Candidates 2024 to start with India vs India clashes as Gukesh takes on Vidit Gujrathi and Vaishali meets Koneru Humpy

As per the Open Candidates draw, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh will face off in the second round while Vidit and Praggnanandhaa will battle in the third round.

By: Sports Desk

Updated: March 5, 2024 01:37 PM IST

3 min read

India's Candidates contenders: Indian chess masters Vidit Gujarathi,D Gukesh,Viswanathan Anand, R. Praggnandhhaa,Arjun Erigaisi and P Harikrishna at the draw of men's Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata on Monday, September 04, 2023.Express photo. by Partha Paul.

Viswanathan Anand with Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaaand Arjun Erigaisi. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

Even as many players, including four Indian chess players, await visas from Canada, the pairings for the prestigious Candidates Chess tournament 2024 was announced by FIDE, the global governing body of the sport. The first round in the open Candidates tournament will see two of the three Indians in the fray — Gukesh and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi — facing off against other on April 4.

In the women’s event, the two Indians in the eight-women field — Vaishali Rameshbabu and Humpy Koneru — will take on each other in the first game.

Meanwhile, the third Indian in the open category, Praggnanandhaa R, will face off against Iran-born French star Alireza Firouzja in the opening clash.

As per the Open Candidates draw, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh will face off in the second round (on April 5) while Vidit and Praggnanandhaa will battle in the third round (on April 6).

The winner of the open Candidates event will challenge Ding Liren for the World Championship, while the winner of the women’s event will take on China’s Ju Wenjun.

There will be rest days on April 8 (after four rounds), April 12 (after seven rounds), April 16 (after 10 rounds) and April 19 (after 12 rounds).

All eight players will play two games against the rest of the seven contenders in a double round robin format. this is the first time in history that both the open and women’s events will take place simultaneously in the same venue: Toronto.

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There is still plenty of uncertainty whether the Candidates will go ahead at Toronto as, with just a month left for the prestigious event, Canada has not issued visas for multiple players. As The Indian Express reported, four out of the five Indian chess players who will be in contention are yet to get their visas. FIDE has said they have a plan B in terms of venue in place.