From June 9 to 23, 2012 Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, will play host to the FIDE Women's Grand Prix, part of a series of elite events organised by FIDE and Global Chess. There will be six tournaments over two years in various countries around the world. The winner of each tournament takes home 6,500 Euros, the total prize fund is 40,000 Euros. The overall winner will get a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series. Starting time of the games is 15:00h (check your local time here).

Twelve top women players are competing in Kazan, which is an eleven-round all-play-all event. Among them is women's world champion Hou Yifan, former world champions Alexandra Kosteniuk, Antoaneta Stefanova as well as current number three and four among women by rating Anna Muzychuk and Humpy Koneru. Four members of National Russian team, current Olympic champions Tatiana Kosintseva, Nadezhda Kosintseva, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alisa Galliamova will represent Russian Federation.

The participants: Nadezhda, Tatiana Kosintseva, Viktorija Cmilyte, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Elina Danielian, Alisa Galliamova, Antoaneta Stefanova, Betul Cemre Yildiz, Anna Muzychuk, Kateryna Lahno, Hou Yifan, Humpy Koneru.

View Larger Map – Kazan Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. It is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,161,308, it is the eighth most populous city in Russia.

Opening ceremony

Music and dance in the style of the Republic of Tatarstan

The women in white flowing apparel

The four tenors of Tatarstan

The first President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev, now Senior Advisor
to the FIDE President welcomes the participants on behalf of chess lovers of Tatarstan.

Shaimiev recalled that a year ago Kazan hosted the Candidates Matches which determined the challenger Boris Gelfand for the recently finished world chess championship match. "And now we have been entrusted to carry out one of the stages of FIDE Women Grand Prix”, said the State Advisor of the Republic of Tatarstan. He also announced that during World Universiade 2013, which will be held in Kazan, chess will be included to the program as one of the sports

The Chief Arbiter of the tournament Sultan Al Tahir conducted the ceremony of drawing of lots. Each participant chose an ornamental plate with different views of Kazan, with the number on the bottom. Women's world champion Hou Yifan, above, drew the 11.

At the ceremonial banquet Mintimer Shaimiev proposes a toast

The ladies, with Humpy's father Ashok on the left

Finally the technical meeting, led by Sultan Al Tahir and Global Chess CEO Geoffrey Borg

Photos and reports by Anastasiya Karlovich, with kind permission of FIDE

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.