FIDE Women's World Championship Match Opens in Shanghai

Aleksandra Goryachkina to start with White.

The FIDE Women's World Championship Match between Ju Wenjun (China) and Aleksandra Goryachkina (Russia) was officially opened in Shanghai on January 4. 

The press conference with participants and officials took place before the ceremony.  

Xu Bin, Director General of Shanghai Administration of Sports, Ye Jiangchuan, FIDE Vice-President, President of the Chinese Chess Association, and Nigel short, FIDE Vice-President, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. 

Chief Arbiter IA Shohreh Bayat (Iran) conducted the drawing of lost during which Aleksandr a Goryachkina picked the white color. That means that the Russian player will have White in Round 1. During the drawing of lots, Aleksandra was supported by Aleksandr Shmanevskiy, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Shanghai. 

The match days: 

Shanghai: January 5-6, 8-9, and 11-12.

Vladivostok: January 16-17, 19-20, and 22-23. The tie-break (if needed) will be played on January 24. 

In Shanghai, the games will start at 10:30 AM (Moscow time).

The Match consists of 12 games. The player who scores 6.5 points or more wins the Match. If the score after twelve games is equal, the tie-break is played.

The closing ceremony will be held on January 24.  If the winner is decided in less than 12 games, the Match is over and the Organizer re-schedules the closing ceremony for an earlier date; then the closing ceremony takes place on the day of the last game or one day thereafter.

The prize fund provided by the Organizer is a minimum of EUR 500,000 net of any applicable local taxes. The prize fund is divided as follows: 60% to the winner and 40% to the runner-up if the Match ends within 12 games. In case the World Women’s Champion title is decided in the tie-break, the winner receives 55% and the runner-up receives 45% of the prize fund.  

Website

Tournament page

Photos by Eteri Kublashvili and Organizing Committee