2015 Women's World Championship is announced

As in the previous World Championship, the tournament is scheduled to be a Knockout tournament, with 64 players, subject to confirmation. The tournament is to be held from March 16 (Opening ceremony) to April 7 (Closing ceremony) in Sochi, Russia. The players have until February 4 to send in the signed contracts or be excluded.

In view of the recent uncertainty as to the World Championship between Anand and Carlsen, when the title-holder delayed signing the contract due to concerns over the venue in Sochi, this concern is repeated here, and hopefully the disaster of the 2008 Women's World Championship will be avoided.

As a reminder, due to concerns over the announced location in Nalchik, Russia in 2008, in protest over the Russo-Georgian War in 2008 and safety concerns, eleven players did not show up, leading to some players having no opponent, and some matches with no players.

The list of players qualified for the tournament at the time of writing is:

From World Women's Championships 2012-2013

The final of the 2012 Knockout tournament in which Anna Ushenina defeated
Antoaneta Stefanova for the title

From average Rating List 2/2013 to 1/2014

World Girl Junior Champions 2012-2013

28 players from European Women's Championships 2012 & 2013

Eight players from Americas

Twelve players from Asia/Oceania

Three players from Africa

Two nominees of the FIDE President

As the winner of the Grand Prix cycle preceding the championship, Hou Yifan
was given the right to play Ushenina for the title, which she duly won

Financial conditions

The tournament regulations state "The Championship has a total prize fund of USD 450,000 (four hundred and fifty thousand dollars), to be distributed to the players in accordance with the regulations of the Championship. There will not be any FIDE deduction of 20% from the player’s prize fund."

Although this is the much the same as in 2012 and 2010, which had the same prize pool, but with 2010 costs. The breakdown, based on the 2012 championship was US$3,750 for first round losers, US$5,500 for the second round, US$8,000 for the third. Losing quarter-finalists picked up US$12,000$, the semi-finalists US$20,000. The runner up received US$ 30,000 and the winner got US$60,000.

Bear in mind that there will be 32 first-round losers and many will probably be looking at financial loss. Consider the costs:

Costs to participate

Hotel - The regulations state "All the players qualified for the Championship must stay at the official Championship hotel(s), and the name of this hotel(s) shall be announced later by FIDE." This means the players must blindly accept this hotel choice, by contract, and will pay whatever those costs may be.

Airfare - Obviously the airfare is another financial burden.

Taxes - All winnings are subject to taxation of the local hosts, which does not include income taxes the players may pay in their home countries. Inasmuch as Russia is concerned, foreign individuals present in Russia for less than 183 days are subject to 30 percent income tax. Unless the players' countries have double taxation treaties with Russia, they will then be subject to taxes on their winnings in their home country.

Naturally, we wish the players all the success in the world, but it is certainly a concern that a high number of the competitors vying for the highest title may leave worse financially than had they not participated. Bear in mind these are not idle concerns.

Open letter by Women's World Ch. participants  1/18/2011 – It was an exciting event, and we reported enthusiastically. But as it turns out not all the players were enchanted by the conditions of the WWCCh in Antakya/Hatay (Turkey). They feel they were overcharged, unappreciated and had to play in substandard conditions. Eighteen participants have signed the highly critical letter – to which FIDE has promised to respond. Plus: a new NYT article.

Click to see Player's Contract (PDF)

Click for list of qualifiers (PDF)