 905 791 76 51

Email: kublashvili@yandex.ru

 

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE 

All the contact information will be announced later.


Regulations