Women's Chess World Cup 2023

FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2023
	2023 FIDE Women's World Cup winner Alexandra Goryachkina.
Tournament information
Sport	Chess
Location	Baku, Azerbaijan
Dates	30 July 2023–21 August 2023
Administrator	FIDE
Tournament; format(s)	Single-elimination tournament
Host(s)	Azerbaijan Chess Federation
Participants	103
Final positions
Champion	Aleksandra Goryachkina
Runner-up	Nurgyul Salimova
3rd place	Anna Muzychuk
	← 2021

The Women's Chess World Cup 2023 was a 103-player single-elimination chess tournament, the second edition of the Women's Chess World Cup, taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 29 July to 22 August 2023.^[1] The runner up and third place finishers, Nurgyul Salimova and Anna Muzychuk, qualified for the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024.^[2] Since Aleksandra Goryachkina, the winner of the tournament, had already qualified through the Grand Prix, her replacement was Koneru Humpy, who was the highest-rated player on the January 2024 FIDE rating list who had played a minimum 30 games.

The tournament was held in parallel with the Chess World Cup 2023.

Format

The tournament was a 7-round knockout event, with the top 25 seeds given a bye directly into the second round. The losers of the two semi-finals played a match for third place. The players who finished first, second, and third qualified for the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024.^[2]

Each round consisted of classical time limit games on the first two days, plus tie-breaks on the third day if required. The time limits were as follows:^[2]

Two classical time limit games: 90 minutes, plus a 30-minute increment on move 40, plus a 30-second increment per move from move 1, per player.
If the match is tied after the classical games, players will play two rapid chess games, with 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, per player.
If the match is still tied, players then will play two more rapid chess games, with 10 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, per player.
If the match is still tied, players then will play two blitz games, with 5 minutes plus a 3-second increment per move, per player.
If the match is still tied, a single blitz game, with 3 minutes plus a 2-second increment per move, will be played to decide the match. A drawing of lots will determine which player plays white. If drawn, the players will switch colors and play again, until a decisive result is obtained.

Schedule

Each round lasted three days: two for classical time limit games and a third, if necessary, for tie-breaks. Rounds 1 to 3 ran from July 30 to August 7; August 8 was a rest day; Rounds 4 to 6 ran from August 9 to 17; August 18 was a rest day; and the final and third-place match ran from August 19 to 21.^[2]

Prize money

The total prize fund was US$676,250, with the first prize of US$50,000.^[2]

Prize money in US dollars
Ranking	Prizes	Total
Eliminated in Round 1	39 × 3,750	146,250
Eliminated in Round 2	32 × 5,000	160,000
Eliminated in Round 3	16 × 6,750	108,000
Eliminated in Round 4	8 × 9,500	76,000
Eliminated in Round 5	4 × 14,000	56,000
4th place	1 × 20,000	20,000
3rd place	1 × 25,000	25,000
Runner-up	1 × 35,000	35,000
Winner	1 × 50,000	50,000
Total		676,250

Participants

The current qualifiers are seeded here by their FIDE rating as of July 2023, apart from Ju Wenjun, who is seeded first as Women's World Chess Champion. ^[3] ^[4]

