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The FIDE Women's Grand Prix is part of the Women's World Championship cycle and the winner of the 2015/2016 series acquires the right to challenge the Women's World Champion in a 10-game match for the world title. This time the Grand Prix winner also has good chances to become Women's World Champion as Hou Yifan has declared her intention not to defend her title to protest against the format of the Women's World Championship. However, the next Women's World Champion will be established in the Women's World Cup in February 2017.
The challenger of this World Champion will be established from 18th November to 2nd December in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, in the last of five tournaments of the Grand Prix series 2015/2016. It is a twelve-player round robin with a total prize-fund of 60,000 Euros of which the winner will receive 10,000 Euros.
These players start in Khanty-Mansiysk: Ju Wenjun (2580, China), Alexandra Kosteniuk (2555, Russia), Dronavalli Harika (2543, India), Valentina Gunina (2525, Russia), Natalija Pogonina (2492, Russia), Nina Batsiashvili (2489, Georgia), Lela Javakhishvili (2461, Georgia), Almira Skripchenko (2455, France), Olga Girya (2450, Russia), Natalia Zhukova (2448, Ukraine), Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (2435, Iran) and Bela Khotenashvili (2426, Georgia).
Ju Wenjun - the next Women's World Champion? (Photo: FIDE)
The winner of a leg of the series scores 120 points + 40 bonus, the silver medalist gains 110 points + 20 bonus, and the third-place winner – 100 points + 10 bonus. In the case of any tie in a tournament, the Grand Prix ranking points and prize money are split equally. The overall winner of the Grand Prix will be the one who will score the most number of cumulative points.
The current leader of the series is Humpy Koneru from India who has 335 points but has already taken part in three Grand Prix tournaments. The Chinese players Ju Wenjun and Zhao Xue occupy the second and third places in the overall standings with 235⅓ and 250 points respectively. However, Zhao Xue is not playing in Khanty-Mansiysk, so only Ju Wenjun will be able to get more ranking points.
Other players who have theoretical chances to win the series are the Russian grandmasters Valentina Gunina (205 points) and Alexandra Kosteniuk (195 points), and Dronavalli Harika from India (190 points).
| Rank | Player | Rating | Monte Carlo |
Tehran | Batumi | Chengdu | Khanty- Mansiysk |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koneru Humpy (India) | 2557 | 120 | 70 | NP | 145 | NP | 335 |
| 2 | Ju Wenjun (China) | 2580 | NP | 160 | NP | 93⅓ | 253⅓ | |
| 3 | Zhao Xue (China) | 2508 | NP | 120 | 70 | 60 | NP | 250 |
| 4 | Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) | 2561 | 30 | NP | 100 | 93⅓ | NP | 223⅓ |
| 5 | Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine) | 2532 | 120 | NP | 40 | 60 | NP | 220 |
| 6 | Valentina Gunina (Russia) | 2525 | NP | 45 | 160 | NP | 205 | |
| 6 | Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia) | 2507 | 50 | 85 | 70 | NP | NP | 205 |
| 8 | Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) | 2555 | 65 | NP | 130 | NP | 195 | |
| 9 | Dronavalli Harika (India) | 2543 | NP | 45 | NP | 145 | 190 | |
| 10 | Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) | 2512 | 65 | 15 | NP | 93⅓ | NP | 173⅓ |
| 11 | Natalia Pogonina (Russia) | 2492 | 85 | 85 | NP | NP | 170 | |
| 12 | Hou Yifan (China) | 2635 | 160 | NP | NP | NP | NP | 160 |
| 13 | Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Iran) | 2435 | 10 | 120 | NP | NP | 130 | |
| 14 | Pia Cramling (Sweden) | 2461 | 85 | 30 | NP | 10 | NP | 125 |
| 15 | Nino Batsiashvili (Georgia) | 2489 | NP | 15 | 100 | NP | 115 | |
| 16 | Almira Skripchenko (France) | 2455 | 30 | NP | 70 | NP | 100 | |
| 17 | Natalia Zhukova (Ukraine) | 2448 | 30 | 60 | NP | NP | 90 | |
| 18 | Olga Girya (Russia) | 2450 | NP | NP | 40 | 35 | 75 | |
| 18 | Lela Javakhishvili (Georgia) | 2461 | NP | NP | 40 | 35 | 75 | |
| 20 | Bela Khotenashvili (Georgia) | 2426 | NP | NP | 10 | 60 | 70 | |
| 21 | Elina Danielian (Armenia) | 2444 | NP | NP | 20 | NP | NP | 20 |
| 21 | Tan Zhongyi (China) | 2492 | NP | NP | NP | 20 | NP | 20 |
NP - not participating
Official website http://wgp2016.fide.com/
