That Russia, under the neutral flag of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), wins the gold of the Women’s World Cup is only the confirmation of a clear prediction. But it is news, and of great impact, that its third manager, Polina Shuválova, 24 years old, so far absent from the super elite, wins nine games in a row and draws without fighting in the last one. The Russians were able to compete as a team thanks to a special permit from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Silver went to Azerbaijan and bronze to China (without its big stars).
Apart from what Shuválova may explain at the close of the tournament (after the publication of this report), before receiving the gold medal for the best individual result, ambition and complete self-confidence are some of her strongest virtues, judging by her interviews over the last two years. “I come here to play well, and if I do that I should be in the top three” is the kind of phrase he usually says in the first rounds of very strong tournaments. Under 18 world champion in 2018 and Under 20 in 2019, everything indicates that the pandemic first and the sanctions against Russia then stopped her meteoric progression. But now, with the 30 Elo points earned in Linares, Shuválova surpasses the 2,500 barrier and is tenth in the world.
In principle, the IOC limits its special regulations to individual competitions so that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete under a neutral flag and anthem, and expressly excludes team competitions in the official documentation. But FIDE asked for special permission for Linares, and the IOC granted it with two arguments: it is not an Olympic competition; and each international sports federation enjoys a certain degree of autonomy.
Certainly the dominance of the Russians was indisputable. If Alexandra Goryáchkina (6th in the world) and Kateryna Lagno (9th) on the first two scoreboards already guarantee enormous potential, Shuválova’s sensational performance dispelled the few doubts about ownership of the gold at the end of the tournament. The situation would have been very different if China had fallen into line, along with the number one —but almost inactive because she is dedicated to her work as a professor at a university in Beijing— Yifán Hou, to the next three in the world list: Jiner Zhu, Tingjie Lei and Wenjun Ju (current champion), or to 7th, Zhongyi Tan. But without these four, and although the young stars are formidable, China could not worry the Russians. And neither is India, without Humpy Koneru, Deshmuj Divya, Rameshbabu Vaishali and Harika Dronavalli.
From the Spanish point of view, the World Cup was a sporting failure, not so much because the women’s team did not reach the round of 16 (it was predictable), but due to the terrible performance of Khadem in the front row and the inability of Prado, García Castany and Calzetta to replace the absent Marta García with a good performance. Only Sabrina Vega and Matnadze were up to the task.
However, this World Cup can revitalize the city of Linares as a theater of major international tournaments, fifteen years after the disappearance of its famous tournament, the Wimbledon of chess, in 2010 due to the global economic crisis and the simultaneous closure of the Santana Motor factory, which was the economic lung of the entire region. Unemployment subsequently reached 50%. It seems that there are now green shoots in the local economy and that Linares is among the candidates to host more official FIDE championships. In addition to the Spanish Absolute Championships, already assigned for the next four years, as confirmed by the mayor Auxi del Olmo on the occasion of the opening ceremony.
