Daulyte-Cornette and Moussard are the 2024 French chess champions

Exciting knockout tournaments

Press release by FIDE

Jules Moussard and Deimanté Daulyte-Cornette are the new chess champions of France.

Just like a year ago, the French Chess Championship 2024, 16-player knockout tournaments held in open and women's sections, took place from August 16-25 in Alpe d'Huez, France.

In case of a tie after two classical games, a 2-game Rapid tiebreaker (15+10) was played, followed by a 2-game Blitz (5+3) and an Armageddon (5 vs 4) if needed.

The competition brought together the best French players in the open except for Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachierv-Lagrave, who participated in the 2024 Sinquefield Cup.

On his way to the final, Jules Moussard beat Marie Sebag (the only female player who played in the open section) in the round of 16, then prevailed over Sebastien Maze in the blitz tiebreaker in the quarterfinals and finally defeated Romain Edouard in the rapid segment.

Laurent Fressinet's path to the final was even more challenging, as he had to play two Armageddon games in the round of 16 and the quarterfinals (battling past Matthieu Cornette and Peio Duboue) before defeating Pierre-Laurent Paoli in the semis.

Top Choice Repertoire: Play the French Defence Vol.1 & 2

In this two-volume video course former world-champion and startrainer Rustam Kasimdzhanov shows you the ins and outs of this hugely complex opening.

As expected, the final was a very tightly contested match. The opponents traded victories in the classical and rapid games - Jules Moussard prevailed in two blitz games to clinch his second national title.

Romain Édouard defeated Pierre Laurent-Paoli in the small final and took bronze.

Moussard 1 - 0 Fressinet (Classical game #2)

Analysis by Carlos Colodro

Moussard, Jules2596

1–0

Fressinet, Laurent2625

97th French Championship 2024 Alpe dHuez24.08.2024[CC]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 a6 6.0-0 d6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 Ba7 9.Nbd2 Qe7 10.a4 Be6 11.b4 0-0 12.Re1 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 Qe6 14.b5 Ne7 15.Rb1 g5 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.a5

An unorthodox decision by Moussard, pushing Black to decide how to proceed on the queenside. 17...axb5 18.Rxb5 Rab8 18...b6 was a strong alternative, and e.g.: 19.axb6 White might be tempted by 19.a6 but the pawn push fails to c6 20.Rb1 b5 21.Ncd2 19...Bxb6 20.Nxb6 Nxb6 21.d4 etcetera. 19.Qe2 f5 The most active continuation. 20.exf5 Nxf5 21.d4 c6 Much better for Black is 21...e4 22.Nfd2 In case of 22.Qxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4 there is d5 24.Rxd5 Nf6 with a fork. 22...Nxg3 23.hxg3 c6 24.Rb2 22.Rb2 g4 A crucial mistake. Again Black had to go for 22...e4 23.Nfd2 and e.g.: Nxg3 24.hxg3 Nf6 23.Nh4 Nxg3 24.hxg3 The black g-pawn is now weakened (and the kingside in general), and Moussard will take advantage of this factor soon. White is clearly better. Rf7 25.Nxd6 Not the strongest. The subtle 25.Kh2 takes away Black's ability to eventually create counterplay with a bishop check from a7 - as was seen in the game. 25...Qxd6 26.Qxg4+

26...Kh7 26...Rg7 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nf5+ grabbing the queen, and emerging with an extra exchange and extra pawns. 27.dxe5 Nxe5 28.Rxe5 The only move that keeps White's advantage - and a good-looking one at that. Rxf2 29.Qe4+ Rf5+ Blocking the check while giving a discovered check from a7 - White is still better. 30.Kh2 Qxe5 31.Qxf5+ Qxf5 32.Nxf5

White has an extra pawn, and though converting the material advantage is difficult, Moussard will get to put pressure on his opponent for a while - i.e. defending from the black side is very tough in a practical game. 32...Kg6 33.g4 h5 34.Kg3 Kf6 35.Nd6 Rg8 36.Kf3 hxg4+ 37.Ke4 White has managed to get rid of his doubled pawn while activating his king - remarkable technique by Moussard. Rg5 38.Nxb7 Re5+ 39.Kf4 Re3 40.Nd6 Ke6 41.Ne4 Re1 42.Rb7 Bg1 43.Rh7 Kd5 44.Rh5+ Kc4 45.Re5 Rf1+ 46.Kxg4 White is now two pawns up. Moussard has steadily made progress and is now clearly winning. Kd3 47.g3 Rf8 48.Kg5 Ba7 49.g4 Rg8+ 50.Kf5 Rf8+ 51.Nf6 Kxc3 52.Re6 Bd4 53.Rxc6+ Kb4 54.g5 Be3 55.g6 Bh6 56.a6 Bg7 57.a7 Kb5 58.Rc7 Bh8 59.Rb7+ Ka6

