Sh360m at stake at FIDE Women's OnlineSpeed Chess

The International Chess Federation and Chess.com organised event is due on June 18-20 and consists of four stages: Titled Swiss Tournaments, Play-Off Qualifiers, Grand Prix, and WSCC Super Final.

The first stage will comprise a total of six Swiss tournaments open to any titled women player (WCM/WFM/WIM/WGM/IM/GM), to be played between June 18 and June 23 (5pm).

These Swiss chess events will be played under different time controls:

I & IV are 9-round events with a time control of 5 minutes + 1 second per move, II & V are 13-round events with a time control of 3 minutes + 1 second per move, and III & VI are 21-round events with a time control of 1 minute + 1 second per move.

The eight first players of each Titled Swiss Tournament (A) will qualify for a Play-Off Qualifier (B). Any player is allowed to play an unlimited number of Titled Swiss Tournaments until she qualifies for the Grand Prix.

Second Stage: Play-Off Qualifiers

The eight players qualified from each one of the Titled Swiss Tournaments (from I to VI) play a respective 2-round Play-Off Qualifier held the same day, right after the respective Swiss tournament.

These playoffs will be played under the same time-control than the Swiss tournament that preceded them: I & IV are 2-game matches with time control 5 minutes + 1 second per move;

II & V are 2-game matches with time control 3 minutes + 1 second per move; III & VI are 2-game matches with time control 1 minute + 1 second per move.

In the case of a tie, an Armageddon game is played. Two finalists of each Play-Off Qualifier advance to the next stage.

Third Stage: Grand Prix

The Grand Prix will consist of four legs, with a total of 21 participants: the 12 players who qualified through the Swiss and Playoffs, plus 9 players seeded. These 9 players will be nominated by FIDE and Chess.com, with the final list being announced by June 16.

The final has a prize fund of $10,000, with $6,500 going to the winner, and $3,500 to the runner up.