Women's Grand Prix 2011/12

FIDE have announced the dates for a new Women's Grand Prix series of tournaments for 2011/12, starting in August.

The winner of this series will eventually challenge the winner of the Hou Yifan (pictured) v Humpy Koneru world title match, which is tentatively scheduled for Nov/Dec 2011.

If the winner of the series turns out to be the reigning champion, then the next best finisher will earn the right to challenge for the crown.

Humpy Koneru earned her shot at the Hou Yifan's title by virtue of her performance in the last Grand Prix series.

It's interesting that the previous champion Alexandra Kosteniuk does not automatically qualify (by either rating or world championship 2010 performance) to take part in the new Grand Prix series, but I would expect she has a good chance of picking up one of the organiser nominee slots from the three (!) Russian venues.

Press Release:

FIDE announces the Women's Grand-Prix 2011-2012 which will give qualification to the Women's World Championship match 2013. The schedule of the 6 events is the following:

1-15 August 2011, Rostov RUSSIA

1-15 September 2011, Shenzhen CHINA

8-23 October 2011, Nalchik RUSSIA

April 2012, Istanbul TURKEY

June 2012, Jermuk ARMENIA

September 2012, Kazan RUSSIA


The 10 qualifiers up to now are:

01. Hou, Yifan (World Champion 2010)
02. Ruan, Lufei (finalist world championship 2010)
03. Koneru, Humpy (semi-finalist world championship 2010)
04. Zhao, Xue (semi-finalist world championship 2010)
05. Kosintseva, Tatiana (by rating)
06. Stefanova, Antoaneta (by rating)
07. Kosintseva, Nadezhda (by rating)
08. Muzychuk, Anna (by rating)
09. Lahno, Kateryna (by rating)
10. Cmilyte, Viktorija (by rating)

plus 6 nominees, one from the each organiser.

The full regulations of the Women's Grand-Prix 2011-2012 are published here: http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=43&view=category