60.Rb8 60.Rb8 Rxf6+ 61.Kg5 Kxa7 62.Rxh8 Rf1 Or 62...Rb6 63.g7 Rb5+ 64.Kf6 Rb6+ 65.Ke5 etc. 63.Rh4 1–0

Jules Moussard | Photo: Lionel Royet

Middlegame Secrets Vol.5 - The Inner Strength of Kings

In this video course, kings will play a role of strong and active pieces. We will explore how Kings can be helpful in defence and prophylaxis, or even in attack!

Laurent Fressinet | Photo: Lionel Royet

All games - Open section

Women's: Daulyte-Cornette beats Guichard in the final

The women's final featuring Deimanté Daulyte-Cornette and Pauline Guichard was also a close affair that came down to blitz. After drawing the first game, Deimanté Daulyte-Cornette emerged victorious in the second one and secured her maiden national title.

Making the right decisions in chess - Fundamentals

In a total of 6 chapters, we look at the following aspects: the right decision based on tactical factors, decisions in exchanges and moves, complex and psychological decisions in longer games and in defence.

Sophie Milliet completed the podium after besting defenidng champion Mitra Hejazipour in the match for third place.

Daulyte-Cornette 1 - 0 Guichard (Classical game #1)

Analysis by Carlos Colodro

Daulyte-Cornette, Deimante2366

1–0

Guichard, Pauline2361

97th French-ch Women 2024 Alpe dHuez23.08.2024[CC]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ 7.Nd2 e6 8.Ngf3 Nh6 9.0-0 Nf5 10.c4 Be7 11.g3 Nd7 12.b3 Rd8 13.Qc2 b5 A major decision by Guichard, which was replied by ...c6-c5, and engines already give White an edge. 13...Nb8 14.Bb2 c5 is the standard approach. 14.c5

14...0-0 15.a3 Qc7 16.b4 a5 17.Bb2 a4 18.Rfe1 f6 With a big spatial disadvantage, Guichard decides to break things open with ...f7-f6, a controversial decision in many setups - though often seen in these structures arising from the French or the Caro-Kann. In this case, it is a mistake. 19.exf6 Rxf6 Not the correct way to recapture. Better is 19...Nxf6 and White should not play 20.Rxe6 due to Nxg3 21.Qd3 21.fxg3 Qxg3+ 22.Kf1 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Qxe6 21...Nge4 and Black is better. 20.Ng5 Nf8 Black defends the e6-pawn, but is now almost completely paralysed. 21.Ndf3 Re8 22.Ne5 Bd8 23.Re2 Qc8 24.Rae1 Bc7 25.Qd3 Bb8 26.Bc1

26...g6 The losing mistake. Had Guichard not made this mistake, Daulyte-Cornette would have struggled looking for ways to make progress - though she would have been clearly the one with winning chances still. Better is 26...Bxe5 27.Rxe5 Ng6 28.R5e2 27.Ngf3 Nd7 28.Nxg6 The eventual champion finds the winning idea! Bxg3 Bad is 28...Rxg6 due to 29.Qxf5 exf5 30.Rxe8+ Qxe8 31.Rxe8+ Kf7 32.Rc8 and White will not have trouble converting this into a win. 29.fxg3 Rxg6 Black goes for immediate counterplay, forcing White to find the tactical path to victory - which she did. 30.Qxf5

The temporary sacrifice still works. 30...Rxg3+ 31.Kf2 Qc7 32.Rxe6 Rxf3+ 33.Kxf3 Rf8 34.Rg1+ Beautiful! 34.Rg1+ Kh8 35.Rh6# 1–0

Deimanté Daulyte-Cornette | Photo: Lionel Royet

Middlegame Secrets Vol.5 - The Inner Strength of Kings

In this video course, kings will play a role of strong and active pieces. We will explore how Kings can be helpful in defence and prophylaxis, or even in attack!

Pauline Guichard | Photo: Lionel Royet

All games - Women's section

Links

• Official website
• French Championships: Gozzoli and Hejazipour clinch titles (2023)
• Jules Moussard and Almira Skripchenko win French Championships (2022)