We are three months away from the start of the Candidates Tournaments in Toronto. With no more rated classical games in the December-2023 period, we got the names of the two players who got the rating spot in the open and women’s sections Alireza Firouzja and Humpy Koneru (pictured), respectively. The 2023 edition of the FIDE Circuit has also finished, with Gukesh grabbing the Candidates spot by finishing in second place, since Fabiano Caruana the winner of the Circuit was already qualified via the FIDE World Cup. | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes
Alireza Firouzja has not given up. After failing to surpass Wesley So in the ratings list in a series of matches in Chartres, the youngster withdrew from the World Rapid and Blitz Championship and registered to participate in an open tournament in Rouen, France. The tournament is a 7-round Swiss Open, with Gata Kamsky (rated 2634) and Li Min Peng (2562) the second and third seeds, respectively. In the meantime, FIDE published a reviewed tournament registration procedure. | Photo: Europe Echecs