Ju Wenjun (CHN), GM, 2564 (WWCC)
Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE), GM, 2557 (WWC)
Humpy Koneru (IND), GM, 2553 (R)
Kateryna Lagno (FIDE), GM, 2552 (R)
Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI), GM, 2532 (WWC)
Tan Zhongyi (CHN), GM, 2523 (WWC)
Nana Dzagnidze (GEO), GM, 2511 (R)
Mariya Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2511 (R)
Anna Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2509 (WWC)
Harika Dronavalli (IND), GM, 2500 (R)
Zhu Jiner (CHN), WGM, 2498 (PN)
Polina Shuvalova (FIDE), IM, 2496 (PN)
Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (ESP), IM, 2488 (PN)
Bella Khotenashvili (GEO), GM, 2475 (E21)
Nino Batsiashvili (GEO), GM, 2474 (FN)
Elisabeth Pähtz (GER), GM, 2471 (FN)
Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ), IM, 2469 (AS21)
Zhao Xue (CHN), GM, 2457 (Z3.5)
Meri Arabidze (GEO), IM, 2451 (E21)
Gunay Mammadzada (AZE), IM, 2448 (E22)
Irina Krush (USA), GM, 2447 (Z2.1)
Yuliia Osmak (UKR), IM, 2444 (E21)
Lela Javakhishvili (GEO), IM, 2439 (E23)
Anna Ushenina (UKR), GM, 2434 (E22)
Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND), IM, 2431 (FN)
Eline Roebers (NED), IM, 2419 (PN)
Irina Bulmaga (ROU), IM, 2416 (E22)
Teodora Injac (SRB), IM, 2415 (E22)
Nurgyul Salimova (BUL), IM, 2409 (E22)
Leya Garifullina (FIDE), IM, 2408 (E21)
Hoang Thanh Trang (HUN), GM, 2402 (FN)
Monika Socko (POL), GM, 2401 (E22)
Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE), IM, 2401 (E22)
Divya Deshmukh (IND), WGM, 2400 (Z3.7)
Olga Badelka (FIDE), IM, 2397 (E21)
Oliwia Kiołbasa (POL), IM, 2394 (E21)
Sophie Milliet (FRA), IM, 2388 (E21)
Mai Narva (EST), IM, 2387 (E21)
Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL), IM, 2394 (E22)
Pauline Guichard (FRA), IM, 2384 (E23)
Salome Melia (GEO), IM, 2377 (E23)
Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL), IM, 2374 (AS23)
Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE), IM, 2373 (E23)
Xiao Yiyi (CHN), WGM, 2372 (Z3.5)
Alina Bivol (FIDE), IM, 2371 (E23)
Deysi Cori (PER), IM, 2369 (FN)
Carissa Yip (USA), IM, 2369 (FN)
Khanim Balajayeva (AZE), WGM, 2368 (FN)
Nataliya Buksa (UKR), IM, 2365 (E21)
Gulnar Mammadova (AZE), IM, 2357 (E21)
Karina Cyfka (POL), IM, 2356 (E23)
Medina Warda Aulia (INA), IM, 2355 (FN)
Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE), WGM, 2355 (U20)
Candela Francisco (ARG), WGM, 2352 (AM23)
Võ Thị Kim Phụng (VIE), WGM, 2351 (Z3.3)
Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA), IM, 2348 (E23)
Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (UKR), WIM, 2347 (FN)
Klaudia Kulon (POL), IM, 2331 (E23)
Mobina Alinasab (IRI), WGM, 2329 (FN)
P. V. Nandhidhaa (IND), WGM, 2329 (AS22)
Mary Ann Gomes (IND), WGM, 2326 (AS23)
Marina Brunello (ITA), IM, 2324 (E22)
Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdés (CUB), IM, 2318 (AM22)
Eva Repková (SVK), IM, 2312 (FN)
Nilufar Yakubbaeva (UZB), WGM, 2311 (FN)
Jennifer Yu (USA), WGM, 2303 (Z2.1)
Nutakki Priyanka (IND), WGM, 2293 (AS22)
Yaniela Forgas Moreno (CUB), WGM, 2293 (FN)
Yan Tianqi (CHN), WIM, 2277 (Z3.5)
Julia Ryjanova (AUS), WGM, 2273 (Z3.6)
Yerisbel Miranda Llanes (CUB), WGM, 2268 (Z2.3)
Viktoria Radeva (BUL), WGM, 2263 (FN)
Nadya Toncheva (BUL), FM, 2263 (E23)
Michalina Rudzinska (POL), WFM, 2257 (FN)
Javiera Belén Gómez Barrera (CHI), WIM, 2256 (FN)
Marina Gajcin (SRB), WIM, 2251 (FN)
Janelle Mae Frayna (PHI), WGM, 2243 (FN)
Melissa Castrillon Gomez (COL), WIM, 2235 (FN)
Nguyen Thi Mai Hung (VIE), WGM, 2229 (FN)
Turmunkh Munkhzul (MGL), WGM, 2226 (AS21)
Gong Qianyun (SGP), WGM, 2223 (FN)
Maria Jose Campos (ARG), WIM, 2212 (Z2.5)
Julia Alboredo (BRA), FM, 2208 (FN)
Zhang Jilin (AUS), WGM, 2204 (FN)
Maili-Jade Ouellet (CAN), WGM, 2201 (Z2.2)
Anapaola Borda Rodas (ARG), WIM, 2200 (FN)
Yuan Ye (CHN), untitled, 2188 (Z3.5)
Kathiê Librelato (BRA), WIM, 2182 (Z2.4)
Assel Serikbay (KAZ), WIM, 2139 (FN)
Mona Khaled (EGY), WGM, 2106 (FN)
Shahenda Wafa (EGY), WGM, 2093 (AF22)
Lina Nassr (ALG), WIM, 2071 (AF23)
Mitra Asgharzadeh (IRI), WFM, 2033 (Z3.1)
Tilsia Varela (VEN), WIM, 2028 (FN)
Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa Azhar (MAS), WIM, 2004 (FN)
Vyanla Punsalan (NZL), WFM, 1989 (FN)
Anjum Noshin (BAN), WFM, 1944 (FN)
Zineb Dina Abdi (ALG), WIM, 1858 (FN)
Wafia Darwish Al Maamari (UAE), WFM, 1850 (FN)
Charlize van Zyl (RSA), WIM, 1839 (AF22)
Nurai Sovetbekova (KGZ), WFM, 1823 (FN)
Ferdous Jannatul (BAN), WCM, 1815 (Z3.2)
Yamama Asif Abdula Al Fayyadh (IRQ), WCM, 1705 (FN)

