Candidates Tournament 2024
Candidates Tournament 2024 | |
---|---|
Venue | The Great Hall |
Location | Toronto, Canada |
Dates | 3–22 April 2024 |
Competitors | 8 from 5 nations |
The 2024 Candidates Tournament is an eight-player chess tournament, held to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship 2024. The tournament is currently taking place at The Great Hall in Toronto, Canada, from April 3–22, 2024.[1] The event is held alongside the Women's Candidates Tournament.[2][3]
As with every Candidates tournament since 2013, it is a double round-robin tournament.[4][5] The winner of the tournament will earn the right to play the World Chess Championship 2024 against the current World Chess Champion Ding Liren.[6]
Qualification
The qualifiers for the Candidates Tournament are:[7][8][9]
Qualification method | Player | Age | Rating | World ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|
(April 2024) | ||||
2023 World Championship runner-up | ![]() |
33 | 2758 | 7 |
The top three finishers in the Chess World Cup 2023[b] | ![]() |
|||
![]() |
18 | 2747 | 14 | |
![]() |
31 | 2803 | 2 | |
![]() |
28 | 2632 | 114 | |
The top two finishers in the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2023 | ![]() |
29 | 2727 | 25 |
![]() |
36 | 2789 | 3 | |
The winner of the 2023 FIDE Circuit[c] | ![]() |
17 | 2743 | 16 |
Highest rating for January 2024[d] | ![]() |
20 | 2760 | 6 |
Withdrawal of Magnus Carlsen
Despite qualifying for the Candidates Tournament by winning the 2023 FIDE World Cup,[13][14] former World Champion Magnus Carlsen decided not to compete in Toronto.[15] He had previously stated his disinclination after reaching the semifinals of the World Cup, stating that "under the current format there is absolutely no chance" he will play the Candidates.[16] In January 2024, after official confirmation of the candidates list, Magnus Carlsen formally confirmed his decision to decline FIDE's invitation to play in the Candidates Tournament by stating "I would say the main reason is that I don't enjoy it. It's as simple as that."[17] As a result, Nijat Abasov, who finished fourth at the World Cup, qualified to the Candidates Tournament 2024 as Carlsen's replacement.[18][19]
FIDE and Grand Chess Tour agreement
In April 2022, before announcing all the qualification methods, FIDE announced that the top two finishers in the 2023 Grand Chess Tour would qualify to the 2024 Candidates Tournament. FIDE promised that more details will follow, but later announced qualification paths excluding the Grand Chess Tour, without providing an explanation for the change.[20][21] However, the Grand Chess Tour tournaments counted toward the qualifying path of the FIDE Circuit.[8]
FIDE Rating qualifier
The highest rated player in the January 2024 rating list who has not yet qualified for the Candidates or World Championship, and has participated in at least four FIDE Circuit classical events, qualified for the Candidates.[22][23][24]
The rating qualifier turned out to be hotly contested. After a poor showing in the 2023 Sinquefield Cup, rating spot front-runner Alireza Firouzja lost nearly thirteen rating points, putting him behind Wesley So in the live ratings. In an attempt to surpass So, the Chartres Chess Club organized three two-game matches between Firouzja and grandmasters Alexandre Dgebuadze (52 years old, rated 2439), Andrei Shchekachev (51 years old, rated 2506), and Sergey Fedorchuk (42 years old, rated 2546). These matches, held in Chartres, France, were collectively referred to as "Alireza Firouzja's Race to Candidates". Firouzja needed to win all six games (or win the first five and not play the sixth) to overtake So in the live ratings. He indeed won the first five games after some controversy (such as Shchekachev resigning in a position that turned out to be equal in game 3), but decided to play the sixth game anyway. In what was effectively a must-win game, Firouzja overpushed and landed in a bad endgame, but with both players in time trouble, Fedorchuk accepted Firouzja's draw offer. The 5.5/6 result still left Firouzja behind So in the live rating list.[25]
