Women's Chess World Cup 2023

The Women's Chess World Cup 2023 was a 103-player single-elimination chess tournament, the second edition of the Women's Chess World Cup, taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 29 July to 22 August 2023. The runner up and third place finishers, Nurgyul Salimova and Anna Muzychuk, qualified for the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024. Since Aleksandra Goryachkina, the winner of the tournament, had already qualified through the Grand Prix, her replacement was Koneru Humpy, who was the highest-rated player on the January 2024 FIDE rating list who had played a minimum 30 games.

The tournament was held in parallel with the Chess World Cup 2023.

Format
The tournament was a 7-round knockout event, with the top 25 seeds given a bye directly into the second round. The losers of the two semi-finals played a match for third place. The players who finished first, second, and third qualified for the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024.

Each round consisted of classical time limit games on the first two days, plus tie-breaks on the third day if required. The time limits were as follows:


 * Two classical time limit games: 90 minutes, plus a 30-minute increment on move 40, plus a 30-second increment per move from move 1, per player.
 * If the match is tied after the classical games, players will play two rapid chess games, with 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, per player.
 * If the match is still tied, players then will play two more rapid chess games, with 10 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, per player.
 * If the match is still tied, players then will play two blitz games, with 5 minutes plus a 3-second increment per move, per player.
 * If the match is still tied, a single blitz game, with 3 minutes plus a 2-second increment per move, will be played to decide the match. A drawing of lots will determine which player plays white. If drawn, the players will switch colors and play again, until a decisive result is obtained.

Schedule
Each round lasted three days: two for classical time limit games and a third, if necessary, for tie-breaks. Rounds 1 to 3 ran from July 30 to August 7; August 8 was a rest day; Rounds 4 to 6 ran from August 9 to 17; August 18 was a rest day; and the final and third-place match ran from August 19 to 21.

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

Participants
The current qualifiers are seeded here by their FIDE rating as of July 2023, apart from Ju Wenjun, who is seeded first as Women's World Chess Champion.


