Women's Chess World Cup 2021

The Women's Chess World Cup 2021 was a 103-player single-elimination chess tournament, the first edition of Women's Chess World Cup, that took place in Sochi, Russia, from 12 July to 3 August 2021. It was the inaugural edition of a women's-only version of the FIDE World Cup. The tournament was held in parallel with the Chess World Cup 2021, an open tournament.

The tournament formed part of the qualification for the Women's World Chess Championship 2022. The top three finishers, other than Women's World Chess Champion Ju Wenjun and players who have otherwise qualified, qualified for the Women's Candidates Tournament 2022–23.

Format
The format is a 7-round knockout event. 78 women play one another in the first round. The 39 that go through are joined in the second round by the top 25 seeds, who are given a bye for the first round. The losers of the two semi-finals will play one another for third place.

Each round consists of two classical games with shorter tiebreaks as needed. Their time controls are as follows.


 * 1) Two classical time limit games: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves with 30 minutes added for the further moves. Increment per move is 30 seconds.
 * 2) If tied, two games of 25 minutes with 10 second increments per move.
 * 3) If tied, two games of 10 minutes with 10 second increments per move.
 * 4) If tied, two games of 5 minutes with 3 second increments per move.
 * 5) If the match is still tied, a single armageddon chess game is played to decide the match, with draw odds to Black, meaning White must win but Black only needs to draw or win, to win the match. The players draw lots and the winner of the draw chooses their color. White receives 5 minutes, Black receives 4 minutes, and each player receives an extra 2 seconds per move beginning at move 61.

Prize money
The total prize fund was US$676,250, with the first prize of US$50,000.

Participants
The following was the list of participants. Players are seeded by their FIDE rating of June 2021.


