Women’s Grand Prix Finale Opens in Austria
The final tournament of the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix finale has begun in Grosslobming, Austria, with a festive and unique opening. Players were welcomed with polka music, fine Austrian wine, and traditional clothing, making it a memorable start.
It’s rare to see a top-level chess event held at a small castle. But in Grosslobming, the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix finale started with a brass band and local traditions in full display.
Michael Stöttinger, president of the Austrian Chess Federation, planned an opening ceremony that showed Austria’s creativity and precision.
Guests enjoyed polka tunes and Styrian folk songs, raising their glasses with a cheerful “Prost!” Styria, known as Austria’s “Green Heart,” is famous for its beautiful landscapes and crisp white wines.
“This is a fantastic event for Austria and women’s chess,” Stöttinger said. “We are proud to host it. Our goal is to bring chess closer to the Austrian public and grow the game.”
He also highlighted the importance of promoting women’s chess. “When you promote women’s chess, it also shines a light on chess overall. That’s why we wanted to host a women’s event, and we are thankful to FIDE for trusting us.”
Sava Stoisavljevic, Chair of the Appeals Committee, welcomed the players on behalf of FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.
She praised the progress of women’s chess, saying:
“This Grand Prix season has shown how vital women are to our sport. From Georgia to Kazakhstan, Monaco, Cyprus, and India, these players have made a strong impact around the world. But there’s still more to do.”
The tournament is taking place at a 19th-century manor in Grosslobming, near the famous Red Bull Ring Formula One track. This is the final event in the Women’s Grand Prix series and will decide the overall winner and the top two players who will qualify for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Round 1 Pairings (May 6, 3 PM local time):
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Lela Javakhishvili vs. Nana Dzagnidze
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Vaishali Rameshbabu vs. Nurgyul Salimova
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Mariya Muzychuk vs. Anna Muzychuk
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Zhu Jiner vs. Tan Zhongyi
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Olga Badelka vs. Alexandra Kosteniuk
About the Tournament:
This is the last of six tournaments in the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix cycle. Ten players compete in a round-robin format (9 rounds). The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game. There’s a 30-second increment from move 1.
The prize fund is €120,000, shared among the 10 players based on their final standings.
More details: womengrandprix.fide.com
About the Women’s Grand Prix Series:
The FIDE Women’s Grand Prix is a major series in international women’s chess. Now in its seventh season, it is a key path to the Women’s World Championship. The series includes six tournaments held in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Monaco, Cyprus, India, and Austria. Each player can compete in three of the six events.
The top two players of the series qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The winner of the Candidates will challenge current Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, who defended her title in 2025 against Tan Zhongyi.
Photos: Przemyslaw Nikiel, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
