The 2016 Moscow Candidates Tournament that opens on March 10, 2016 (Tournament’s General Partner is Tashir Group), is on the way to become one of the best-organized FIDE events,according to FIDE Vice-President Israel Gelfer.

In his report to FIDE, Mr. Gelfer wrote: “We visited the venue, the official hotel and also reviewed the design of the venue and concept of live transmission and broadcasting. The hotel is superb, of course — it’s the new ‘Four Seasons" on Red Square. The venue is the Central Telegraph building located approximately 300 meters from the hotel.

We reviewed the architectural plans of the venue, and the impression is that the preparations are very serious, very professional and we are very pleased that Agon, the commercial partner of FIDE, is doing everything needed in order to have a well-organized and perfect event”.

There will be serious anti-cheating measures implemented at the Tournament as well as several innovations in chess broadcasting.

The event is organized by Agon Limited, owner of the WORLD CHESS brand as well as the owner of commercial rights to the FIDE Chess Championship cycle. The tournament’s general partner is Tashir Group, Russia’s largest diversified industrial holding as well as one of the largest developers in the country. The event is also supported by the Russian Chess Federation.

About The Candidates Tournament:

The Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger for the 2016 World Chess Championship Match is organised in the first quarter of 2016 and represents an integral part of the World Chess Championship regulations for the cycle 2014- 2016. Eight players will participate in the Candidates Tournament and the winner qualifies for the World Chess Championship Match in the last quarter of 2016. The players who qualify for the Candidates Tournament are determined according to the following, in order of priority: The player who lost the 2014 World Championship Match, the two top winners of the World Cup 2015, the two top players from the FIDE Grand-Prix 2014/2015, two players from average FIDE Rating List of the 12 monthly lists starting from 1st January 2015 to 1st December 2015 qualify to participate by rating (excluding the player who lost the 2014 World Championship Match, two top winners of the World Cup 2015 and two top players from the FIDE Grand-Prix 2014/2015) and one nominated player by the Organiser.

About FIDE:

The World Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Echecs, (FIDE), is recognised by its members and the International Olympic Committee as the international federation in the domain of chess, the supreme body responsible for the sport of chess and its Championships. FIDE has the sole rights to organise the World Chess Championships and the Chess Olympiads.

About Agon Limited:

Agon Limited is the official partner of World Chess Federation (FIDE) and owner the WORLD CHESS brand as well as of commercial rights to the World Chess Championship cycle. The company aims to develop and commercialize chess, create favorable environment for partners, players, and brands, and to significantly expand the broadcast coverage of the sport.
Agon Limited became owner of commercial rights in 2012. The company successfully managed the 2012- 2013 Grand Prix cycle, the 2014 World Championship Match, and the 2015 Rapid and Blitz World Championships. The company operates worldchess.com website that is the official broadcasting platform of the Championship cycle.

About Tashir Group:

Tashir is a diversified industrial holding founded in 1999 and comprised of over 200 companies in various sectors of Russian economy, including construction, manufacturing, finance, energy, development, and retail. The company employs over 45,000 people and has offices in over 25 cities in Russia and neighboring states. ‘Tashir Group’s founder and president is Samvel Karapetyan. The company is headquartered in Moscow.

Tahir Group’s primary business focus is development and management of commercial real estate projects, including retail. Tashir is a leading developer in Russia and has built over 2.5 million square meters of commercial and residential real estate.

Official Hotel of the World Chess Candidates Tournament:

Four Seasons Hotel Moscow is the official hotel for the tournament. The Four Seasons, located in the building that once was the legendary hotel ‘Moskva’, is a unique combination of historic heritage and contemporary design with amazing views onto the main Moscow attractions — the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil Cathedral, Bolshoi Theatre and more. The hotel features 180 luxury rooms and suites, a selection of restaurants, a chic bar and the luxurious Amnis Spa.



(left to right: CEO WORLD CHESS by Agon Limited Ilya Merenzon, FIDE Vice-President Israel Gelfer, FIDE Moscow Office Director Berik Balgabaev at the venue)