The 103 participants will be:

The Women's World Chess Champion as of 1 June 2023 (WWCC)
The top four players in the Women's Chess World Cup 2021 (WWC)
The 2022 World Girls Chess Champion U20 (U20)
53 players qualifying from Continental and Zonal events
- Europe (18+10): including European Women's Chess Championships 2021 (E21, 10), 2022 (E22, 9), and 2023 (E23, 9)
- Americas (4+4): including American Continental Women's Chess Championships 2022 (AM22, 1) and 2023 (AM23, 1); Zonals 2022: 2.1 (Z2.1, 2), 2.2 (Z2.2, 1) 2.3 (Z2.3, 1), and 2.4 (Z2.4, 1); Zonals 2023: 2.5 (Z2.5, 1)
- Asia (14): including Asian Women's Chess Championships 2021 (AS21, 2) and 2023 (AS23, 2); Zonals 2023: 3.1 (Z3.1, 1), 3.2 (Z3.2, 1), 3.3 (Z3.3, 1), 3.5 (Z3.5, 4), 3.6 (Z3.6, 1), and 3.7 (Z3.7, 1)
- Africa (3): including African Women's Chess Championships 2022 (AF22, 2) and 2023 (AF23, 1)
The 5 highest-rated female players from the June 2023 FIDE World Rankings^[a] (R)
36 federations spots selected according to the final standings of the 44th Chess Olympiad Main Competition (FN)
2 nominees of the FIDE President (PN)
1 nominees of the organizer (ON)

The participants will be seeded by their FIDE rating of July 2023, apart from Ju Wenjun, who will be seeded first as Women's World Chess Champion.

The following are the players from the list of qualifiers who declined to play, and their replacements:

Hou Yifan (CHN), GM, 2628 (R) → Harika Dronavalli (IND), GM, 2510 (R)
Lei Tingjie (CHN), GM, 2554 (R) → Nana Dzagnidze (GEO), GM, 2510 (R)
Elina Danielian (ARM), GM, 2416 (E21) → Olga Badelka (FIDE), IM, 2397 (E21)
Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM), IM, 2389 (E22) → Teodora Injac (SRB), IM, 2415 (E22)
Anna Sargsyan (ARM), IM, 2375 (E21) → Sophie Milliet (FRA), IM, 2388 (E21)

Pairings

Rounds 1–4

Section 1

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

1

Ju Wenjun (CHN)

Bye

-

Bye 1

1

Ju Wenjun (CHN)

2½

64

Eva Repková (SVK)

1½

65

Nilufar Yakubbaeva (UZB)

½

64

Eva Repková (SVK)

1½

1

Ju Wenjun (CHN)

1½

33

Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE)

½

33

Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE)

2

96

Vyanla Punsalan (NZL)

0

33

Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE)

1½

32

Monika Socko (POL)

½

97

Anjum Noshin (BAN)

½

32

Monika Socko (POL)

1½

1

Ju Wenjun (CHN)

