Launch of Women’s Online Tournament Series

23 January 2024

World Chess Plc

("World Chess" or the "Company")

Launch of Women's Wednesday Online Tournament Series

World Chess plc (LSE: CHSS), a prominent chess organisation committed to enhancing the global mass market appeal of chess by introducing a variety of innovative chess-related activities, is pleased to announce the launch of Women's Wednesday Online Tournament Series, "Swiss Queens Wednesday" (the "Series"), in partnership with the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

This new weekly event is dedicated to elevating women's participation in the sport and will be hosted on the FIDE Online Arena platform (chessarena.com) as the Company strives to empower women within the chess community. The Series will leverage proprietary technology to ensure fair play and global participation on the FIDE Online Arena using World Chess' Night Watch Fair Play Suite, technology which will analyse games, with players required to join a monitored Zoom meeting during games.

World Chess and FIDE hope the Series will offer all titled women chess players the chance to challenge stereotypes, inspire future generations, and demonstrate their strategic prowess on a global stage. As FIDE celebrates its 100^th anniversary it marks this milestone by reinforcing its commitment to promoting gender diversity through chess.

The tournaments in the Series will take place on the FIDE Online Arena every Wednesday, at 17:00 CET, starting on Wednesday, 31 January 2024, and is open to all women who hold FIDE or Arena titles. Prizes totalling USD $1,000 per tournament will be awarded, with a potential prize fund of USD $100,000.

Ilya Merenzon, Chief Executive Officer of World Chess said: "As we launch the Women's Wednesday Online Tournament Series, we're not just setting up chess boards; we're building a community. This innovation goes beyond the sport. It's about giving a voice and a stage to women in chess, encouraging them to showcase not only their strategic acumen but also their personalities and stories through streaming.

"I hope that every move will inspire someone watching. I am also looking forward to working with female athletes to collectively enhance chessarena.com, making it their preferred permanent home for online chess."

Dana Reizniece-Ozola, FIDE Managing Director, stated: "The Women's Wednesday Online Tournament Series marks a significant milestone in FIDE's ongoing commitment to gender equality in chess. This series isn't just about playing a game; it's about empowering women to take centre stage in an arena they have long been a part of.

"We encourage participants to stream their games, showcasing not just their chess skills but also their unique personalities and perspectives. This is more than a tournament - it's a movement towards a more inclusive and dynamic chess community."

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Notes to Editors

About World Chess Plc

World Chess (LSE: CHSS) is a London-based chess gaming and entertainment company and Fédération Internationale des Échecs ('FIDE') official commercial partner. World Chess organized the FIDE Championship Matches in the USA, and the UK, and revolutionized the sport by signing the biggest media partnerships in history. World Chess develops Armageddon, the chess league for prime-time television. World Chess also runs FIDE Online Arena, the exclusive official chess gaming platform. More at worldchess.com.