North Urals Cup To Enter Women's FIDE Grand Prix

Interview with Andrei Selivanov (Sportbox.ru)

Vice-president of FIDE, Honorary President of the Russian Chess Federation Andrei Selivanov, the chief organizer of "North Urals Cup", is ready to consider the possibility of incorporating women's tournament in the FIDE Grand Prix system.

- Andrei Vladimirovich, tell us about women's FIDE Grand Prix, is it possible that the next "North Urals Cup" will be part of this system?

- Series of tournaments of women's Grand Prix should start next year, under the management of Global Chess company. Krasnoturinsk tournament is seen as a stage in the series. I think this is a fair system, an opportunity for our tournament to receive new status and become affiliated with FIDE. We will see how things will develop. If we feel that the new format violates the established tradition of our tournament, then we would prefer to keep our autonomy.

- How did the sixth "North Urals Cup" differ from previous tournaments?

- In this year's "North Urals Cup" we have been able to compose the strongest field in the history of the tournament. It felt themselves participating, all very wanted to win and fought until the very last stroke. Antoaneta Stefanova's victory was well deserved, she is the only one to have played in all six tournaments and has always sought to win. "North Urals Cup" gave a strong momentum for the development of women's chess, together with women's tournaments that were held recently in Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is important that girls feel well treated and have the same opportunity as men to play at a high professional level, including in terms of organizing tournaments.

Interview performed by Eldar Muhametov
Sportbox.ru