Prague Chess Festival

The Prague International Chess Festival, abbreviated as PICF, is an annual chess tournament that takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, since 2019.

It consists of several separate groups, including Masters, Challengers, Futures, held with the round-robin system, and an open tournament, held with the Swiss system, accompanied by a series of side tournaments.^[1] The winner of Challengers group receives an invitation to the Masters group the following year, while the winner of the open tournament receives an invitation to the Challengers group. The festival is organized by the Nový Bor Chess Club and the playing venue is the Don Giovanni Hotel Prague.^[2]

Participants and winners

The average rating of the Masters group is usually around 2700 and the average rating of the Challengers group is about 2550. The tournament has featured a number of participants of the Candidates Tournament, including Alireza Firouzja, Richárd Rapport, Vidit Gujrathi, Gukesh D, R Praggnanandhaa, Wang Hao, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Nijat Abasov, the World Chess Championship 2012 challenger Boris Gelfand and Women's World Chess Champion Ju Wenjun.

In each group there is a couple of Czech players nominated by the Chess Federation of the Czech Republic.^[3]

Winners of the Masters group:

#	Year	Winner(s)
1	2019	Nikita Vitiugov (Russia)
2	2020	Alireza Firouzja (FIDE)
3	2021	Sam Shankland (USA)
4	2022	Pentala Harikrishna (India)
5	2023	Ray Robson (USA)
6	2024	Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)^[4]

Winners of the Challengers group:

#	Year	Winner(s)
1	2019	David Antón Guijarro (Spain)
2	2020	Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands)
	2021	cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
3	2022	Vincent Keymer (Germany)
4	2023	Mateusz Bartel (Poland)
5	2024	Ediz Gurel (Turkey)

2019

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Nikita Vitiugov (Russia)	2726	Does not appear	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	½	½	5½
2	Vidit Gujrathi (India)	2711	½	Does not appear	½	½	1	0	½	½	1	½	5
3	Radosław Wojtaszek (Poland)	2722	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	5
4	Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland)	2731	0	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	0	1	1	1	5
5	Boris Gelfand (Israel)	2655	½	0	½	½	Does not appear	1	1	½	½	½	5
6	Sam Shankland (United States)	2731	½	1	½	½	0	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	4½
7	Pentala Harikrishna (India)	2730	0	½	½	1	0	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	4
8	Richárd Rapport (Hungary)	2738	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	1	4
9	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2739	½	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	1	4
10	Viktor Láznička (Czech Republic)	2670	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	0	0	Does not appear	3

Challengers

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	David Antón Guijarro (Spain)	2643	Does not appear	½	½	0	½	1	1	½	1	1	6
2	Jan Krejčí (Czech Republic)	2570	½	Does not appear	½	0	½	½	1	1	½	1	5½
3	Ju Wenjun (China)	2580	½	½	Does not appear	1	1	0	½	0	1	½	5
4	Peter Michalik (Czech Republic)	2565	1	1	0	Does not appear	½	½	½	1	0	½	5
5	Jiří Štoček (Czech Republic)	2592	½	½	0	½	Does not appear	1	½	½	0	1	4½
6	Alexei Shirov (Spain)	2667	0	½	1	½	0	Does not appear	½	0	1	1	4½
7	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2546	0	0	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	1	½	4
8	R Praggnanandhaa (India)	2532	½	0	1	0	½	1	½	Does not appear	½	0	4
9	David Paravyan (Russia)	2627	0	½	0	1	1	0	0	½	Does not appear	1	4
10	Mateusz Bartel (Poland)	2600	0	0	½	½	0	0	½	1	0	Does not appear	2½

2020

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	Tie-break
1	Alireza Firouzja (FIDE)	2726	Does not appear	0	1	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	5	2
2	Vidit Gujrathi (India)	2721	1	Does not appear	0	½	1	½	½	1	0	½	5	0
3	Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland)	2755	0	1	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	5
4	David Antón Guijarro (Spain)	2697	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	0	½	½	1	1	5
5	Sam Shankland (United States)	2683	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	1	½	½	½	1	5
6	Nikita Vitiugov (Russia)	2731	½	½	½	1	0	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	4½
7	Pentala Harikrishna (India)	2713	0	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	1	½	4½
8	Markus Ragger (Austria)	2670	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	4
9	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2717	½	1	0	0	½	½	0	½	Does not appear	1	4
10	Nils Grandelius (Sweden)	2659	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	0	Does not appear	3