1½

16

Elisabeth Pähtz (GER)

2½

17

Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ)

Bye

-

Bye 17

17

Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ)

3

81

Gong Qianyun (SGP)

1

81

Gong Qianyun (SGP)

2

48

Khanim Balajayeva (AZE)

0

17

Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ)

½

16

Elisabeth Pähtz (GER)

1½

49

Nataliya Buksa (UKR)

½

80

Turmunkh Munkhzul (MGL)

1½

80

Turmunkh Munkhzul (MGL)

½

16

Elisabeth Pähtz (GER)

1½

16

Elisabeth Pähtz (GER)

Bye

-

Bye 16

Section 2

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

9

Anna Muzychuk (UKR)

Bye

-

Bye 9

9

Anna Muzychuk (UKR)

1½

56

Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA)

½

73

Nadya Toncheva (BUL)

½

56

Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA)

1½

9

Anna Muzychuk (UKR)

1½

24

Anna Ushenina (UKR)

½

41

Salome Melia (GEO)

2½

88

Kathiê Librelato (BRA)

1½

41

Salome Melia (GEO)

½

24

Anna Ushenina (UKR)

1½

24

Anna Ushenina (UKR)

Bye

-

Bye 24

9

Anna Muzychuk (UKR)

2½

8

Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)

1½

25

Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND)

Bye

-

Bye 25

25

Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND)

1½

40

Pauline Guichard (FRA)

½

89

Assel Serikbay (KAZ)

2½

40

Pauline Guichard (FRA)

3½

25

Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND)

0

8

Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)

2

57

Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (UKR)

2½

72

Viktoria Radeva (BUL)

1½

57

Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (UKR)

½

8

Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)

1½

8

Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)

Bye

-

Bye 8

Section 3

First round			Second round			Third round			Fourth round

5	Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI)	Bye

-	Bye 5
			5	Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI)	2½

			69	Yan Tianqi (CHN)	1½
69	Yan Tianqi (CHN)	1½

60	P. V. Nandhidhaa (IND)	½
						5	Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI)	1

						28	Teodora Injac (SRB)	3
37	Sophie Milliet (FRA)	2

92	Lina Nassr (ALG)	0
			37	Sophie Milliet (FRA)	½

			28	Teodora Injac (SRB)	1½
101	Nurai Sovetbekova (KGZ)	0

28	Teodora Injac (SRB)	2
									28	Teodora Injac (SRB)	½

									12	Polina Shuvalova (FIDE)	1½
21	Irina Krush (USA)	Bye

-	Bye 21
			21	Irina Krush (USA)	3

			85	Maili-Jade Ouellet (CAN)	1
85	Maili-Jade Ouellet (CAN)	2

44	Xiao Yiyi (CHN)	0
						21	Irina Krush (USA)	½

						12	Polina Shuvalova (FIDE)	1½
53	Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE)	2

76	Marina Gajcin (SRB)	0
			53	Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE)	0

			12	Polina Shuvalova (FIDE)	2
12	Polina Shuvalova (FIDE)	Bye

-	Bye 12

Section 4

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

13

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (ESP)

Bye

-

Bye 13

13

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (ESP)

½

52

Medina Warda Aulia (INA)

1½

77

Janelle Mae Frayna (PHI)

½

52

Medina Warda Aulia (INA)

1½

52

Medina Warda Aulia (INA)

1½

45

Alina Bivol (FIDE)

½

45

Alina Bivol (FIDE)

2

84

Zhang Jilin (AUS)

0

45

Alina Bivol (FIDE)

1½

20

Gunay Mammadzada (AZE)

½

20

Gunay Mammadzada (AZE)

Bye

-

Bye 20

52

Medina Warda Aulia (INA)

1½

29

Nurgyul Salimova (BUL)

2½

29

Nurgyul Salimova (BUL)

2

100

Charlize van Zyl (RSA)

0

29

Nurgyul Salimova (BUL)

1½

36

Oliwia Kiołbasa (POL)

½

93

Mitra Asgharzadeh (IRI)

½

36

Oliwia Kiołbasa (POL)

1½

29

Nurgyul Salimova (BUL)

2

61

Mary Ann Gomes (IND)

0

61

Mary Ann Gomes (IND)

1½

68

Yaniela Forgas Moreno (CUB)