 * 1) 🇨🇳 Ju Wenjun (CHN), GM, 2564 (WWCC)
 * 2) Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM, 2557 (WWC)
 * 3) 🇮🇳 Humpy Koneru (IND), GM, 2553 (R)
 * 4) Kateryna Lagno, GM, 2552 (R)
 * 5) Alexandra Kosteniuk, GM, 2532 (WWC)
 * 6) 🇨🇳 Tan Zhongyi (CHN), GM, 2523 (WWC)
 * 7) Nana Dzagnidze, GM, 2511 (R)
 * 8) 🇺🇦 Mariya Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2511 (R)
 * 9) 🇺🇦 Anna Muzychuk (UKR), GM, 2509 (WWC)
 * 10) 🇮🇳 Harika Dronavalli (IND), GM, 2500 (R)
 * 11) 🇨🇳 Zhu Jiner (CHN), WGM, 2498 (PN)
 * 12) Polina Shuvalova, IM, 2496 (PN)
 * 13) 🇪🇸 Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (ESP), IM, 2488 (PN)
 * 14) Bella Khotenashvili, GM, 2475 (E21)
 * 15) Nino Batsiashvili, GM, 2474 (FN)
 * 16) 🇩🇪 Elisabeth Pähtz (GER), GM, 2471 (FN)
 * 17) 🇰🇿 Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ), IM, 2469 (AS21)
 * 18) 🇨🇳 Zhao Xue (CHN), GM, 2457 (Z3.5)
 * 19) Meri Arabidze, IM, 2451 (E21)
 * 20) 🇦🇿 Gunay Mammadzada (AZE), IM, 2448 (E22)
 * 21) 🇺🇸 Irina Krush (USA), GM, 2447 (Z2.1)
 * 22) 🇺🇦 Yuliia Osmak (UKR), IM, 2444 (E21)
 * 23) Lela Javakhishvili, IM, 2439 (E23)
 * 24) 🇺🇦 Anna Ushenina (UKR), GM, 2434 (E22)
 * 25) 🇮🇳 Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND), IM, 2431 (FN)
 * 26) Eline Roebers, IM, 2419 (PN)
 * 27) 🇷🇴 Irina Bulmaga (ROU), IM, 2416 (E22)
 * 28) 🇷🇸 Teodora Injac (SRB), IM, 2415 (E22)
 * 29) 🇧🇬 Nurgyul Salimova (BUL), IM, 2409 (E22)
 * 30) Leya Garifullina, IM, 2408 (E21)
 * 31) 🇭🇺 Hoang Thanh Trang (HUN), GM, 2402 (FN)
 * 32) 🇵🇱 Monika Socko (POL), GM, 2401 (E22)
 * 33) 🇦🇿 Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE), IM, 2401 (E22)
 * 34) 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh (IND), WGM, 2400 (Z3.7)
 * 35) Olga Badelka, IM, 2397 (E21)
 * 36) 🇵🇱 Oliwia Kiołbasa (POL), IM, 2394 (E21)
 * 37) 🇫🇷 Sophie Milliet (FRA), IM, 2388 (E21)
 * 38) 🇪🇪 Mai Narva (EST), IM, 2387 (E21)
 * 39) 🇵🇱 Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL), IM, 2394 (E22)
 * 40) 🇫🇷 Pauline Guichard (FRA), IM, 2384 (E23)
 * 41) Salome Melia, IM, 2377 (E23)
 * 42) Batkhuyag Munguntuul, IM, 2374 (AS23)
 * 43) Stavroula Tsolakidou, IM, 2373 (E23)
 * 44) 🇨🇳 Xiao Yiyi (CHN), WGM, 2372 (Z3.5)
 * 45) Alina Bivol, IM, 2371 (E23)
 * 46) 🇵🇪 Deysi Cori (PER), IM, 2369 (FN)
 * 47) 🇺🇸 Carissa Yip (USA), IM, 2369 (FN)
 * 48) 🇦🇿 Khanim Balajayeva (AZE), WGM, 2368 (FN)
 * 49) 🇺🇦 Nataliya Buksa (UKR), IM, 2365 (E21)
 * 50) 🇦🇿 Gulnar Mammadova (AZE), IM, 2357 (E21)
 * 51) 🇵🇱 Karina Cyfka (POL), IM, 2356 (E23)
 * 52) Medina Warda Aulia, IM, 2355 (FN)
 * 53) 🇦🇿 Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE), WGM, 2355 (U20)
 * 54) 🇦🇷 Candela Francisco (ARG), WGM, 2352 (AM23)
 * 55) Võ Thị Kim Phụng, WGM, 2351 (Z3.3)
 * 56) 🇫🇷 Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA), IM, 2348 (E23)
 * 57) 🇺🇦 Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (UKR), WIM, 2347 (FN)
 * 58) 🇵🇱 Klaudia Kulon (POL), IM, 2331 (E23)
 * 59) Mobina Alinasab, WGM, 2329 (FN)
 * 60) 🇮🇳 P. V. Nandhidhaa (IND), WGM, 2329 (AS22)
 * 61) 🇮🇳 Mary Ann Gomes (IND), WGM, 2326 (AS23)
 * 62) 🇮🇹 Marina Brunello (ITA), IM, 2324 (E22)
 * 63) 🇨🇺 Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdés (CUB), IM, 2318 (AM22)
 * 64) 🇸🇰 Eva Repková (SVK), IM, 2312 (FN)
 * 65) 🇺🇿 Nilufar Yakubbaeva (UZB), WGM, 2311 (FN)
 * 66) 🇺🇸 Jennifer Yu (USA), WGM, 2303 (Z2.1)
 * 67) 🇮🇳 Nutakki Priyanka (IND), WGM, 2293 (AS22)
 * 68) 🇨🇺 Yaniela Forgas Moreno (CUB), WGM, 2293 (FN)
 * 69) 🇨🇳 Yan Tianqi (CHN), WIM, 2277 (Z3.5)
 * 70) 🇦🇺 Julia Ryjanova (AUS), WGM, 2273 (Z3.6)
 * 71) 🇨🇺 Yerisbel Miranda Llanes (CUB), WGM, 2268 (Z2.3)
 * 72) 🇧🇬 Viktoria Radeva (BUL), WGM, 2263 (FN)
 * 73) 🇧🇬 Nadya Toncheva (BUL), FM, 2263 (E23)
 * 74) 🇵🇱 Michalina Rudzinska (POL), WFM, 2257 (FN)
 * 75) Javiera Belén Gómez Barrera, WIM, 2256 (FN)
 * 76) 🇷🇸 Marina Gajcin (SRB), WIM, 2251 (FN)
 * 77) Janelle Mae Frayna, WGM, 2243 (FN)
 * 78) 🇨🇴 Melissa Castrillon Gomez (COL), WIM, 2235 (FN)
 * 79) Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, WGM, 2229 (FN)
 * 80) Turmunkh Munkhzul, WGM, 2226 (AS21)
 * 81) 🇸🇬 Gong Qianyun (SGP), WGM, 2223 (FN)
 * 82) 🇦🇷 Maria Jose Campos (ARG), WIM, 2212 (Z2.5)
 * 83) 🇧🇷 Julia Alboredo (BRA), FM, 2208 (FN)
 * 84) 🇦🇺 Zhang Jilin (AUS), WGM, 2204 (FN)
 * 85) 🇨🇦 Maili-Jade Ouellet (CAN), WGM, 2201 (Z2.2)
 * 86) 🇦🇷 Anapaola Borda Rodas (ARG), WIM, 2200 (FN)
 * 87) 🇨🇳 Yuan Ye (CHN), untitled, 2188 (Z3.5)
 * 88) 🇧🇷 Kathiê Librelato (BRA), WIM, 2182 (Z2.4)
 * 89) 🇰🇿 Assel Serikbay (KAZ), WIM, 2139 (FN)
 * 90) 🇪🇬 Mona Khaled (EGY), WGM, 2106 (FN)
 * 91) 🇪🇬 Shahenda Wafa (EGY), WGM, 2093 (AF22)
 * 92) Lina Nassr, WIM, 2071 (AF23)
 * 93) Mitra Asgharzadeh, WFM, 2033 (Z3.1)
 * 94) 🇻🇪 Tilsia Varela (VEN), WIM, 2028 (FN)
 * 95) Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa Azhar, WIM, 2004 (FN)
 * 96) 🇳🇿 Vyanla Punsalan (NZL), WFM, 1989 (FN)
 * 97) Anjum Noshin, WFM, 1944 (FN)
 * 98) Zineb Dina Abdi, WIM, 1858 (FN)
 * 99) Wafia Darwish Al Maamari, WFM, 1850 (FN)
 * 100) Charlize van Zyl, WIM, 1839 (AF22)
 * 101) 🇰🇬 Nurai Sovetbekova (KGZ), WFM, 1823 (FN)
 * 102) Ferdous Jannatul, WCM, 1815 (Z3.2)
 * 103) 🇮🇶 Yamama Asif Abdula Al Fayyadh (IRQ), WCM, 1705 (FN)