Challengers

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands)	2667	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	6
2	Nijat Abasov (Azerbaijan)	2670	½	Does not appear	1	1	0	½	½	½	1	½	5½
3	Andrey Esipenko (Russia)	2654	½	0	Does not appear	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	5½
4	Kacper Piorun (Poland)	2611	½	0	0	Does not appear	1	1	½	½	1	½	5
5	Mateusz Bartel (Poland)	2639	½	1	½	0	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	1	5
6	Hannes Stefánsson (Iceland)	2529	0	½	½	0	½	Does not appear	½	1	1	1	5
7	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2560	0	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	1	½	½	4½
8	Lukáš Černoušek (Czech Republic)	2442	½	0	½	½	½	0	0	Does not appear	1	½	3½
9	Tadeáš Kriebel (Czech Republic)	2524	½	0	0	0	½	0	½	0	Does not appear	1	2½
10	Jan Krejčí (Czech Republic)	2559	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	Does not appear	2½

2021

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Points
1	Sam Shankland (United States)	2691	Does not appear	1	½	½	1	½	1	1	5½
2	Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland)	2729	0	Does not appear	1	½	½	1	1	1	5
3	Radosław Wojtaszek (Poland)	2687	½	0	Does not appear	½	1	½	½	1	4
4	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2577	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	3½
5	Nijat Abasov (Azerbaijan)	2665	0	½	0	½	Does not appear	1	½	1	3½
6	Nils Grandelius (Sweden)	2670	½	0	½	½	0	Does not appear	½	½	2½
7	Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands)	2701	0	0	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	2½
8	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2697	0	0	0	½	0	½	½	Does not appear	1½

2022

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Pentala Harikrishna (India)	2701	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	6½
2	Lê Quang Liêm (Vietnam)	2709	½	Does not appear	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	½	6
3	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2610	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	5
4	Sam Shankland (United States)	2718	½	0	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	1	1	½	5
5	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2681	½	0	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	1	1	5
6	Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain)	2703	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	0	½	1	4½
7	Vidit Gujrathi (India)	2723	0	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	4
8	Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran)	2718	0	½	½	0	½	1	½	Does not appear	½	½	4
9	Salem Saleh (United Arab Emirates)	2679	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	1	3
10	David Antón Guijarro (Spain)	2692	0	½	0	½	0	0	½	½	0	Does not appear	2

Challengers

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	TB
1	Vincent Keymer (Germany)	2675	Does not appear	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	1	1	6½	2
2	Hans Niemann (United States)	2678	½	Does not appear	½	1	½	1	1	0	1	1	6½	0
3	Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)	2661	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	6
4	Krishnan Sasikiran (India)	2635	0	0	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	1	1	1	5
5	Jerguš Pecháč (Slovakia)	2598	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	0	1	½	0	4
6	Max Warmerdam (Netherlands)	2613	0	0	0	½	½	Does not appear	1	0	1	1	4
7	Marcin Krzyżanowski (Poland)	2535	½	0	½	½	1	0	Does not appear	1	0	0	3½
8	Jiří Štoček (Czech Republic)	2541	½	1	0	0	0	1	0	Does not appear	½	½	3½
9	Zbyněk Hráček (Czech Republic)	2564	0	0	½	0	½	0	1	½	Does not appear	½	3
10	Peter Michalik (Czech Republic)	2577	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	½	½	Does not appear	3

2023

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	Tie-break
1	Ray Robson (United States)	2689	Does not appear	0	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	½	5½	1½
2	Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Romania)	2693	1	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	5½	½
3	Pentala Harikrishna (India)	2704	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	5
4	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2689	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	½	4½
5	Sam Shankland (United States)	2711	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	½	4½
6	Haik M. Martirosyan (Armenia)	2685	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	0	½	1	4½
7	Vincent Keymer (Germany)	2690	0	½	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	1	½	½	4½
8	Wang Hao (China)	2722	0	½	0	½	½	1	0	Does not appear	1	½	4
9	Boris Gelfand (Israel)	2668	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	Does not appear	½	3½
10	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2653	½	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	3½

