Women's Grand Prix: Ataturk Tournament

It's confirmed! There was a press release from FIDE yesterday that the Ataturk Tournament is the first stop on the Women's Grand Prix that will take place over 2009 and 2010. Will it hold up - who knows? The Men's Grand Prix did not! What chance does the Women's Grand Prix have under current economic conditions? I'm just glad to see the Women's Ataturk Tournament back again - it was a fantastic event last year, won by Hou Yifan with 7 of 9. Turkey is serious about encouraging its people to take up chess and emerging as a chess power in the world, and it has many very promising players rising in the ranks on the international competitive circuit. To see a chess federation putting forward such effort, commitment and putting substantial funds on the line from supporters, members, sponsors and the government to promote chess - it warms my heart. If only USCF would get the hint (hint hint). You can find the full press release here. Here are the participants in the 2009 Ataturk Women Masters Tournament: GM Humpy Koneru 2621 GM Yifan Hou 2571 GM Antoaneta Stefanova 2557 GM Pia Cramling 2548 GM Marie Sebag 2529 GM Maia Chiburdanidze 2516 GM Zhao Xue 2508 GM Zhu Chen 2496 IM Elina Danielian 2496 WGM Shen Yang 2448 WGM Zeinab Mamedjarova 2362 WIM Betül Cemre Yıldız 2214 Average ELO: 2488 The action begins March 6, 2009. The sponsor of the event is Türkiye İş Bankası. The event will be held in Is Sanat Gallery (Is Bankası Art Gallery) on the entrance floor of İş Bank Towers in Istanbul. Opening Ceremony will be held on the 41st floor of Is Bank Towers which is the highest place of Istanbul and Southern Europe. İş Bankası is the corporate sponsor of the Turkish Chess Federation and supports the Turkish Chess in School Curriculum for the last four years.