The last-minute nature of the event as well as the hand-selecting of opponents drew criticism, including from So, who revealed he turned down similar opportunities because he disagreed with the morality of such events. Shortly after these matches were announced, FIDE affirmed that it had the right to not rate any specific event, and the United States Chess Federation called on FIDE to not rate Firouzja's games. FIDE's response drew criticism from many, including Ian Nepomniachtchi, who pointed out that Ding Liren had also played last-minute games to qualify for the Candidates Tournament 2022, to no reaction from FIDE.[25]
On December 25, FIDE announced new rules, effective immediately, requiring events with at least one player rated over 2700 (or at least one woman player rated over 2500) to be registered at least one month in advance; however, the rule would not be applied retroactively for Alireza Firouzja's Race to Candidates tournament. This requirement could be waived with the approval of the FIDE president or QC Chairman. That same day, Alireza Firouzja's matches (as well as another match in Chartres in which Firouzja did not play) were removed from FIDE's website.[26][27]
Having fallen short, Firouzja withdrew from the World Rapid and Blitz championship to participate in the Open de Rouen tournament,[28] which was a minor Swiss-system tournament with a top prize of €700. Firouzja won all 7 games, including a win against former world championship challenger Gata Kamsky. This gained Firouzja enough rating to surpass So on the January 2024 rating list even if the Chartres event was not rated, which turned out to be the case.[29] Firouzja was officially confirmed as the rating qualifier on the January ratings list.[30]
Ranking | Player | Rating | Candidates | FIDE Circuit | Eligible for rating qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2830 | Qualified, withdrew[31] | 4+ | No |
2 | ![]() |
2804 | Qualified[32] | 4+ | No |
3 | ![]() |
2788 | Qualified[33] | 4+ | No |
4 | ![]() |
2780 | World Champion[23] | 2 | No |
5 | ![]() |
2769 | Qualified[23] | 4+ | No |
6 | ![]() |
2759 | Qualified | 4+ | Yes |
7 | ![]() |
2757 | - | 4+ | Yes |
8 | ![]() |
2752 | - | 4 | Yes |
9 | ![]() |
2750 | - | 0 | No |
10 | ![]() |
2749 | - | 4+ | Yes |
Organization
The tournament is an eight-player, double round-robin tournament, meaning there are 14 rounds with each player facing the others twice: once with the black pieces and once with the white pieces. The tournament winner will qualify to play Ding Liren for the World Championship in 2024.
Players from the same federation are required to play each other in the first rounds of each half[5] to avoid collusion. The players affected in the 2024 Candidates are R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi and Gukesh D from India, and Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura from the United States. The former three will face one another in rounds 1–3 and 8–10, while the latter two will face each other in rounds 1 and 8.
FIDE announced pairings for the tournament in March 2024.[34]
Regulations
The time control is 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move 41. Players get 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.[35]
Tiebreaks for the first place are addressed as follows:[5]
- Players would play two rapid chess games at 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If a three- to six-way tie had occurred, a single round-robin would be played. If seven or eight players had been tied, a single round-robin would be played with a time limit of 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.
- If any players had still been tied for first after the rapid chess games, they would play two blitz chess games at 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. In the case of more than two players being tied, a single round-robin would be played.
- If any players were still tied for first after these blitz chess games, the remaining players would play a knock-out blitz tournament at the same time control. In each mini-match of the proposed knock-out tournament, the first player to win a game would win the mini-match.
Ties for places other than first will be broken by, in order: (1) Sonneborn–Berger score; (2) total number of wins; (3) head-to-head score among tied players; (4) drawing of lots.