The 103 participants will be:
 * The Women's World Chess Champion as of 1 June 2023 (WWCC)
 * The top four players in the Women's Chess World Cup 2021 (WWC)
 * The 2022 World Girls Chess Champion U20 (U20)
 * 53 players qualifying from Continental and Zonal events
 * Europe (18+10): including European Women's Chess Championships 2021 (E21, 10), 2022 (E22, 9), and 2023 (E23, 9)
 * Americas (4+4): including American Continental Women's Chess Championships 2022 (AM22, 1) and 2023 (AM23, 1); Zonals 2022: 2.1 (Z2.1, 2), 2.2 (Z2.2, 1) 2.3 (Z2.3, 1), and 2.4 (Z2.4, 1); Zonals 2023: 2.5 (Z2.5, 1)
 * Asia (14): including Asian Women's Chess Championships 2021 (AS21, 2) and 2023 (AS23, 2); Zonals 2023: 3.1 (Z3.1, 1), 3.2 (Z3.2, 1), 3.3 (Z3.3, 1), 3.5 (Z3.5, 4), 3.6 (Z3.6, 1), and 3.7 (Z3.7, 1)
 * Africa (3): including African Women's Chess Championships 2022 (AF22, 2) and 2023 (AF23, 1)
 * The 5 highest-rated female players from the June 2023 FIDE World Rankings (R)
 * 36 federations spots selected according to the final standings of the 44th Chess Olympiad Main Competition (FN)
 * 2 nominees of the FIDE President (PN)
 * 1 nominees of the organizer (ON)

The participants will be seeded by their FIDE rating of July 2023, apart from Ju Wenjun, who will be seeded first as Women's World Chess Champion.

The following are the players from the list of qualifiers who declined to play, and their replacements:


 * 🇨🇳 Hou Yifan (CHN), GM, 2628 (R) → 🇮🇳 Harika Dronavalli (IND), GM, 2510 (R)
 * 🇨🇳 Lei Tingjie (CHN), GM, 2554 (R) → Nana Dzagnidze, GM, 2510 (R)
 * 🇦🇲 Elina Danielian (ARM), GM, 2416 (E21) → Olga Badelka, IM, 2397 (E21)
 * 🇦🇲 Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM), IM, 2389 (E22) → 🇷🇸 Teodora Injac (SRB), IM, 2415 (E22)
 * 🇦🇲 Anna Sargsyan (ARM), IM, 2375 (E21) → 🇫🇷 Sophie Milliet (FRA), IM, 2388 (E21)