FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess organised the 4th edition of the upcoming event , “Queens’ Online Chess Festival“, and according to reports, registrations have flooded in from hundreds of female players across various continents. The festival, scheduled to take place from the 9th of March to the 30th of March, 2024.
This event welcomes female chess players of all ages and rating groups, including those without a FIDE rating, and the participation is entirely free. The festival entails the Queens’ Women Open Tournament, accessible to all female participants with a FIDE ID.
The continental qualifying events are slated to run from March 9th to 17th, with the Semi-Final and Final rounds scheduled for March 24 and 30, respectively.
A unique feature of the festival is the Unrated Princesses’ tournaments, specifically designed for U16 female players born on or after January 1, 2008, and lacking a FIDE rating. The qualification stage for this category is scheduled for March 24, followed by the finals on March 30.
Notably, the prizes include air tickets, full-board accommodation for three days, and invitations to the Opening Ceremony of the Chess Olympiad 2024 for the winner and one accompanying person. For those that are keen on participating in the Queens’ Women Open Tournament, registration forms are readily available, with deadlines staggered by continent: March 2nd for Africa, March 3rd for Europe, 9th of March for Asia, and 10th of March for the America. The qualification tournaments and semi-finals are to feature a 9 or 11-round Swiss tournaments with a 3+2 time control, contingent on participation. The final, however, is scheduled as a round-robin with a 5+5 time control across 7 rounds.