The prize money is €48,000 for first place, €36,000 for second place, and €24,000 for third place (with players on the same number of points sharing prize money, irrespective of tie-breaks), plus €3,500 per half-point for every player, for a total prize pool of €500,000.[5]
Schedule
|
All rounds are scheduled to start at 14:30 EDT local time (18:30 GMT).[36]
Results
Standings
Rank | Player | Score | SB | Wins | GD | VG | FC | IN | NA | HN | PR | AF | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1–2[e] | ![]() |
1.5 / 2 | 1.25 | 1 | ½ | 1 | |||||||||||||||
1–2[e] | ![]() |
1.5 / 2 | 1.25 | 1 | ½ | 1 | |||||||||||||||
3–4 | ![]() |
1.5 / 2 | 0.75 | 1 | 1 | ½ | |||||||||||||||
3–4 | ![]() |
1.5 / 2 | 0.75 | 1 | ½ | 1 | |||||||||||||||
5–6 | ![]() |
0.5 / 2 | 0.75 | 0 | 0 | ½ | |||||||||||||||
5–6 | ![]() |
0.5 / 2 | 0.75 | 0 | 0 | ½ | |||||||||||||||
7–8[f] | ![]() |
0.5 / 2 | 0.25 | 0 | 0 | ½ | |||||||||||||||
7–8[f] | ![]() |
0.5 / 2 | 0.25 | 0 | 0 | ½ |
Tie-breakers for first place: (1) results in tie-break games for first place;
Tie breakers for non-first place: (1) results in tie-break games for first place, if any; (2) Sonneborn–Berger score (SB); (3) total number of wins; (4) head-to-head score among tied players; (5) drawing of lots.[5]
Note: Numbers in the crosstable in a white background indicate the result playing the respective opponent with the white pieces (black pieces if on a black background). This does not give information which of the two games was played in the first half of the tournament, and which in the second.
Points by round
This table shows each player's cumulative difference between their number of wins and losses after each round. Green backgrounds indicate the player(s) with the highest score after each round. Red backgrounds indicate player(s) who can no longer win the tournament after each round.
Rank | Player | Rounds | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||
1–2 | ![]() |
= | +1 | ||||||||||||
1–2 | ![]() |
= | +1 | ||||||||||||
3–4 | ![]() |
= | +1 | ||||||||||||
3–4 | ![]() |
= | +1 | ||||||||||||
5–6 | ![]() |
= | −1 | = | |||||||||||
5–6 | ![]() |
= | −1 | = | |||||||||||
7–8 | ![]() |
= | −1 | ||||||||||||
7–8 | ![]() |
= | −1 |
Results by round
First named player is white. 1–0 indicates a white win, 0–1 indicates a black win, and ½–½ indicates a draw. Numbers in parentheses show players' scores prior to the round. Final column indicates opening played, sourced from The Week in Chess.[38]
-
Abasov vs. Nepomniachtchi (Round 1)
Credit: Eldar Azimov -
Nakamura vs. Caruana (Round 1)
Credit: Eldar Azimov -
Firouzja vs. Praggnanandhaa (Round 1)
Credit: Eldar Azimov
Round 1 (4 April 2024) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fabiano Caruana | ½–½ | Hikaru Nakamura | B56 Sicilian Defence |
Nijat Abasov | ½–½ | Ian Nepomniachtchi | D53 Queen's Gambit |
Alireza Firouzja | ½–½ | R Praggnanandhaa | C83 Ruy Lopez Open |
Gukesh D | ½–½ | Vidit Gujrathi | D32 Tarrasch Defence |
Round 2 (5 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura (½) | 0–1 | Vidit Gujrathi (½) | C65 Ruy Lopez Berlin |
R Praggnanandhaa (½) | 0–1 | Gukesh D (½) | D30 Queen's Gambit (without Nc3) |
Ian Nepomniachtchi (½) | 1–0 | Alireza Firouzja (½) | C65 Ruy Lopez Berlin |
Fabiano Caruana (½) | 1–0 | Nijat Abasov (½) | B30 Sicilian Rossolimo |
Round 3 (6 April 2024) | |||
Nijat Abasov (½) | ½–½ | Hikaru Nakamura (½) | D10 Slav Defense |
Alireza Firouzja (½) | Fabiano Caruana (1½) | B30 Sicilian Rossolimo | |
Gukesh D (1½) | Ian Nepomniachtchi (1½) | E01 Catalan | |
