The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has revealed significant changes to the format of the Rapid and Blitz World Championship, scheduled to take place in New York from December 26 to 31.
The event will introduce a knockout structure along with a designated rest day, which will serve as a media day, Idman.biz reports.
Additionally, the prestigious Chess Davos conference, merging the worlds of chess and finance, will be held during the championship.
The changes in the Blitz Championship are particularly notable, moving away from its traditional structure.
he tournament will now consist of two stages:
• Stage 1: A Swiss-system format featuring 13 rounds for the open category and 11 rounds for women, with a time control of 3 minutes per game plus 2 seconds per move.
• Stage 2: The top eight players will advance to the playoffs, with matches comprising four games each.
The championship boasts a total prize fund of $1.5 million.
Based on the results of Azerbaijan’s national championships, six Azerbaijani players are set to compete in New York:
• Eltaj Safarli
• Vugar Rasulov
• Mahammad Muradli
• Gulnar Mammadova
• Zeynab Mammadyarova
• Khanim Balajayeva
Idman.biz
