The first leg of the 2024-2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix began in Tbilisi, Georgia, with a rousing opening ceremony attended by the tournament participants, prominent figures of Georgian chess and FIDE officials, including five-time Women’s World Champion Nona Gaprindashvili, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, FIDE Secretary General Lukasz Turlej, FIDE Continental President for Europe Zurab Azmaiparashvili and FIDE Director for Special Assignments Akaki Iashvili.

Akaki Iashvili opened the ceremony and welcomed all participants.

“We all know that Georgian chess is rich in tradition. I am confident that the Georgian Chess Federation and FIDE will achieve the highest level of the event. I would like to thank all foreign participants who came to our beautiful city, the capital of Georgia,” he said.

Nona Gapridashvili and Zurab Azmaiparashvili expressed similar sentiments in their short speeches.

Then FIDE Secretary General Lukas Turey took the stage: “It is a wonderful opportunity to be here in Georgia. The Georgian Chess Federation is one of FIDE’s strongest partners. It has an amazing history with many successful events and I am sure this one will be no exception.”

After the performance of the Georgian national anthem, the participants were invited to the stage to receive memorable gifts.

There is no better place than Georgia to open the new season of the Women’s Grand Prix. As the birthplace of chess legends such as former World Champions Nona Gaprindashvili (the first woman to be awarded the title of Grandmaster) and Maia Chiburdanidze, as well as three-time Soviet Champion Nana Alexandria, Georgia holds a venerable place in chess history. The country continues to produce world-class talent, including Nana Dzagnidze, Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili and Bella Khotenashvili, making it a fitting host for this momentous event.

The Tbilisi tournament, a ten-player round-robin, will take place in the luxurious Biltmore Tbilisi Hotel – the first glass skyscraper in Georgia and the tallest hotel in the Caucasus region. This inaugural event features a good mix of local players, talented young players and experienced grandmasters, including two former world champions – Alexandra Kosteniuk, winner of the Munich leg of the 2022/23 series, and Mariya Muzychuk.

The first round begins on Thursday at 3 p.m. local time. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds added per move from the first move onwards.

Pairings Round 1:

Kashlinskaya, Alina – Kosteniuk, Alexandra
Muzychuk, Anna – Muzychuk, Mariya
Dzagnidze, Nana – Javakhishvili, Lela
Assaubayeva, Bibisara – Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
Tsolakidou, Stavroula – Vaishali, Rameshbabu

Photos: Anna Shtourman

Official website: womengrandprix.fide.com/