Vidit Gujrathi (1½) | R Praggnanandhaa (½) | C70 Ruy Lopez | |
Round 4 (7 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura (1½) | R Praggnanandhaa | ||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | Vidit Gujrathi | ||
Fabiano Caruana | Gukesh D | ||
Nijat Abasov (1½) | Alireza Firouzja | ||
Round 5 (9 April 2024) | |||
Alireza Firouzja | Hikaru Nakamura | ||
Gukesh D | Nijat Abasov | ||
Vidit Gujrathi | Fabiano Caruana | ||
R Praggnanandhaa | Ian Nepomniachtchi | ||
Round 6 (10 April 2024) | |||
Gukesh D | Hikaru Nakamura | ||
Vidit Gujrathi | Alireza Firouzja | ||
R Praggnanandhaa | Nijat Abasov | ||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | Fabiano Caruana | ||
Round 7 (11 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura | Ian Nepomniachtchi | ||
Fabiano Caruana | R Praggnanandhaa | ||
Nijat Abasov | Vidit Gujrathi | ||
Alireza Firouzja | Gukesh D |
Round 8 (13 April 2024) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Hikaru Nakamura | Fabiano Caruana | ||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | Nijat Abasov | ||
R Praggnanandhaa | Alireza Firouzja | ||
Vidit Gujrathi | Gukesh D | ||
Round 9 (14 April 2024) | |||
Vidit Gujrathi | Hikaru Nakamura | ||
Gukesh D | R Praggnanandhaa | ||
Alireza Firouzja | Ian Nepomniachtchi | ||
Nijat Abasov | Fabiano Caruana | ||
Round 10 (15 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura | Nijat Abasov | ||
Fabiano Caruana | Alireza Firouzja | ||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | Gukesh D | ||
R Praggnanandhaa | Vidit Gujrathi | ||
Round 11 (17 April 2024) | |||
R Praggnanandhaa | Hikaru Nakamura | ||
Vidit Gujrathi | Ian Nepomniachtchi | ||
Gukesh D | Fabiano Caruana | ||
Alireza Firouzja | Nijat Abasov | ||
Round 12 (18 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura | Alireza Firouzja | ||
Nijat Abasov | Gukesh D | ||
Fabiano Caruana | Vidit Gujrathi | ||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | R Praggnanandhaa | ||
Round 13 (20 April 2024) | |||
Ian Nepomniachtchi | Hikaru Nakamura | ||
R Praggnanandhaa | Fabiano Caruana | ||
Vidit Gujrathi | Nijat Abasov | ||
Gukesh D | Alireza Firouzja | ||
Round 14 (21 April 2024) | |||
Hikaru Nakamura | Gukesh D | ||
Alireza Firouzja | Vidit Gujrathi | ||
Nijat Abasov | R Praggnanandhaa | ||
Fabiano Caruana | Ian Nepomniachtchi |
Notes
- ^ Russian players' flags are displayed as the FIDE flag, as Russian and Belarusian flags have been banned from FIDE-rated events in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[10]
- ^ The regulations stated that it would be the top three finishers other than Ding and Nepomniachtchi. (And that if both finished in the top four of the World Cup, then the World Cup qualifiers would be the other two players in the top four; and two players with the highest rating in the January 2024 ranking list would qualify for the event instead of one). However neither of these players reached the World Cup semifinals: Ding elected not to play, and Nepomniachtchi lost in the fifth round.
- ^ Fabiano Caruana finished first in the 2023 FIDE Circuit, but had already qualified for the Candidates through a third place finish at the Chess World Cup 2023. As a result, the qualifying spot was awarded to the highest finisher of the FIDE Circuit who had not already qualified for the event (Gukesh D).[11][12]
- ^ Provided the player has played at least 4 classical time control tournaments eligible for the 2023 FIDE Circuit.
- ^ a b Head-to-head scores: Gukesh 0.5, Vidit 0.5.