½

61

Mary Ann Gomes (IND)

2½

4

Kateryna Lagno (FIDE)

1½

4

Kateryna Lagno (FIDE)

Bye

-

Bye 4

Section 5

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

3

Humpy Koneru (IND)

Bye

-

Bye 3

3

Humpy Koneru (IND)

1½

67

Nutakki Priyanka (IND)

½

67

Nutakki Priyanka (IND)

2½

62

Marina Brunello (ITA)

1½

3

Humpy Koneru (IND)

1½

35

Olga Badelka (FIDE)

½

35

Olga Badelka (FIDE)

2

94

Tilsia Varela (VEN)

0

35

Olga Badelka (FIDE)

1½

30

Leya Garifullina (FIDE)

½

99

Wafia Darwish Al Maamari (UAE)

½

30

Leya Garifullina (FIDE)

1½

3

Humpy Koneru (IND)

1

14

Bella Khotenashvili (GEO)

3

19

Meri Arabidze (GEO)

Bye

-

Bye 19

19

Meri Arabidze (GEO)

2½

46

Deysi Cori (PER)

1½

83

Julia Alboredo (BRA)

1½

46

Deysi Cori (PER)

2½

19

Meri Arabidze (GEO)

½

14

Bella Khotenashvili (GEO)

1½

51

Karina Cyfka (POL)

3

78

Melissa Castrillon Gomez (COL)

1

51

Karina Cyfka (POL)

½

14

Bella Khotenashvili (GEO)

1½

14

Bella Khotenashvili (GEO)

Bye

-

Bye 14

Section 6

First round			Second round			Third round			Fourth round

11	Zhu Jiner (CHN)	Bye

-	Bye 11
			11	Zhu Jiner (CHN)	1½

			54	Candela Francisco (ARG)	½
75	Javiera Belén Gómez Barrera (CHI)	1½

54	Candela Francisco (ARG)	2½
						11	Zhu Jiner (CHN)	3

						22	Yuliia Osmak (UKR)	1
43	Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE)	1½

86	Anapaola Borda Rodas (ARG)	½
			43	Stavroula Tsolakidou (GRE)	½

			22	Yuliia Osmak (UKR)	1½
22	Yuliia Osmak (UKR)	Bye

-	Bye 22
									11	Zhu Jiner (CHN)	½

									6	Tan Zhongyi (CHN)	1½
27	Irina Bulmaga (ROU)	2

102	Ferdous Jannatul (BAN)	0
			27	Irina Bulmaga (ROU)	2½

			38	Mai Narva (EST)	3½
91	Shahenda Wafa (EGY)	½

38	Mai Narva (EST)	1½
						38	Mai Narva (EST)	2

						6	Tan Zhongyi (CHN)	4
59	Mobina Alinasab (IRI)	0

70	Julia Ryjanova (AUS)	2
			70	Julia Ryjanova (AUS)	½

			6	Tan Zhongyi (CHN)	1½
6	Tan Zhongyi (CHN)	Bye

-	Bye 6

Section 7

First round			Second round			Third round			Fourth round

7	Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)	Bye

-	Bye 7
			7	Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)	1½

			58	Klaudia Kulon (POL)	2½
71	Yerisbel Miranda Llanes (CUB)	½

58	Klaudia Kulon (POL)	1½
						58	Klaudia Kulon (POL)	0

						26	Eline Roebers (NED)	2
39	Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL)

90	Mona Khaled (EGY)	w/o
			90	Mona Khaled (EGY)	0

			26	Eline Roebers (NED)	2
103	Yamama Asif Abdula Al Fayyadh (IRQ)	0

26	Eline Roebers (NED)	2
									26	Eline Roebers (NED)	1½

									10	Harika Dronavalli (IND)	2½
23	Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)	Bye

-	Bye 23
			23	Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)	1½

			42	Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL)	½
87	Yuan Ye (CHN)	1½

42	Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL)	2½
						23	Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)	4½

						10	Harika Dronavalli (IND)	5½
55	Võ Thị Kim Phụng (VIE)	1

74	Michalina Rudzinska (POL)	3
			74	Michalina Rudzinska (POL)	0

			10	Harika Dronavalli (IND)	2
10	Harika Dronavalli (IND)	Bye

-	Bye 10