The world’s top female chess players gathered in Monaco this week for a prestigious leg of the Women’s Grand Prix, a high-stakes tournament that showcased the sport’s finest talents in an intense battle of strategy and skill…
Held at the Novotel Hotel from February 18 to 27, the competition brought together ten of the world’s top twenty players, including several reigning and former world champions.
With an atmosphere of absolute concentration, every move was carefully calculated, with players taking their time to analyse the board in search of the perfect strategy. Unlike rapid chess formats, these games were played at a measured pace, heightening the suspense as each competitor sought to outmanoeuvre her opponent. The tournament attracted global attention, with live broadcasts, daily reports, and expert commentary ensuring chess enthusiasts around the world could follow the action.
This event is one of the strongest chess tournaments ever organized in Monaco, boasting an €80,000 prize fund and featuring a field of players from Russia, Kazakhstan, India, Spain, China, Switzerland, Germany, and Mongolia. The final match saw Russian chess star Alexandra Goryachkina face off against Mongolia’s Batkhuyag Munguntuul in a tense last-round encounter, with Goryachkina ultimately emerging victorious.
The Women’s Grand Prix now moves to Cyprus in two weeks for its fourth stage, with the top two players at the end of the six-stage series securing a coveted spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament—one step closer to the ultimate goal: the Women’s World Chess Championship.