 * 1) 🇷🇺 Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS), GM, 2596 (E18)
 * 2) 🇷🇺 Kateryna Lagno (RUS), GM, 2558 (WC)
 * 3) 🇺🇦 Mariya Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2544 (WC)
 * 4) 🇺🇦 Anna Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2535 (R)
 * 5) Nana Dzagnidze, GM, 2524 (E18)
 * 6) 🇮🇳 Harika Dronavalli (IND), GM, 2515 (R)
 * 7) 🇨🇳 Tan Zhongyi (CHN), GM, 2511 (R)
 * 8) 🇰🇿 Dinara Saduakassova (KAZ), IM, 2500 (AS19)
 * 9) 🇷🇺 Alina Kashlinskaya (RUS), IM, 2494 (E19)
 * 10) Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, IM, 2494 (Z3.1)
 * 11) Nino Batsiashvili, GM, 2491 (FN)
 * 12) 🇷🇺 Polina Shuvalova (RUS), IM, 2489 (J19)
 * 13) Lela Javakhishvili, IM, 2473 (E18)
 * 14) 🇷🇺 Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS), GM, 2472 (WC)
 * 15) 🇰🇿 Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ), GM, 2472 (R)
 * 16) 🇧🇬 Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL), GM, 2470 (E18)
 * 17) 🇷🇺 Natalia Pogonina (RUS), WGM, 2469 (R)
 * 18) Bela Khotenashvili, GM, 2463 (PN)
 * 19) 🇸🇪 Pia Cramling (SWE), GM, 2459 (E19)
 * 20) 🇩🇪 Elisabeth Pähtz (GER), IM, 2456 (E18)
 * 21) 🇷🇺 Olga Girya (RUS), WGM, 2448 (R)
 * 22) 🇷🇺 Anastasia Bodnaruk (RUS), IM, 2446 (E19)
 * 23) 🇦🇿 Gunay Mammadzada (AZE), IM, 2443 (E18)
 * 24) 🇷🇺 Alisa Galliamova (RUS), IM, 2442 (PN)
 * 25) 🇷🇴 Irina Bulmaga (ROU), IM, 2440 (FN)
 * 26) 🇫🇷 Marie Sebag (FRA), GM, 2438 (E18)
 * 27) 🇷🇺 Valentina Gunina (RUS), GM, 2436 (E18)
 * 28) 🇺🇸 Carissa Yip (USA), IM, 2430 (FN)
 * 29) 🇹🇷 Ekaterina Atalik (TUR), IM, 2430 (E18)
 * 30) 🇺🇦 Anna Ushenina (UKR), GM, 2429 (E18)
 * 31) Batkhuyagiin Möngöntuul, IM, 2428 (PN)
 * 32) 🇪🇸 Ana Matnadze (ESP), IM, 2421 (FN)
 * 33) 🇧🇾 Olga Badelka (BLR), IM, 2418 (PN)
 * 34) 🇺🇦 Iulija Osmak (UKR), IM, 2418 (E18)
 * 35) 🇵🇱 Karina Cyfka (POL), IM, 2417 (E18)
 * 36) 🇫🇷 Pauline Guichard (FRA), IM, 2413 (E19)
 * 37) 🇺🇦 Nataliya Buksa (UKR), IM, 2413 (FN)
 * 38) Irine Kharisma Sukandar, IM, 2413 (FN)
 * 39) 🇫🇷 Almira Skripchenko (FRA), IM, 2411 (FN)
 * 40) 🇦🇲 Elina Danielian (ARM), GM, 2407 (FN)
 * 41) 🇭🇺 Hoang Thanh Trang (HUN), GM, 2404 (FN)
 * 42) Laura Unuk, IM, 2404 (E18)
 * 43) 🇵🇱 Jolanta Zawadzka (POL), WGM, 2403 (E19)
 * 44) 🇷🇺 Leya Garifullina (RUS), WGM, 2399 (FN)
 * 45) 🇧🇬 Nurgyul Salimova (BUL), IM, 2395 (E19)
 * 46) 🇵🇱 Monika Soćko (POL), GM, 2393 (E19)
 * 47) 🇮🇳 Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND), WGM, 2393 (FN)
 * 48) 🇮🇳 Bhakti Kulkarni (IND), IM, 2391 (Z3.7)
 * 49) 🇷🇺 Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (RUS), WGM, 2390 (J18)
 * 50) 🇰🇿 Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ), IM, 2389 (FN)
 * 51) 🇵🇪 Deysi Cori (PER), WGM, 2388 (AM18)
 * 52) 🇦🇿 Gulnar Mammadova (AZE), IM, 2382 (FN)
 * 53) 🇮🇹 Marina Brunello (ITA), IM, 2379 (E19)
 * 54) Stavroula Tsolakidou, IM, 2379 (E19)
 * 55) 🇮🇳 Padmini Rout (IND), IM, 2370 (AS18)
 * 56) 🇨🇺 Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdés (CUB), IM, 2369 (FN)
 * 57) 🇵🇱 Klaudia Kulon (POL), IM, 2363 (E18)
 * 58) 🇹🇷 Betül Cemre Yıldız (TUR), WGM, 2362 (FN)
 * 59) Medina Warda Aulia, IM, 2360 (Z3.3)
 * 60) Peng Zhaoqin, GM, 2358 (FN)
 * 61) 🇺🇸 Tatev Abrahamyan (USA), WGM, 2358 (Z2.1)
 * 62) 🇺🇦 Inna Gaponenko (UKR), IM, 2357 (E19)
 * 63) 🇷🇸 Teodora Injac (SRB), WGM, 2355 (FN)
 * 64) 🇦🇷 Carolina Luján (ARG), IM, 2346 (FN)
 * 65) 🇺🇸 Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (USA), WGM, 2344 (PN)
 * 66) 🇷🇺 Dina Belenkaya (RUS), WGM, 2341 (E19)
 * 67) 🇵🇱 Joanna Majdan (POL), WGM, 2339 (FN)
 * 68) 🇧🇬 Viktoria Radeva (BUL), WGM, 2335 (FN)
 * 69) 🇷🇺 Anna Afonasieva (RUS), WIM, 2323 (ON)
 * 70) 🇩🇪 Jana Schneider (GER), FM, 2321 (FN)
 * 71) Mobina Alinasab, WIM, 2317 (FN)
 * 72) 🇺🇸 Jennifer Yu (USA), WGM, 2316 (Z2.1)
 * 73) 🇦🇿 Turkan Mamedjarova (AZE), WGM, 2309 (E19)
 * 74) 🇦🇿 Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE), WGM, 2301 (E19)
 * 75) 🇦🇺 Julia Ryjanova (AUS), WGM, 2299 (Z3.6)
 * 76) Turmunkh Munkhzul, WIM, 2278 (FN)
 * 77) 🇪🇪 Mai Narva (EST), WIM, 2276 (PN)
 * 78) 🇺🇿 Nilufar Yakubbaeva (UZB), WIM, 2273 (Z3.4)
 * 79) 🇨🇺 Yerisbel Miranda Llanes (CUB), WIM, 2262 (Z2.3)
 * 80) 🇨🇦 Maili-Jade Ouellet (CAN), WGM, 2257 (AM19)
 * 81) 🇷🇺 Anastasya Paramzina (RUS), WGM, 2256 (E19)
 * 82) 🇨🇦 Qiyu Zhou (CAN), WGM, 2229 (FN)
 * 83) 🇨🇴 Melissa Castrillón Gómez (COL), WIM, 2201 (FN)
 * 84) 🇵🇪 Ingrid Aliaga Fernández (PER), WIM, 2191 (FN)
 * 85) 🇲🇽 Zenia Corrales Jiménez (MEX), WIM, 2189 (FN)
 * 86) 🇧🇷 Julia Alboredo (BRA), WFM, 2182 (FN)
 * 87) 🇪🇬 Shrook Wafa (EGY), WGM, 2182 (AF)
 * 88) Janelle Mae Frayna, WGM, 2179 (FN)
 * 89) Gabriela Vargas, WIM, 2170 (Z2.5)
 * 90) 🇪🇬 Shahenda Wafa (EGY), WGM, 2106 (FN)
 * 91) Javiera Belén Gómez Barrera, WIM, 2083 (FN)
 * 92) Sabrina Latreche, WIM, 2076 (AF)
 * 93) 🇻🇪 Tilsia Carolina Varela La Madrid (VEN), WIM, 2072 (FN)
 * 94) 🇨🇦 Svitlana Demchenko (CAN), WIM, 2071 (Z2.2)
 * 95) Amina Mezioud, WGM, 2071 (PN)
 * 96) 🇹🇲 Jemal Ovezdurdiyeva (TKM), WFM, 2061 (FN)
 * 97) Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa Azhar, WIM, 2046 (FN)
 * 98) 🇺🇿 Umida Omonova (UZB), WFM, 2035 (FN)
 * 99) 🇪🇬 Ayah Moaataz (EGY), WIM, 2015 (AF)
 * 100) 🇪🇨 Anahi Ortiz Verdezoto (ECU), WIM, 2013 (Z2.3)
 * 101) Sharmin Sultana Shirin, WIM, 2009 (Z3.2)
 * 102) Jesse February, WIM, 1863 (PN)
 * 103) 🇦🇺 Penelope Drastik (AUS), 1835 (FN)