Challengers

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Mateusz Bartel (Poland)	2609	Does not appear	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	6½
2	Alexander Motylev (Romania)	2597	½	Does not appear	½	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	6
3	Paulius Pultinevičius (Lithuania)	2530	0	½	Does not appear	1	½	0	1	½	½	1	5
4	Benjamin Gledura (Hungary)	2645	½	0	0	Does not appear	1	1	½	1	½	½	5
5	Jan Vykouk (Czech Republic)	2467	½	½	½	0	Does not appear	1	½	1	0	1	5
6	Erwin l'Ami (Netherlands)	2645	½	½	1	0	0	Does not appear	½	0	1	1	4½
7	Jerguš Pecháč (Slovakia)	2611	½	½	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	0	1	½	4
8	Václav Finěk (Czech Republic)	2409	0	0	½	0	0	1	1	Does not appear	0	1	3½
9	Richard Stalmach (Czech Republic)	2436	0	0	½	½	1	0	0	1	Does not appear	0	3
10	G. Akash (India)	2483	0	½	0	½	0	0	½	0	1	Does not appear	2½

2024

Masters

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)	2744	Does not appear	1	1	0	1	½	½	1	1	½	6½
2	Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic)	2630	0	Does not appear	1	½	½	1	0	1	½	½	5
3	Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran)	2715	0	0	Does not appear	1	½	½	½	1	½	1	5
4	R Praggnanandhaa (India)	2747	1	½	0	Does not appear	½	0	½	½	1	1	5
5	David Navara (Czech Republic)	2667	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	½	1	½	½	½	4½
6	Richárd Rapport (Romania)	2717	½	0	½	1	½	Does not appear	½	½	½	½	4½
7	Gukesh D (India)	2743	½	1	½	½	0	½	Does not appear	0	1	½	4½
8	Mateusz Bartel (Poland)	2630	0	0	0	½	½	½	1	Does not appear	½	½	3½
9	Vincent Keymer (Germany)	2738	0	½	½	0	½	½	0	½	Does not appear	1	3½
10	Vidit Gujrathi (India)	2747	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	0	Does not appear	3

Challengers

	Player	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points
1	Ediz Gurel (Turkey)	2560	Does not appear	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	6½
2	Jaime Santos Latasa (Spain)	2612	½	Does not appear	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	6
3	Erwin l'Ami (Netherlands)	2636	½	½	Does not appear	½	0	½	1	1	1	½	5½
4	Abhimanyu Mishra (United States)	2627	½	½	½	Does not appear	0	½	½	1	1	1	5½
5	Anton Korobov (Ukraine)	2666	0	0	1	1	Does not appear	0	½	1	½	1	5
6	Maxim Rodshtein (Israel)	2590	½	0	½	½	1	Does not appear	½	1	0	½	4½
7	Richard Stalmach (Czech Republic)	2434	½	½	0	½	½	½	Does not appear	0	1	½	4
8	Vaishali Rameshbabu (India)	2481	0	½	0	0	0	0	1	Does not appear	1	½	3
9	Štěpán Hrbek (Czech Republic)	2426	0	½	0	0	½	1	0	0	Does not appear	½	2½
10	Václav Finěk (Czech Republic)	2429	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	Does not appear	2½

References

^ "Prague Chess Festival to take place in February 2024". ChessBase. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^ Doggers, Peter. "2nd Prague Chess Festival: The Czech Wijk aan Zee?". Chess.com. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^ "Kapitán české reprezentace Pavel Šimáček odhalil nominaci na PICF 2022". Šachový svaz České republiky z. s. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^ "The 19-year-old Uzbek defeated Parham Maghsoodloo in a direct clash for the glory and became the sixth winner in the main tournament of the Prague International Chess Festival". 6 March 2024.

External links

Official website

[1] "Prague Chess Festival to take place in February 2024". ChessBase. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.

[2] Doggers, Peter. "2nd Prague Chess Festival: The Czech Wijk aan Zee?". Chess.com. Retrieved 21 January 2024.

[3] "Kapitán české reprezentace Pavel Šimáček odhalil nominaci na PICF 2022". Šachový svaz České republiky z. s. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2024.

[4] "The 19-year-old Uzbek defeated Parham Maghsoodloo in a direct clash for the glory and became the sixth winner in the main tournament of the Prague International Chess Festival". 6 March 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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