In a moment of national pride, Indians across the globe rejoiced when two of their own, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi and Vaishali Ramesh Babu, clinched victories at the FIDE Grand Swiss Open. Their remarkable performances have secured them places at the upcoming 2024 Candidates Tournament, and they are now poised to challenge for the World Chess Championship. The championship is set to take place in Toronto, Canada in April 2024.
Insights on the FIDE Grand Swiss Open
The FIDE Grand Swiss Open serves as a crucial qualifying event for the World Championship cycle. The 2023 Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss was conducted at the Villa Marina, Douglas, Isle of Man. The top two finishers from each category earn a spot at the upcoming 2024 Candidates Tournament. This tournament essentially acts as the stepping stone to determine the challenger for the prestigious World Champion title. In terms of monetary rewards, the tournament offers a hefty sum of USD 600,000, with the Grand Swiss receiving USD 460,000 and the Women’s Grand Swiss being allocated USD 140,000. The inaugural Grand Swiss event unfolded back in 2019 at the Isle of Man.
About FIDE: The International Chess Federation
Internationally acclaimed as the regulatory body presiding over chess and its tournaments, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is a non-governmental institution and was recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999. It organizes the World Chess Championship alongside other international competitions.
Though it is currently based in Lausanne, Switzerland, the roots of FIDE can be traced back to Paris where it was founded in 1924 with the motto “Gens Una Sumus”. This translates to “We are one Family” in Latin. It rose to prominence as one of the earliest International Sports Federations, which also included the governing bodies of football, cricket, swimming, and auto racing. Spanning across 199 countries, it boasts a vast network of affiliate members in the form of National Chess Federations.
Trivia Around UPSC Civil Services Examination
Providing an interesting study of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022, the UPSC Civil Services Examination presented a question on the event’s various aspects.
It was notable that the Chess Olympiad unfolded in India for the first time, placing it in the homeland of the game itself. It also marked the first time the Olympiad was organized in Asia after three decades. The Olympiad broke records with the highest ever number of countries and teams participating. It also managed to secure the highest number of entries in the women’s section.
The examination revealed that the Official Mascot for the 44th Chess Olympiad was ‘Thambi’ meaning – little or younger brother in Tamil.
The tournament trophies also had their own stories. The winning team in the open section were awarded the Hamilton-Russell Cup, named after English magnate Frederick Hamilton-Russell. The trophy for the victorious women’s team is known as the Vera Menchik Cup, honoring the first Women’s World Chess Champion.
Last Modified: February 22, 2024