- ^ a b Head-to-head scores: Praggnanandhaa 0.5, Firouzja 0.5.
References
- ^ "FIDE publishes the regulations for 2024 Candidates Tournaments".
- ^ "Toronto will host the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournaments".
- ^ "Toronto to host the 2024 Open and Women's Candidates Tournaments". ChessBase.
- ^ FIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Cycle 2023-2024
- ^ a b c d e Regulations for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024, (PDF) FIDE
- ^ Tarjei Svensen (5 November 2023). "Ding Reveals Reason For Absence, Expects Comeback In 2024". Chess.com.
- ^ "FIDE reforms qualifications paths to Candidates Tournament".
- ^ a b "FIDE Announces 2024 Candidates Tournament Qualification Paths". Chess.com.
- ^ "FIDE Candidates 2024 - Players". 2024 Candidates Tournament Website. 3 February 2024. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024.
- ^ FIDE Condemns Military Action; Takes Measures Against Russia, Belarus, chess.com, 28 February 2022
- ^ Tarjei Svensen (13 December 2023). "FIDE Clarification On Candidates Race Draws Reactions". Chess.com.
- ^ "FIDE Circuit 2023". FIDE.
- ^ Aaditya Narayan (24 August 2023). "Magnus Carlsen wins 2023 Chess World Cup after beating R Praggnanandhaa in tie-breaks". ESPN.
- ^ "Chess: Magnus Carlsen beats India's Praggnanandhaa to win FIDE World Cup". Al Jazeera English. 24 August 2023.
- ^ "Carlsen On Lack Of Motivation, Classical Chess, New WC Formats & Family Life". chess.com. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ "Under the current format there is absolutely no chance. I think everybody should operate under the assumption that I will not play at the Candidates and that everybody else who's in the semifinals is qualified for the Candidates," says Magnus Carlsen. Before the official decision, twitter.com, 16 August 2023
- ^ "Exclusive: Carlsen Confirms He Will Formally Decline Candidates Invitation". Chess.com. 6 January 2024.
- ^ FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024: Qualification paths
- ^ FIDE (14 January 2024). "Magnus Carlsen withdraws from Candidates 2024, the spot goes to Nijat Abasov". fide.com. FIDE. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Grand Chess Tour becomes part of the World Championship Cycle". www.fide.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- ^ "FIDE revamp Candidates qualification system". chess24.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- ^ "FIDE World Championship Cycle". International Chess Federation (FIDE). Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b c "FIDE reforms the qualifications paths to the Candidates Tournament". www.fide.com. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "FIDE World Championship Cycle". International Chess Federation (FIDE). Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b Colin McGourty (22 December 2023). "Firouzja Falls At Final Candidates Hurdle, Wins Only 5.5/6, Drops Below So". chess.com. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "FIDE Council approves changes in tournament registration procedure". FIDE. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ @MChoiz (December 25, 2023). "And Chartres vanished" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @FIDE_chess (December 23, 2023). "GM Alireza Firouzja has withdrawn from the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships due to personal reasons. #RapidBlitz" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Colin McGourty (29 December 2023). "Firouzja Overtakes Wesley So To Grab Candidates Rating Spot". Chess.com. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "FIDE rating January 2024". Chessbase. 1 January 2024.
- ^ Ben Morse (24 August 2023). "Magnus Carlsen defeats Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa to become Chess World Cup champion". CNN.
- ^ "Magnus Carlsen secures first World Cup victory, Prag finishes second, Caruana third". www.fide.com. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Jack Rodgers (6 November 2023). "Vidit Wins FIDE Grand Swiss, Nakamura Secures Candidates Spot". Chess.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023.
- ^ Pairings: accessed 4 March 2024
- ^ Anish Anand (2 April 2024). "FIDE Candidates 2024: Favourites, Format, Schedule and All You Need to Know". ESPN.
- ^ https://candidates2024.fide.com/schedule
- ^ "FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024". candidates.fide.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ "FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 | The Week in Chess". The Week in Chess. Retrieved 2024-04-04.