 * Qualification paths


 * WC: Semifinalists of the Women's World Chess Championship 2018
 * J18 and J19: World Junior Champions 2018 and 2019
 * R: Rating
 * E18 and E19: European Individual Championships 2018 and 2019
 * AM18 and AM19: American Continental Chess Championship 2018 and 2019
 * AS18 and AS19: Asian Chess Championship 2018 and 2019


 * AF: African Chess Championship 2019
 * Z2.1, Z2.2, Z2.3, Z2.4, Z2.5, Z3.1, Z3.2, Z3.3, Z3.4, Z3.6, Z3.7: Zonal tournaments
 * FN: Federation's nominee
 * ON: Organiser's nominee
 * PN: FIDE President's nominee

The following are the players from the list of qualifiers who declined to play, and their replacements:
 * Replacements
 * 🇨🇳 Ju Wenjun (CHN) (WC) → 🇰🇿 Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ) (R)
 * 🇨🇳 Hou Yifan (CHN) (R) → 🇷🇺 Natalia Pogonina (RUS) (R)
 * 🇮🇳 Koneru Humpy (IND) (R) → 🇷🇺 Olga Girya (RUS) (R)
 * 🇨🇳 Zhu Jiner (CHN) (Z3.5) → an extra presidential nominee (PN)
 * 🇨🇳 Huang Qian (CHN) (Z3.5) → an extra presidential nominee (PN)
 * 🇨🇳 Zhai Mo (CHN) (Z3.5) → an extra presidential nominee (PN)
 * 🇨🇳 Lei Tingjie (CHN) (Z3.5) → an extra presidential nominee (PN)

In addition, three federations (China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam) did not nominate a player.

Results
Due to the size of the bracket, the results view is made up of two parts on this page. Rounds one through four are shown first, split up into different sections of the bracket. They then join again for the quarterfinals and beyond, which are shown afterwards.