Candidates 2024: Indians in action, schedule, format, live streaming, prize money — all you need to know
The fabulous year of 2023 for Indian chess ended with the heartwarming news of five Indians — R. Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, D. Gukesh, R. Vaishali and K. Humpy — qualifying for the Candidates 2024, scheduled in Toronto from April 4 to 22, 2024.
The winners of these eight-player events (in open and women’s category), to be played for the first time at the same venue, will earn the right to challenge the reigning World champions for the title. Currently, Chinese Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun hold the World titles.
Since 1991, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand remains the only Indian to play in the Candidates.
QUALIFICATION ROUTE
Candidates Qualificaion Route
Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE, 2758) – qualified as the previous World Championship match runner-up.
Praggnanandhaa R (India, 2747) – qualified as the 2023 World Cup runner-up.
Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2804) – qualified as the third-place finisher at the 2023 World Cup.
Nijat Abasov (Azerbaijan, 2632) – qualified as the fourth-place finisher at the 2023 World Cup after the winner, Magnus Carlsen, declined his right to participate.
Vidit Gujrathi (India, 2747) – qualified as the 2023 Grand Swiss winner.
Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 2789) – qualified as the 2023 Grand Swiss runner-up.
Alireza Firouzja (France, 2760) – qualified as the best by rating on January 1, 2024.
Gukesh D (India, 2747) – qualified as the 2023 FIDE Circuit winner.
Women’s Candidates Qualification Route
Kateryna Lagno (FIDE, 2542) – qualified as the 2022−23 Women’s Grand Prix winner.
Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE, 2553) – qualified as the 2022−23 Women’s Grand Prix runner-up.
Nurgyul Salimova (Bulgaria, 2426) – qualified as the 2023 Women’s World Cup runner-up.
Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine, 2520) – qualified as the third-place finisher at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Vaishali R (India, 2481) – qualified as the 2023 Women’s Grand Swiss winner.
Tan Zhongyi (China, 2521) – qualified as the 2023 Women’s Grand Swiss runner-up.
Humpy Koneru (India, 2546) – qualified as the best by rating on January 1, 2024. The rating spot became available as a replacement for the Women’s World Cup winner, since Goryachkina had already qualified through the WGP.
SCHEDULE
- Thursday, April 4, 2024 – Round 1
- Friday, April 5, 2024 – Round 2
- Saturday, April 6, 2024 – Round 3
- Sunday, April 7, 2024 – Round 4
- Monday,, April 8, 2024 – Rest Day
- Tuesday, April 9, 2024 – Round 5
- Wednesday, April 10, 2024 – Round 6
- Thursday, April 11, 2024 – Round 7
- Friday, April 12, 2024 – Rest day
- Saturday, April 13, 2024 – Round 8
- Sunday, April 14, 2024 – Round 9
- Monday, April 15, 2024 – Round 10
- Tuesday, April 16, 2024 – Rest day
- Wednesday, April 17, 2024 – Round 11
- Thursday, April 18, 2024 – Round 12
- Friday, April 19, 2024 – Rest day
- Saturday, April 20, 2024 – Round 13
- Sunday, April 21, 2024 – Round 14
- Monday, April 22, 2024 – Tie break rounds (if needed)
— All matches start at 14.30 Toronto time, or midnight IST (the next day)
FORMAT
Both the Candidates and the Women’s Candidates are a double round-robin tournament with each player playing the rest of the field twice in a total of 14 rounds.
Players get 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
TIME CONTROL
The time control for the open category is 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move 41.
For the women’s category, it is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move one.
PAIRING
ROUND ONE PAIRINGS:
OPEN SECTION
Fabiano Caruana vs. Hikaru Nakamura
Nijat Abasov vs. Ian Nepomniachtchi
Alireza Firouzja vs. Praggnanandhaa R
Gukesh D vs. Vidit Gujrathi
Women’s Candidates Tournament:
Aleksandra Goryachkina vs. Kateryna Lagno
Anna Muzychuk vs. Nurgyul Salimova
Lei Tingjie vs. Tan Zhongyi
Vaishali R vs. Humpy Koneru
LIVE STREAMING INFO
Where to watch the live stream of the Candidates 2024 chess?
The live streaming of the Candidates 2024 will be available on the FIDE YouTube channel.
Which TV channel will broadcast the Candidates 2024 chess?
There has been no official announcement for the broadcasting of the Candidates 2024 in India.