Women's Candidates matches

[Matt Mackenzie]

Chess Mind includes a link to analysis of Tan's win

Which means an all Chinese final (again)

[Mick Norris]

FIDE

Shanghai and Chongqing will host the year's two major Women's events. More than three years after her last defence of the title in Shanghai and Vladivostok, the Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun will face the winner of the Candidates Final match between Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi.

The final stage of the Women's Candidates, played to the best of six games, will take place in Chongqing from March 27th to April 6th. The decision was an obvious choice for the Chinese Chess Association, organisers of the match, as both players were born there. With almost 32 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, Chongqing is an important centre of chess activity in the country, featuring multiple chess clubs and academies. Besides Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi, teammates at the "Chongqing Sports Lottery Chess Club", the city is also home to other important chess figures in the country such as Huang Qian, Liu Yan, and Wang Chen, who in turn have inspired thousands of children in the city to take up western chess.

As in 2018, the Women's World Championship Match will be split between Chongqing and Shanghai, ensuring that both the defending Champion, Ju Wenjun, and her challenger will play half of the games on home turf. The 12-game match will take place from July 5th to 25th, switching cities halfway. It remains to be decided which city will host the first half and which one the second.

[James Pratt]

I see 'it remains to be decided which city will host the first half and which one the second.' It could add a considerable sporting element to the match if one player knows where to go but the other doesn't. It might be a bit dull for the audience though.

[Mick Norris]

2024 candidates for men and women at the same time in Toronto

Toronto will host the 2024 FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates, scheduled for April 3-25, with a prize fund of EUR 750,000. It will be the first time in chess history that both events will be held at the same time and venue, and also the first time that the Candidates Tournament is held in North America

[LawrenceCooper]

Game 1 ends in a win for white: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2023/3/1/1

[Mick Norris]

Game 2 also a win for white

[Mick Norris]

Game 1 ends in a win for white: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2023/3/1/1

chess24 report

an Zhongyi sacrificed two pawns and looked in grave danger in Game 1 of the FIDE Women’s Candidates Final in Chongqing, China, but Lei Tingjie blundered with seconds on her clock and fell to defeat. That was a huge step towards Tan Zhongyi forcing a World Championship rematch against Ju Wenjun, but Lei Tingjie still has five games in which to hit back.

The game immediately left the beaten path when Tan Zhongyi replied to 1.c4 e5 with 2.d3!?, and by move 5 we had a completely new position on the board.

[LawrenceCooper]

Game 3 was drawn. Tomorrow is the rest day.

[LawrenceCooper]

Game 4 and 5 were both won by Lei Tingjie who clinches the match 3.5-1.5.

[Mick Norris]

Chess Mind with annotated games