The second World Corporate Chess Championships has come to a close, with eight teams now set to compete in the highly anticipated over-the-board finals in New York. A total of 64 teams representing 46 companies from 26 countries across four continents took part in the online qualification round, which saw fierce competition among global corporations such as Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, UBS and others.
While most teams were made up of amateur players and enthusiasts, each team had the option to include one player with a FIDE rating over 2400 points. Some teams recruited top-class Grandmasters like Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Andrew Tang and others to boost their chances of qualifying. The online tournaments featured rapid and blitz formats, culminating in an online knockout stage to determine the final eight contenders.
The eight companies that have successfully qualified for the finals will meet in New York from June 15 to 17 for over-the-board matches. The tournament will include a group stage and an intense playoff stage. Finalists will have their travel and accommodation expenses covered in New York and will also secure four seats for an online simultaneous chess match against a participant from the recent FIDE Candidates Tournament.
For more information about this exciting event including event details, results and regulations, visit the official website of the World Corporate Chess Championship.