Press release

From June 25 to 30, Moscow will host the fifth International Rapid & Blitz Chess Tournament “Chess Stars 5.0“ with a total prize fund of 15 million rubles. For the first time, young athletes from other countries will join Russian juniors and world grandmasters in the new stage of the tournament. This year’s main venue will be the “Azerbaijan“ pavilion at VDNKh (Exhibition of Achievements of the national economy) in Moscow.

“Chess Stars“ is one of the largest international chess tournaments in recent years. The event features world-renowned grandmasters, while chess players under the age of 17 have the opportunity to play alongside their idols and even face them across the board.

Among the outstanding grandmasters of the new tournament are titled players from Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, India, Iran and China: Sergey Karjakin, Teymur Radjabov, Vladislav Artemyev, Amin Tabatabai, Raunak Sadhwani, Hou Yifan, Alexandra Goryachkina, Ekaterina Lagno, Bibisara Asaubaeva and Valentina Gunina.

Sergey Karjakin (Russia) is one of the most titled chess players of our time. World Blitz and Rapid Chess Champion, winner of the 2012 World Cup. Two-time World Team Champion as member of the Russian national team (2013 and 2019). The first chess player to reach the World Cup semi finals four times. Winner of “Chess Stars 2.0“.

Teymur Radjabov (Azerbaijan) is one of the strongest chess players in the world.
Semifinalist of the 2004 World Championship. Three-time European champion (2009, 2013, 2017) of the team championship as a member of the Azerbaijani national team. Winner of the 2019 World Cup.
Vladislav Artemyev (Russia) is one of the strongest grandmasters in the world, World Team Champion with the Russian national team, European Champion (2019), winner of the Russian Championship and the Russian Premier League. Winner of the international WEF Chess Cup in Vladivostok. Winner of the superfinal of the Russian Chess Championship (2023 and 2024). Three-time “Chess Stars“ tournament winner.

Amin Tabatabaei (Iran) is Iranian chess player, grandmaster. In 2019 he won the Biel Master tournament. Quarterfinalist at the Sochi World Cup in 2021. Winner of the Aeroflot Open tournament in March 2024.

Raunak Sadhwani (India) is a Grandmaster from India. Silver medalist at the World Chess Olympiad as a member of the Indian team. World Champion in Rapid among juniors in 2023.
Hou Yifan (China) is a Grandmaster, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion, currently the world’s top-rated female chess player. A chess prodigy, she became the youngest female grandmaster in history at age 14.

Alexandra Goryachkina (Russia) is a Russian chess player, grandmaster, Women’s World Championship runner-up, two-time World Team Champion with Russia, three-time European Team Champion with Russia, three-time winner of the Russian Women’s Superfinal. Winner of the 2023 FIDE Women’s World Cup.

Ekaterina Lagno (Russia) is a Russian chess player, grandmaster. Russian Champion, two-time European champion, Women’s World Championship runner-up, three-time World Blitz Champion, World Rapid Champion, European Blitz runner-up, 2024 Olympic Champion.

Bibisara Asaubaeva (Kazakhstan) is a Kazakh chess player, grandmaster.  Two-time World Blitz Champion (2021, 2022). Rapid Chess World Championship runner-up (2021). Asian Champion (2021).

Valentina Gunina (Russia) is a Russian chess player, grandmaster, Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Five-time Russian Champion (2011, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022). The first ever three-time European champion (2012, 2014, 2018).  Two-time World Blitz Champion. Three-time Chess Olympiad winner.

The “Chess Stars“ project pays special attention to working with the younger generation of athletes and supporting chess stars of the future. The tournament’s mission is to support Russian chess players, promote intellectual sports and develop the next generation of chess players.

This year for the first time young athletes from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and other countries will take part in the finals of the Chess Stars 5.0 tournament.

The qualifying stages for children will be held in Moscow:

• May 25 - VEGAS Kuntsevo shopping mall
• June 1 - Khoroshevskaya school
• June 8 - Riviera shopping mall

More than 100 finalists will compete alongside grandmasters in the rapid and blitz formats of “Chess Stars 5.0”. The final will determine 24 winners across four age categories (under 9, under 11, under 13, under 17).

Grandmaster masterclasses for children, the grand opening ceremony, and the tournament official draw will take place on June 25. Competitions will begin on June 26. Anyone can attend this grand event by registering for a free ticket via the link: https://chessstars.ru/. The grandmaster tournament will also be streamed live by the general media partner, the sports portal Championat, on the Odnoklassniki social network.

The chief referee of the tournament is Artem Akhmetov, Executive Director of the Moscow Chess Federation. Commentary on the main adult tournament will be provided by international grandmaster Sergey Shipov.

“Our mission is to develop the sport of chess, inspire the new generation of players and create a platform for exchanging experience. We are confident that every move on the board brings us closer to our common goal – popularizing chess and educating future champions,” said Seymur Huseynov, General Director of New Chess.

Organizers and partners of the tournament:

General partner of the tournament – T-Bank.
Special partner of the tournament – Rosatom State Corporation.
General media partner - sports portal Championat. Official social network of the tournament: Odnoklassniki. Official news agency: RIA Novosti Sport. Media partners of the tournament: VK company, MATCH TV channel, Detskoe Radio radio station, Rambler.ru portal, OK! magazine, ZHARA Media holding, Indoor TV media channel, Sport-Express newspaper, popular science magazine Dumai, digital media Family-Times.ru, Allo-Mam magazine.

Partner of the event - Soluxe Hotel Moscow.

Chess Stars 5.0 International Rapid & Blitz Chess Tournament